Smart Set has launched the second phase of a national advertising campaign as part of its brand repositioning.
‘This brand strategy is all about encouraging women to play with fashion,’ Sara Cairncross of Taxi Montreal tells MiC. ‘Fashion has always been a tool for expression, but Smart Set has never really tried to use that position for its own target.’
The campaign directs consumers to an interactive microsite using online banners on various fashion and lifestyle websites and major networks like Sympatico, as well as OOH on transit shelters in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal (and also on street columns in Montreal). The media buying and planning was managed by Media Experts.
On the microsite, users can select outfits for a model and click ‘play it’ to see her in a variety of humorous situations. They can also get downloadable content including desktop wallpapers and songs. The campaign will also include a Facebook application that allows users to create personalized fashion cubes which they can share with friends.
By focusing on the web and making the site interactive, Smart Set hopes to narrow its target demographic from the 16-35 range to young 20somethings. ‘The brand wasn’t really on the target’s radar for several years,’ Cairncross told MiC. ‘We wanted to spark people’s curiosity by using this medium that, combined with the content, can be quite surprising and fun and attractive.’
The advertising campaign will run until Oct. 20, but the site will be active until the end of the year for those who still want to play.
