CASE STUDY: StyleWeek Providence, launching an upscale fashion week in a depressed economy

The Client:

StyleWeek Providence, a start-up non-profit with the goal of launching New England's first Fashion Week to showcase upscale fashion designers to an audience of regional and national buyers and media.

The Goal:

To support the establishment of StyleWeek Providence as an annual event by creating brand awareness, buzz and strong public sentiment via editorial placements and media attendance at the inaugural event.

The Challenge:

To launch a high-end fashion week amid the worst economic conditions in decades; specifically in a state (Rhode Island) that has been among the nation's top 5 in unemployment stats for more than a year. Also, to create excitement about and put the national spotlight on fashion in a region (New England) that has long carried the reputation of being one of the country's most traditional, conservative and staid.

Our Work:

Miamore Communications came on to launch StyleWeek Providence's public relations and social media outreach in late 2009. Understanding the market and anticipating media resistance, we began our work by implementing a viral social media campaign, supplemented by a launch event for press in February. From January 2010 until April 2010, StyleWeek Providence's Facebook following grew by 500%. While we continued our traditional press outreach during this time, as expected, media placements were slow in coming and consisted of blog placements (18,000 impressions) and one local television outlet (approximately 150,000 impressions).

In May, 2010, we began an aggressive media outreach to earn both pre-event placements and media attendance at shows. We created a message that played upon the history of design in Providence, R.I.; and formulated the key message that fashion = business for a city with such a depressed economy. This message helped StyleWeek Providence earn the recognition of city and state officials, and we were able to organize a state-wide press conference in conjunction with Providence's mayor, David Cicilline.

The results:

From May 1, 2010 until June 15, 2010; StyleWeek Providence had more than 26 million impressions in print, broadcast and online media. This included two front-page articles in the state's largest newspaper, the Providence Journal, and a special daily column on their website, projo.com; a placement in Amtrak's onboard magazine, Arrive; mentions on usatoday.com and msnbc.com; daily coverage throughout StyleWeek Providence on the state's morning news show, the Rhode Show; articles in Rhode Island's premiere lifestyle magazines, Rhode Island Monthly, Providence Monthly and the Newport Mercury; a cover placement on New England's regional lifestyle magazine, Soco Magazine; and coverage by the top fashion bloggers in New York, Boston, Connecticut and Rhode Island. A breakdown of those numbers:

• 10.5 million broadcast/video impressions
• 12.1 million online (non-blog) impressions
• 100,000 impressions from blog coverage
• 2.4 million print (newspaper and magazine) impressions

The outcome:

Media coverage has helped secure both overwhelming public support and key financial sponsors. In 2011, StyleWeek Providence will be a twice-annual event.

How well do you know your own brand?

If you think the answer is a no-brainer, I challenge you to think again. I’ll go so far as to bet the real answer is: not even close to well enough.

I see it time and again… and, as a business owner, I can personally relate. When you are living the day-to-day, it is nearly impossible to have a clear view of what outsiders (a.k.a. potential customers) think of your company or your brand. The bad news: you are likely too close to possibly have an unbiased view. The good news: oft-times, the public’s view of your brand is far better than what you imagine.

I am thinking about this concept in large part because Miamore Communications just wrapped up StyleWeek Providence. For those in Rhode Island or New England, you already know what this event was: the biggest fashion week the region has ever seen. For those outside of the Northeast: StyleWeek Providence was a year-long labor of love. The StyleWeek concept was founded by Miamore’s Senior Vice President Rosanna Ortiz Sinel last spring. Sinel and I met sometime around July, 2009; she told me the basic idea; I fell in love, and off we went… on a dream and a prayer and, most importantly, faith.

The result was a 7-day event that occurred last week, with 14 fashion runway shows for buyers and the press, and nightly after parties for the public. Each show was packed to capacity. The media came out in droves… 2 front page stories in the Providence Journal in one week, daily coverage on the Rhode Show (Rhode Island’s version of “Good Morning America”), an evening news hit on the state’s largest network affiliate, coverage in the region’s premiere business newspaper, and endless blog entries from Rhode Island, Boston, New York, Connecticut, and beyond.

Am I fluffing our own feathers? Perhaps a bit, but that’s not the reason for this post. The point: every time, in the past year, I mentioned the idea to my New York friends, they unanimously responded with something to the effect of: “Perfect! Providence is such a fantastic little city. So much culture! Such a design legacy! Great food! Fabulous places to see!” Those thoughts are precisely why Rosanna (most recently a Bostonian) and me (a long-time New Yorker) knew Providence was the perfect spot for a fashion week. Locally, however, when initially approaching local “bigwigs” and the regional press, we found, well, alternately crickets and “in our state? No. Way” as a response.

In the past week, however, we’ve seen not only the media but—most gratifying—local skeptics reeling. One Rhode Island resident posted on StyleWeek’s Facebook page about how proud she was now to live and work in Providence. Good stuff! Would this fashion/design aficionado have said that a year ago? I doubt it. Why? Because she was too close to it and didn’t understand the power of her own “brand” (in this scenario: her city), so she didn’t quite believe her town (or: brand) was what she’d hoped it could be.

And, so, I return to my original point… do you know your own brand? Do you know what "outsiders" think of it? Or are you so caught up in the mundane that you lose perspective? I’d wager most small businesses trend toward the latter answer (I know I do). So, I offer the StyleWeek Providence example as evidence of the importance of stepping back, looking at yourself with fresh eyes, and listening to the perspective of “outsiders”. Had Rosanna and the team, as Providence “outsiders” a year ago, not understood the potential of this great little city, we’d likely have given in to skeptics, abandoned the dream, and StyleWeek would never have happened.

So… what are the “outsiders” in your realm thinking about your brand? Please: stop and think about it. Ask around. Because, more often than not, it takes on “outsider’s” voice to make you hear what you always knew about your brand, but didn’t really believe.

What We See Depends on What We Look For...

I spent yesterday evening with a fabulous, dynamic group of specialists in various creative and business fields, planning what everyone, everywhere will soon hear about: StyleWeek Providence. I could not be more excited to work on this project! If anything makes a fantastic concept better, it is a palpable energy driving it… and that is exactly what StyleWeek Providence has.

StyleWeek Providence is the brainchild of dynamo (talk about energy!) Rosanna Ortiz Sinel, a fashion writer and general fashion guru. When she shared her brilliant idea with me a couple months ago, I almost jumped out of my seat. See, we are both transplants to Rhode Island with a shared interest and expertise in fashion. Further, as relative newcomers to Providence, we see our new home with “outsiders’” (read: not jaded) eyes. The home of RISD and the historic center for jewelry design (not to mention the most vibrant and charming city in New England!), Providence overflows with a creativity that, until now, has been largely disjointed. StyleWeek Providence gives those creatives in the areas of fashion and design a common voice. And it will be a powerful one.

Top designers in various fashion categories, from across the region—Rhodies (that’s local-speak for “Rhode Island dwellers”), New Englanders and those with local ties (a la RISD alum)—will showcase their collections at shows spread across five days next June. Far from being just a social event as many regional “fashion weeks” are, StyleWeek Providence is, at its root, a business event, with buyers from New England, New York and across the country invited to meet the area’s phenomenal talent, and have the opportunity to then introduce it to their customers and audiences.

StyleWeek Providence is also, in a time when businesses everywhere are facing difficult challenges, an incredible example of small businesses uniting and promoting the local economy. Not surprisingly, businesses across the city are embracing the idea (the most recent and most exciting: Hotel Providence, the area’s finest upscale boutique hotel, home of one of the city’s most gorgeous event venues, Aspire, will be not only host to the closing-night show and festivities, but also serve as the official hotel of StyleWeek Providence).

So, while I’m gushing about StyleWeek in general, my points here are much broader for small businesses…

First: bringing in “outsiders”, who can view your area or business with fresh new eyes, can be a key step to visualizing your full potential and, ultimately, growing your reputation and business.

Second: Never underestimate the powers of partnerships, and common visions and goals. Our designers and venues have no prior connections, but are pulling together in ways that are the stuff of cross-promotion chapters in Business 101 textbooks.

The fundamental message is (while I hate this cliché): never stop thinking outside the box, and investing in new ideas, consultants and voices who can provide new vision and voices to grow your business. To borrow from John Lubbock: What we see depends on what we look for.

StyleWeek Providence’s inaugural event will be June 6-10, featuring fashion shows and celebrations at venues across the city. For updates, join StyleWeek’s Facebook Fan page, follow us on Twitter, and stay tuned for the website launch on Nov. 1. If you’d like information of sponsorship opportunities, a buyer or press invite, or to be considered to show your designs at StyleWeek, feel free to contact me.