Co-Branding - Fashion & Tech

I just recently came across a new HP Mini Notebook designed by a famous Chinese fashion designer, Vivienne Tam in collaboration with Fashion Week across Asia which sports a really lovely multi-petaled peonies to symbolise the many layers of a woman's life. Her goal was to design a system that would encourage the feeling of peace and tranquility you get from being in a garden (a "Zen" moment).
Adding to the mood, the enter key on the notebook includes the Chinese symbol for double happiness. Labelled the Digital Clutch (such a catchy name), it has to be one of the most beautiful designed laptop one can buy. However, it might end up to be only a looker rather than something practical what with its smal 8.9" screen and weaker processor compared to a larger laptop. Well, this will suit a lot of superficial females who are not fussy on the functionality of the laptop but the look of the laptop they carry with them wherever they go. Small and light, it is indeed made to be carried and seen around. Great form of getting eyeballs for HP I would say.

It is fashion statement at its best. The combination of the geeky and the mechanical world with fashion and art has made the former cool again. It started with Mercedes-Benz trying to revive their oldish brand in the light of the more sporty, trendy luxury automobile brands like BMW and Audi. One would never have expected an automobile company to be associated with a fashion event, maybe more of a sports event like the Olympics but they chose fashion. Thus with the launch of Fashion Weeks in Milan, Paris, Italy, Singapore and many countries all over the world, the word Mercedez-Benz was mentioned widely among fashion enthusiasts. Was it a tactic to target female car buyers who has the wallet capacity to buy high end fashion like Vivenne Westwood, Escada, Gucci and Celine to also think of Mercedez-Benz as their car of choice? One has always seen Mercedes-Benz as a car that reflects status symbol, a symbol of success and power, thus only favor by men of high calibre. Now with the entrance of Mercedez-Benz in the fashion industry, it becomes a car of choice for high end fashion enthusiasts too.


This brings me to the concept of co-branding in female movies. 'Sex and the City' has to be the most sponsored movie by brands compared to any other movies ever made on cinema. Positioned as 'the Super Bowl for women', this movie received sponsorship from multiple brands like Skyy Spirits (part of Gruppo Campari), Bag Borrow or Steal, which rents handbags and jewelry online; Coty fragrances; Glacéau Vitaminwater, sold by the Coca-Cola Company; the Mercedes-Benz USA division of Daimler; and the jeweler H. Stern. These brands are mentioned or placed strategically in the movie and I like the part which an iPhone was handed to Carrie when she wanted to contact Mr. Big as he was missing from the wedding and she responded "I don't know how to work these things! Give me another one." It was subtle enough for viewers to see the complicated interface of an iPhone which is deemed unsuitable for those who are not technologically inclined. Thereafter, you see Carrie using an iMac all throughout the show to respond to her emails and write her articles. As a return, these brands will help publicise the movie with commercials, posters, sweepstakes, viewing partoes, events in-stores, contests tickets giveaways and even product lables inspired by "Sex and the City". For example, Skyy Spirits has released tie-in drinks named after characters like Carrie, Samantha and Mr. Big. It was an obvious partnership when 'Sex and the City' tie up with Mercedes-Benz to potray the ladies attending Fashion Week as it would be a natural thing to do for their outings, plus it increases the glam factor of the movie. I was feeling excited for them when they walked up the platform to see the various fashion presented with the big Mercedez-Benz logo potrayed everywhere in the film. I was also entertained when a lady poured paint on Samatha's fur coat to resemble how the movie does not condone such cruelty to animals. So, why does she wear it in the first place?!!! With the success of the movie all over the world, not only with the female population, these brands have indeed been entrencthed positively in the mind of people all over the world. One can't help mentioning the beautiful gown by Carolina Herrera, Vivienne Westwood, Dior and many more worn by Carrie during her photoshoot which jus upped the brand in the minds of future brides!


Putting brand sponsorships in TVs and movies might not necessarily bring returns to the brand or even put positive value to the brands. For example, the racism and bullying of Shilpa Shetty that marked last year's Celebrity Big Brother led to its sponsor, The Carphone Warehouse, severing its relationship with the C4 show. Having walked out of the Big Brother house, the mobile phone firm signed up as the new sponsor of ITV’s The X Factor in the summer – and found itself embroiled in another row when finalist Emily Nakanda was forced to quit after being caught on video assaulting another girl. In future, perhaps it should avoid reality shows.

Having said that, I am excited to watch just how movie sponsorships will remain in the hearts of advertisers, reducing market share of TV advertisements placed in between the movies which will depreciated with the use of TiVo. People get more kick out of drinking Coke when it has been drank by Tom Cruise or Motorola when it has been used by James Bond in his magnificent escapades. Meanwhile, allow me to indulge in looking up the brands of gorgeous attires and handbags donned by the girls in "Sex and the City".