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Choose the product /media text and using examples identify the various methods and mediums used to promote/advertise it

Product: Gucci

Gucci is an Italian fashion and leather goods brand. From modest beginnings at the end of the 19th century, the Gucci Company became one of the world’s most successful manufacturers of high-end leather goods, clothing, and other fashion products.

The fashion world is full of competition. To survive and outperform in the cruel campaign, all the top brands must know how to adapt to the new environment as a result of new generation of audience and development of new technology. In this aspect, Gucci has always been an outstanding performer in this fancy show because of its effective strategies and branding publicity.

All Fashion Brands use almost identical mediums to market their products these mediums include:

Internet Celebrity endorsement CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) Print Television Commercials

Going online is a smart and significant luxury PR move for Gucci. They are the pioneer among fashion industries to launch online promotion campaign on Facebook. The fact is that they did a good job and achieved great success by doing this. They got a friends list of 553,138 fans in total there and it is a great tool for social media interaction. By posting pictures of its latest fashion shows and latest designs, it is a much cheaper and more convenient way to inform its fans about news and happenings. Plus all the pictures and videos on the wall engage its fans with the brand’s luxury lifestyle concept. In the era of web 2.0, “going online” has become a trend. The impact of the traditional media is lessening while new media has become a great channel for publicity. These new tools are effective as an application of “two way” communication for cultivating relationship, receiving feedback and building loyalty with its audience.

However, I think Gucci has to improve its Facebook efforts. Their objectives should not be only to inform the current customers and fans, but also to attract more potential audience. The purpose of their campaign should be broader as to educate the public about their fashion concept and style. They should listen more and interact more, instead of harnessing Facebook as a broadcasting tool.

Celebrities are vanguard of fashion trend. Their exposure to the media could be a best display of popular culture and set off latest trend of fashion. That’s why fashion brands love cooperating with celebrities.

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Gucci uses famous models and actors in their advertising campaigns.

On the 67th Golden Global Awards, Presenter Ashton Kutcher wore a Gucci custom one button tuxedo with white pleated front dress shirt, black silk bowtie

Gucci, as one of the most successful luxury brand in the world, emphasizes much on its social responsibility in order to keep a good image and reward the society. For example, Madonna wore the Gucci Cruise 2010 black leather belted jacket during her performance for the Hope for Haiti Telethon Event.

Sexuality is another factor which all fashion brands use in their advertisements Gucci is no exception in that, However some Gucci advertising campaigns have glorified women as business women and

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dominant breaking the male dominant society convention.

Gucci does not use television commercials as a medium that often. A 2010 advert of Gucci included the Hollywood actress Blake Lively again a use of celebrity endorsement to advertise a product.

Several new mediums have been introduced by Gucci such as Application on the Ipad and mobile phones which are interactive and the user can purchase its collections with a swipe of the finger. The Website of Gucci has been criticized to be too artistic or too complex to use. Gucci targets the high earners which are basically people in their 50s to onwards who are not so technologically aware or don’t know the computer that well. They should make the website more user friendly so that people in that age group could easily use the website.

Gucci Equestrian Collection

“Equestrianism” more often known as horse riding is the skill of riding, driving, and steeple chasing or vaulting with horses. It is considered a high class sport and Gucci targets the high class so this collection seems to be valid. It mostly is a male dominated sport with the women ratio still growing. Gucci uses all female models to display their collection

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Gucci posted the collection on its Facebook page and uploaded the fashion show ramp walk on their website. They again used models who are famous in the market for their photo-shoots. Gucci’s creative director Frida Giannini did promotional campaigns personally during the Global Champions Tour summer circuit. She held a racing event in which prize money included business class plane tickets to Paris as well as cash. All year round at Sonoma Horse Park, horses are seen as “therapists” by disabled riders though out the San Francisco Bay area. Patients with autism, epilepsy, and ADD among a variety of others, gather at Giant Steps to receive private therapy sessions in which they are taught to use horse-back riding as a method of coping with their physical or mental limitations.

On August 3rd, a live jazz band filled the gala with smooth jazz as the guests looked about the variety of items to be bid for in the silent auction. The simplicity of Chiavari chairs and white rustic tables garnished with green grass table runners and live boxwoods added the perfect touch of summer to this elegant affair.

Once everyone began taking their seats and the first course was served, a live auction was already underway. All items contributed by Gucci, including clothing and gear from their new equestrian line, provoked quite a response from the bidders. Following the live auction was a quick introduction for all of the disabled children benefitted by Giant Steps. Professional riders in patriotic apparel proudly rode alongside the gala, waving American flags to the chorus of “Footloose”. The professional riders then made room for the child performers, who showcased their skills in obstacle jumping.

A autistic child horse riding on the promotion at the event

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Photos of the event