I sprinkle, therefore I am
Fashion Marketing After a one-year hiatus from advertising, the Basel-based fashion house Spengler is responding to increased competition with a comprehensive image campaign by Studio Achermann.
Fashion marketing After a one-year absence from advertising, the Basel-based fashion house Spengler responds to increased competition with a comprehensive image campaign by Studio Achermann.The boom in the clothing industry is almost two decades ago. Nevertheless, the Swiss fashion market, which has stagnated since then, has clear winners: as in the surrounding European countries, internationally active discounters such as H&M, Kookai and Mango are making gains. The longing for textile individuality wants to be satisfied even in recessionary phases. Last year, not fewer, but above all cheaper items of clothing were sold over the counter. This is confirmed by recent evaluations of consumer studies. This affects domestic retail chains just as much as mail-order companies, which are being squeezed by increasingly strong foreign heavyweights such as Otto or La Redoute. According to Retail Switzerland, Swiss mail order companies are dwarfs, "which puts them at a considerable disadvantage when it comes to buying goods." Not only that: the wide range of products makes it difficult to convey a clear positioning. Spengler also felt the effects of this development. The market research institute IHA-GfK estimates that sales in the 19 Spengler stores remained stable in 2002 at around 200 million Swiss francs. But in the mail order business, which once boasted glittering margins, sales fell from around 134 million francs in 1995 to just under 100 million francs last year. While competitors sought a way out in diversification, the Basel fashion house remained true to its core competence and is trying to revitalize its brand and sales with an image campaign.
The earlier face mask campaign, which was independent in the fashion environment but achieved only modest recall values for the brand, was followed by a one-year advertising hiatus. The Spengler owners bridged the advertising sabbatical exclusively with mail-order catalogs and promotional advertising. Chief and owner Christian Spengler waited to communicate the new appearance with a bang: The Spengler brand is to be updated, modernized, and individualized in all segments - and even more: it
wants to convey an attitude toward life. Spengler hopes "that we'll be able to make a difference with the
viewers achieve a higher level of identification with the brand."
Vital Spengler Feeling
For the joint development and implementation of the concept, he and Madeleine Corpataux chose the Zurich-based Studio Achermann, which has already earned a good reputation with its work for international fashion labels. For Beda Achermann and Markus Bucher, it was
clear that they wanted to put people at the center so that the Spengler feeling of vitality and diversity could be conveyed more authentically. "The testimonial campaign shows the most diverse personalities in their private surroundings. Nevertheless, they have one thing in common: They stand - in the truest sense of the word - for Spengler," says Bucher. The new claim "Spengler...me too!" serves as a bracket for the 15 motifs in the first wave of ads. Style elements such as the signature emphasize the personal aura. "The people pictured can sign the message, so to speak," explains Achermann. The wide range of testimonials - from teenagers to "normal people" to celebrities - is intended to suggest to the viewer that they belong.
Achermann is convinced that the campaign "has what it takes to become a classic. Because it can use images of celebrities to exploit their status or because, together with a media partner, it can serve as the basis for events - for example, a doppelganger election. What's more: "Over time, this creates an almanac of Swiss style history that could also be presented in the form of exhibitions," enthuses the advertiser. Parallel to the campaign, the team developed the umbrella brand "Spengler Live," which serves all types of communication, from product campaigns to inserts to employee events.
Studio Achermann rounded up a team of top stylists and photographers who usually only work for high fashion.
Luca Aloisi
The earlier face mask campaign, which was independent in the fashion environment but achieved only modest recall values for the brand, was followed by a one-year advertising hiatus. The Spengler owners bridged the advertising sabbatical exclusively with mail-order catalogs and promotional advertising. Chief and owner Christian Spengler waited to communicate the new appearance with a bang: The Spengler brand is to be updated, modernized, and individualized in all segments - and even more: it
wants to convey an attitude toward life. Spengler hopes "that we'll be able to make a difference with the
viewers achieve a higher level of identification with the brand."
Vital Spengler Feeling
For the joint development and implementation of the concept, he and Madeleine Corpataux chose the Zurich-based Studio Achermann, which has already earned a good reputation with its work for international fashion labels. For Beda Achermann and Markus Bucher, it was
clear that they wanted to put people at the center so that the Spengler feeling of vitality and diversity could be conveyed more authentically. "The testimonial campaign shows the most diverse personalities in their private surroundings. Nevertheless, they have one thing in common: They stand - in the truest sense of the word - for Spengler," says Bucher. The new claim "Spengler...me too!" serves as a bracket for the 15 motifs in the first wave of ads. Style elements such as the signature emphasize the personal aura. "The people pictured can sign the message, so to speak," explains Achermann. The wide range of testimonials - from teenagers to "normal people" to celebrities - is intended to suggest to the viewer that they belong.
Achermann is convinced that the campaign "has what it takes to become a classic. Because it can use images of celebrities to exploit their status or because, together with a media partner, it can serve as the basis for events - for example, a doppelganger election. What's more: "Over time, this creates an almanac of Swiss style history that could also be presented in the form of exhibitions," enthuses the advertiser. Parallel to the campaign, the team developed the umbrella brand "Spengler Live," which serves all types of communication, from product campaigns to inserts to employee events.
Studio Achermann rounded up a team of top stylists and photographers who usually only work for high fashion.
Luca Aloisi
