Marc Fisher LTD has been summering in the Hamptons this season — not only to expand its retail customer base but to develop a closer connection to a powerful set of influencers.
The women’s fashion footwear label initiated a regional takeover from May through mid-September, featuring brand-building activations that have netted big results.
One retail-centric initiative was the launch of a partnership with Goop MRKT in Sag Harbor, N.Y., which has been carrying Marc Fisher LTD’s espadrille sandals all season.
Shanya Perera, VP of marketing and PR for Marc Fisher Footwear, told FN, “We have been the top-performing shoe brand [in Goop MRKT] since they opened. We’ve already sold out and have had to put in a reorder.”
Meanwhile, the company also teamed up with local publications, such as Hamptons and Beach magazines to bolster its image. At the start of the season, for instance, it worked with Hamptons magazine on a luncheon for style influencers and a VIP dinner to celebrate the magazine’s “Best Dressed” issue.
Perera said the intention was to connect with fashionable women in an authentic way — and its influencer luncheon was particularly successful .
“We attached a sweepstakes to the event, so the girls could offer their fans a chance to win styles from the shoe collection,” said
Perera. “We ended up getting at least 1 million media impressions from that and had 66% growth in our social following that week.”
In the four years since veteran shoe designer Marc Fisher launched the LTD line (an up-market companion to his namesake collection), the brand has invested heavily in marketing. The company has launched ad campaigns with top models such as Karlie Kloss and Martha Hunt, as well as focused on influencer outreach.
And despite recent reports questioning the value of influencer marketing, the brand has found the strategy to be a win. “We have used it as a way to get our footwear out there and reach the demographic that is that 25- to 35-year-old, and we have been very successful in it and have hit that fashion influencer market,” said Perera.
The company is not alone in its enthusiasm for the grassroots method. According to Influencer Marketing Hub, 92% of ad agencies and marketing professionals found that using online personalities was an effective strategy. And 86% intend to dedicate a portion of their budget to it this year.
As for Marc Fisher LTD, the brand is broadening its influencer coverage for fall ’19 to reach a more diverse demographic.
“It won’t be your typical fashion influencers,” said Perera. “We’ll always have that as one of our approaches, but in our new Step & Repeat program, we are partnering with girls who are doing different things and will showcase their personal fashion in our shoes.”
Watch FN’s interview with social media influencer Arielle Charnas:
