The Elle Style Awards

03 Apr 2006 A case study from Hachette Filipacchi Client: Levis Industry sector: Fashion Target audience: Fashion conscious young females Media channels: Consumer magazines, radio, TV

The Brief To change brand perception amongst female consumers Increase sales and share by increasing the brands fashionability and by illustrating the fit, wash and style of its female range How and why were magazines used to achieve these objectives? A year long campaign which exploits the fashion and style credentials of Elle with its highest profile event the ELLE Style Awards and a series of editorials which utilised the unique relationship Elle has with its readers. Firstly the Elle fashion editorial team shot a six page story entitled How to Style a Pair of Jeans. This story reaffirmed Levis iconic brand status, increased the brands coolness and fashionability whilst practically demonstrating to readers different looks to try. These images were used at point of sale in Levi stores to encourage purchase and demonstrate Elles endorsement. A joint logo for the Elle Style Awards was produced and used on all materials related to the Style Awards. The joint logo communicated the synergy between the two brands and ensured Levi's maximum PR coverage on all PR received post event. In the 2nd half of the year, Elles Fashion Director Lucie Kearney shot another 4 page fashion story. This promoted the sexy new cut Levi womens jeans. So was this strategy a success? A piece of Levi research by Millwood Brown showed that Elle readers could identify Levi jeans. They even recognised the varying cuts (Marissa & Eve) and really bought into the brand. The Elle Style Awards in association with Levi received PR coverage of 1.4 million. Levi had 2 award categories, the Levi Hot look and Levi Breakthrough Fashion

Talent. This enabled Levi to demonstrate their support of the British fashion industry and associated the brand with models/celebrities who embodied the spirit of the Levi brand. Did we Achieve Levis objectives? Perception Elle utilised the magazines strength and fashion credentials to change perceptions of the Levi brand. Through strong PR and in-store support the campaign reached a wide audience of young trend setting females Sales - In the first year: Levi saw an uplift of 67% in Spring/Summer sales, in the same year, it saw an enormous uplift in sales of 87% The client continues its relationship with Elle to date. Hachette Filipacchi have recently had the 3rd Elle Style Awards in association with Levi The PR Television Coverage includes: GMTV, T4, Channel 5, MTV, VH1, Living TV: Celebrity Extra, CD: UK, Sky News, Press Coverage includes: Daily Telegraph, The Sun, News of the World, Daily Star, Daily Mirror, Daily Express, Daily Mail, Evening Standard, London Metro Consumer Magazine coverage: OK! Heat Now! Closer, New, Star, Sneak, Hot Stars, TV Quick, Reveal, Inside Soap Radio Coverage: Radio 1 FM - Jo Whiley Show, BBC Radio 1, Capital Gold, Heart Over 2m media coverage achieved in 2005