Oasis includes shoppers in sign-off for AW17 offer, aims to boost customer engagement

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Apr 28, 2017

UK high street chain Oasis has tried a new approach to signing off its autumn/winter 2017 collection as well as creating a unique marketing event to reach out to its most engaged customers. It staged an event for them to preview the forthcoming offer at the same time as it unveiled its new designs to the press.

The company took over a quirky Victorian building in London’s Soho with the brand’s in-house creative team turning it into an immersive brand space that it called the Extraordinarium. It used the space to show the new seasonal offer to the press then the next day it was the customers’ turn.

It was an interesting idea to involve the person who will eventually buy the clothes in some level of decision-malign and also attempt to build desire around pieces that will not drop in-store for some months.

A company spokesperson said: “With a highly engaged customer base, this is the next step in allowing the customer to be a part of the journey sooner and inevitably shaping what the brand will do in the season ahead. We hope this could mean the start of a new way of working and thinking.”

Customers were invited to view the styles and feed back on what they did and didn’t like via an Android or iOS app. Using their built-in barcode scanners they scanned QR codes and were given two options “Love it” or “Not for me”.

The app also gave the customers the option to join an email waiting list to be notified when the pieces they gave the thumbs up to land in stores and online.

For the press event, the retailer had an artisan monogrammed on-site and customers also got goody bags, including a free leather bag that could be monogrammed with their initials. After visiting the Extraordinarium, two branded Tuk Tuk’s were on hand to take them to the nearby Tottenham Court Road concept store where Terrarium and Calligraphy workshops took place, along with free beauty services, plus food and drink.

It was a standout and original idea, taking place in the weeks when brands across London are showing their AW17 collections to the press. COO Hash Ladha said: “As a brand we are constantly looking to evolve how we work in order to bring our customers closer to the brand. This seemed like the obvious next step in being on the journey together.”
The new AW17 line includes plenty of floral embellishment, 50s brocades, retro-inspired dress silhouettes, a strong red series, a star feather-trimmed dress, the brand’s signature sequins and leopard looks, plus slouchy knits, in plain or Fair isle acid brights as well as neutrals.