The secret to getting celebrities to wear your products is quite frankly cut and dry – you need a great product! Innovation, creativity and determination are all you really need to get ahead in the Fashion Industry. This industry is highly competitive, which adds to its allure. Nobody can ever say hard work and commitment doesn’t pay off.
Before diving into some great tips and advice, a reminder is needed about the work involved. Don’t forget that high profile people are drowning in gifts from ‘up and coming’ fashion designers or merchandisers. They get sent new line clothing, accessories, shoes and much more; but if you play your cards right, you may just land the big break you are looking for.
Tips
#1 – Where to Start
The first thing you need to do is write an effective press release. You will find many PR firms on the Internet who specifically target the fashion industry. You may want to pay a small fee to have the PR written for you and distributed to the right channels.
#2 – Who to Target
This next tip comes with a few choices on how to go about finding the right channels to get a celebrity’s attention.
Of course we would all love to see Angelina Jolie, Nicole Kidman or Matt Damon wearing one of our products and perhaps one day they just might. But for now the best advice given by those who have amounted major success within the industry will tell you to target the ‘B’, ‘C’ and even ‘D’ lister’s in Hollywood.
By far, the easiest products to get into Television or movies are usually clothing, shoes and accessories. One major success story would be ‘Sarah Shaw’ and the movie Legally Blonde. If you saw the movie and its promotional poster, you might have noticed a particular ‘purse’ – that purse was designed by Sarah Shaw.
Breaking down Hollywood’s door when it comes to placing your products isn’t impossible. However, it does take stamina, dedication, business smarts and the right research or contact list. A make or break product comes down to the choices you make.
#3 – Contacting and Getting a Celebrity to Take Notice
With this tip we will start with the ‘Don’ts’. Do not buy a celebrity address list and send your product to their home. There are two specific reasons for this: One, the addresses may be wrong and two, most celebrities find it un-nerving to receive packages at their house. This of course is completely understandable.
Start by making a small list of celebrities who might actually like your product. For example, a list of 50 to 100 celebrities, News Anchors, Talk Show Hosts and the like. Properly market, or target your list to those you are confident will like your product.
Send gifts to the celebrity via their publicist or agent. You may want to try websites like ‘Represents’ or ‘Imdb’. The point is this contact list is much easier to come by. You may even want to try sending your products to the production company of a particular show – this of course depends on who you are trying to reach.
Be sure to send just a sample of your product – letting expenses get out of hand this early in the game is not advised.
On some occasions you may actually get a ‘Thank you’ note; or a wonderful message that your product did in fact impress. This can result in your product going public, or they may even order more of your product. At this point please feel free to dance around like an excited school girl!
There is nothing with aiming high – if you have a product you truly believe in – a product that is original and unique. Fashion comes with predictions, or the knack for noticing a particular style. Fashion merchandisers and designers who watch celebrities and pay attention to what makes them truly comfortable have the advantage. If you have a product that will knock their socks off then by all means aim high.
#4 - Social Media
We don’t need to remind you of the power you have located directly at your finger tips. Twitter, Facebook and other social media platforms has many thousands success stories. Facebook alone hosts millions of Business pages and even allows you to choose the category ‘Branding’ – so use it.
#5 – Your Story
People love a great story, especially when it’s about the road to success. This includes celebrities, so be sure to include a note with your gift. Ideas may include, a little bit about your ups and downs – don’t go overboard with the drama. Make it simple, make yourself look simple. Words have power and so do a few sentences.
