In an unusual fashion 

Just imagine - you're heading to the tube station around 10 am, getting comfortable with your book on a  Central line train to Ealing Broadway, when a real fashion show starts in the isle of a train.

Or even better - flying from Israel to Hungary, you wouldn't expect a sky defile in the airplane isle.

But it's not a joke and the shows were performed at different times as effective and eye-catchy advertising campaigns.

It all started in September 2009 with the first ever fashion show on a moving train. This day Central line passengers had an opportunity to see the models wearing high-treet designs just on a train's isle. A promotional  collaboration between Marks and Spencer, John Lewis, Selfridges, House of Fraser, Next, Debenhams, River Island and Uniqlo attracted media attention and a flow of tube passengers due to its unexpected creativity and innovative approach. The promotion gave a flying start to a number of other pre-fashion week events. 

After the effort made by competitors under ground,  a US fashion brand Banana Republic has managed to reach the sky.  An unexpected fashion show was hosted by Virgin Airlines on a flight from New York in March 2012. It was a first one of its kind and drew media attention along with extra customers both to Virgin and Banana Republic.

A similar collaboration took place recently as an introduction of a new low-fare Wizz Air flight form Budapest to Tel Aviv with models dressed in Israeli designer creations. With a very limited changing space and narrow walking isles of a Wizz Air aircraft, models have managed to succeed in performing a brilliant show.

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In case you didn't notice - it's on your left hand side 

With art in heart,

Nataliya 

Would you wear some 55k on your back?

And it's again about Damien Hirst, his talent to be anywhere where prices rise the USD 50.000  mark, and Olsen sisters participation in this commercial creativity feast.

A great promotional union was recently performed by Hollywood-grown Olsen sisters and British artist Damien Hirst. Owning a fashion brand "The Raw", Mary-Kate and Ashley tend to rise their leather goods prices "sky-high" by producing a limited "pill" rucksack range in collaboration with the artist.

Having their aspirations relatively high, Olsen sisters' design pieces opt for exclusively high class audiences. A last year's a collection of rucksacks was presented with a minimum price of USD39.000 each. And this time we see even more. The award-winning designers presented a rucksack collection, featuring Damien Hirst's "dot" and "pill" painting designs and worth USD 55.000 each. The alligator skin bags are embedded with medical pill imitations of different sizes and shapes.  The collection encounters 12 rucksack models, featuring "dot" and "pill" embroidery as well as completely plain ones. According to Vogue, the collection launch has high expectations even with respect to its' price level.

In order to stay socially responsible, designers aim to fundraise for UINCEF (United Nations Children's Fund) charity. However, it raises another ethicality question as using crocodile skin may cause an instant attack from numerous animal rights protecting organisations.

The collaboration gives opportunities for both parties to explore yet-to-be-known areas and promote themselves to new publics. Damien hasn't been that into fashion and this may be seen as his first step into the industry with an opportunity of numerous profitable fashion projects ahead. At the same time, Olsens will attract artistic audiences to their design creations. Furthermore, it will serve as a proof of their brand being a truly designer label and not only a commercial affair of two world's famous young actresses.

"I believe I can fly" or the world's most creative airlines

Nowadays, as companies seek for uniqueness in interaction with their customers, creative approach to public relations is an unspeakable must. In order to attract attention of indulged customers businesses search for unexpected advertising solutions. And in a contemporary competitive environment New Zealand Airlines definitely found a key to success.

Captivated by a recent innovation in safety instructions approach, I found myself in front of my computer screen, seriously considering a trip to New Zealand. A newly filmed video, showing aircraft safety instructions in style of upcoming Hobbit movie is just fascinating. The safety instructions are given by an Elf Princess with Dwarves, Hobbits, Orks and other Tolkien's MiddleEarth inhabitants onboard. The video not only advertises a film that comes out on December 13th, 2012, but also promotes the country of New Zealand internationally in the most appealing fairytale style. The Hobbit is a pre-history to a legendary Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J. R. R. Tolkien, filmed in the magnificent lands of south continent. A great "behind the scenes" movie for the unusual safety instructions may also be found on YouTube Air New Zealand's (ANZ) channel.

But it's not the first time when Air New Zealand entertains their passengers in such outstanding and innovative way. A disco instructions video was shown on ANZ plaines in March 2011. Lively and colourful, the 80s style disco characters "dance" passengers through safety procedures onboard.

Bright engaging content of these videos makes routine procedure of safety instructions the most interactive part of a flight, leaving a bright trail in passenger's memory. Not to mention a good dose of positive mood received instantly.

ANZ owe their amazing safety instructions ideas to a New Zealand-born talented artist Joanne Gair  (other known as "Kiwi Jo"). She also appears behind their smart and funny "nothing to hide" add campaign, featuring real ANZ staff at work and by that gaining customers' trust. Another safety instructions video was presented as a part of "nothing to hide" campaign, featuring Ricci - ANZ's special provocative humorist toy character.

One more evidence of ANZ's status as the world's
most creative airlines is their contribution to WOW "World of Wearable Art" fashion design festival in Berlin this year, awarding a special ANZ prize. The award was first launched in 2005 and is valued in the design world.

Unfortunately, not many companies use this creative approach to their communications. So everything for us as customers to wish for is a possibility for more brands to adopt Air New Zealand's friendly approach in targeting their publics ethically, using sense of humor, trust and reliability as their main promotional tools.

In the name of art ... the nail art :)

Did you know...?

That most of the museums and galleries in London have an unlimited access tickets, which will save you a lot in case you are a frequent exhibitions attendant

For instance, becoming a friend of the Royal Academy of Arts will cost you 90 pounds and you will get unlimited access for a year as well as opportunity to bring a friend,a  family member and up to 4 kids under 16. It is especially good for students as the Young Friend annual membership costs about GBP 45. It also gives you benefits of early exhibitions previews and RA special magazine to be sent to your door.

Visit the Royal Academy website for more info.

Tate  galleries have similar loyalty system.

Enjoy your tim with art ... 

Look out for a jacket ...

A remarkable exhibition of Karl Lagerfield's photography has taken place at Saatchy Gallery in Sloane Square recently as a part of promotional campaign for Chanel fashion house. Following the success in New York and Tokio, the exhibit moved to London on the 12th October 2012. Featuring some of 113 photography works by a fashion Maestro, the exhibition showed different celebrities (and just friends of Chanel house) wearing same little black jacket in different and sometimes unexpected ways.

By a happy chance, I found myself visiting the exhibition twice; by a consequence - on a first and last day of it being opened; by some mysterious coincidence  - with two friends both name Anna's...

Not being a fan of attending exhibitions twice in a short period of time, I realised I had a good feeling stepping back into the exhibit space. The second viewing gave me an opportunity to take some pictures. I have noticed that on the last day it was much more crowded than on the opening day.


Brining home some amazing trophies -  posters featuring selected celebrities (not my favourite ones, though) made this exhibition even more engaging. I was lucky enough to get those on a first day as later you'd have to stand a pretty long queue.

The story of making the jacket as well as the exhibit's production may be found on Chanel website, which appears to be really interactive and engaging.

The venue was highlighted in  different media with more info to be found in Guardian and Vogue UK

As a part of the campaign Chanel boutique windows in Bond Street, Sloane Street and Brompton Cross have changed accordingly, showcasing different black jacket models from a current collection.