Farfetch Fairytale campaign image
Ecommerce site Farfetch is enchanting consumers with a multi-chapter fairy tale for its holiday campaign that allows the retailer to tell stories around the luxury items available in its network of boutiques.
Each Wednesday for six weeks, Farfetch is unveiling a new chapter, based on a familiar tale and featuring some of the luxury fashion items available through its network of boutiques. This weekly installation allows Farfetch to keeping up a consistent, evolving presence throughout the holiday season, and stay top-of-mind with consumers.
“The narrative of the Farfetch Fairy Tale is tailored to fit all of the product and trend stories we wanted to cover throughout this period of time,” said Stephanie Horton, CMO of Farfetch, London.
“Spread out over six weeks, each week is a ‘chapter’ and has the theme of a different fairy tale element ranging from the Enchanted Forest, featuring the season’s most elaborate princess gowns to the to the edgy new take on pearls and diamonds featured in the week of The Ice Queen,” she said.
“The visual identity of the Farfetch Fairy Tale was laid out in the first week with the video shoot by Reed & Rader that introduced the concept, but each week will have varied stories to keep the viewer excited about what might be coming next.”
Once upon a time
Farfetch first introduced its campaing Nov. 5, with “Once Upon a Time.” A one-minute social video by artist duo Reed & Rader shows a male and female model standing in front of a roaring fire, flipping through a large volume of fairy tales.
The pair is then shown in the same spot, but they are now holding hands, watching as pages fall to the floor around them. Showing a number of different fashion looks, the film then takes the couple to a number of snowy locales.
Farfetch Fairy Tale: Once Upon a Time
Along with the video was a link to shop the looks featured from Alexander McQueen, Marni, Gucci and Saint Laurent, among others.
The second chapter centered on “The Enchanted Forest,” featuring an editorial of some of the current season looks from the likes of Dolce & Gabbana and Valentino that channel princesses and warriors. This included a link to shop an edit of the pieces depicted.
Screenshot of Farfetch Web site
Chapter three is “The Farfetch Workshop,” profiling “five designers whose pieces boast a pedigree to rival that of Cinderella’s glass slipper,” including Burberry’s Christopher Bailey and footwear designer Rupert Sanderson.
Screenshot of Farfetch Web site
Upcoming chapters include “Ice Palace,” “The Coats of Colorful Candyland” and “The Happily Ever After Ball.”
Farfetch has used social media in between weeks to keep the conversation going.
Before unveiling the second chapter, Farfetch introduced its fairy tale-themed GIF cards. The retailer took classic fairy tales, animated them, and then asked actress and writer Mindy Kaling to give the characters humorous dialogue.
GIF card
These cards can be shared on social media, including Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+ and Weibo, as well as by email.
On Instagram, Farfetch branded home furnishings designer Kelly Wearstler the “Farfetch Fairygodmother,” asking her to share her “fashion wisdom.” Every couple of days, the brand posts a quote from Ms. Wearstler or her fashion finds.
Instagram post from Farfetch
Through Nov. 26, Farfetch is also hosting a contest through an application on its Facebook page. Consumers are asked to create a board titled “Fairtales” and pin items that depict their dream Farfetch Fairy Tale.
Entrants are expected to show what they would use their $500 prize money on, as well as tag their pins #FarfetchFairyTale.
Farfetch Pinterest board
During the holiday season, Farfetch also began offering click-and-collect service, letting consumers purchase an item online from one boutique, and then have it shipped to one of more than 100 boutiques globally. This allows the approximate 300 independent boutiques selling on Farfetch to benefit from a similar shipping feature as a department store, and allows consumers to have a personal in-store experience when picking up their online order.
“The new Farfetch Click & Collect service enables customers to purchase items online and pick them up from over 150 boutiques around the world,” Ms. Horton said. “We think the additional convenience and more flexible delivery options will be great and have an impact for the holiday shopping season and beyond.”
Having a moment
Fairy tales are on-trend.
Italian fashion label Dolce & Gabbana created an enchanted forest scene for its winter 2015 advertising campaign, taking its family theme into royal territory.
In addition to print ads, Dolce & Gabbana shared the filming of the campaign with a video to more thoroughly depict the concept. This video takes the consumer further into the world Dolce & Gabbana created, making for a more immersive brand experience than a print ad (see story).
Online retailer Net-A-Porter is showing off some of its dramatic fashions through a gothic fairy tale.
For its weekly The Edit digital magazine, Net-A-Porter filmed a short narrative featuring “Games of Thrones” actress Gwendoline Christie. This film allows the ecommerce site the opportunity to show a different side to its personality (see story).
Reflecting a current trend in pop culture and fashion will help Farfetch relate to consumers.
“Fairy tales share a sense of magic and joy with the holiday season,” Ms. Horton said. “They are also currently having a real cultural moment as one of autumn/winter 2014’s most dominant trends, and the subject of much anticipated film Into The Woods, released on Christmas Day.
“For Holiday 2014, Farfetch decided to celebrate with our own take on the traditional fairy tale,” she said. “The concept has a very modern appeal but also retains the emotion and sense of fantasy associated with both fairy tales and the holiday season.”
Final Take
Sarah Jones, editorial assistant on Luxury Daily, New York