OVERALL COMPARISON
Both platforms include high standard imagery, professional photography on the website of collections and the interesting and exciting behind-the-scenes photographs featured on DKNY PR Girl’s Tumblr blog. There is very little text used on her blog, which is very similar to the website. It is very much about the product, the garments and the designer, but does not give any additional comments or explanations. from a business and selling perspective, it could be argued that these notes, relating to the merchandise, should be more of a focus point for the official website rather than on the twitter page.
There is a good visual connection to social media platforms via the website; nevertheless it is only the Twitter account, where DKNY PR Girl has tweets displayed on the brand’s landing page. Scrolling down to the bottom of the website page, are five different icons which direct the visitor to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Tumblr, which is also the DKNY PR Girl personal blog. the target market is 18-34 years olds. To really appeal to the younger market, the brand must make the consumer more aware of the alternative social media platforms. perhaps by featuring comments from fans on the Facebook page, behind-the-scene photographs from Aliza Licht, on her personal Instagram account, and there should be a stronger relationship between the website and the DKNY blog. the growth of the fashion blog is enormous and growing daily. As perez comments "social media is vital for businesses to carve their way forward" - Perez. M, 2014: 17). DKNY should link the Aliza Licht’s Tumblr blog onto their website, as she does on her Twitter page. PR Girl is continuously posting links from her blog via her Twitter account, attracting fans and therefore potential customers, to look at her fashion and lifestyle blog.
The website is organised with a chic, neat and direct finish. Twitter and Tumblr pages are more like a diary. however it is interesting to note that the DKNY PR Girl’s fan base is fairly low. 516K on Twitter and approximately 100 notes on each Tumblr post. Therefore, the brand’s social media platform is poor. Comparisons with similar market brands are also interesting: Michael Kors have 2.41m and yet Ted Baker only has 60K. So questions need to be asked how to increase the DKNY following. DKNY have a Facebook page, should a DKNY Twitter page be created? Why is it that the Facebook page has more followers than the existing Twitter page when it is not updated as often? Is it because the existing Facebook page is instantly recognised as DKNY because it carries their logo, whereas the PR Girl does not? DKNY needs Aliza Licht and the way she attracts and interacts with customers and potential customers. She needs to be connected much more with the website.
Weaknesses of the website are obvious and could and should easily be identified and turned into strengths. First and foremost is that the website, when displayed on iPad, is not as clear as it should be and the composition needs improvement, and that when a potential customer researches ‘DKNY’, when the page is viewed 'Selfridge & Co.' appears above the dkny website. Clearly when a potential customer is interested in DKNY, it is in DKNY’s interest that its name is the first the viewer sees. currently, the viewer may be tempted to click on these and may never actually look at what DKNY is offering. Other weaknesses are that there are no initial catwalk shows or videos displayed on the landing page and it could be that there is too much apparel content on this website, and there is no way of filtering the number of garments viewed on each page. Prospective customers appreciate the ability to do this.
"When done properly, social media can be priceless to a business" (Gillin, 2009: 32). Furthermore, DKNY's Facebook page is not currently updated daily and to compete with competitors, it should be.
Competitors will include ted baker, michael kors and Armani as well as same clothing, non-apparel at lesser price with discounting on quality at departmental stores such as Selfridge & Co. DKNY must take account of its target market - the ‘Millenials’ – who will expect a Mobile App. DKNY have yet to invent this and a number of their competitors are therefore already one step ahead. This ‘Generation Y’ should be DKNY's focus. This is the generation who are digitally knowledgeable, updating with the latest news, blogging the live catwalk shows, constantly updating with high end content.
DKNY merchandise can only be purchased from the official website. however, PR Girl does post links to encourage purchasing through the website, but also from retailers such as Selfridges, Harvey Nichols and Net-A-Porter. A suggestion might be that the DKNY blog could have a section including a capsule range of Aliza’s personal favourites from the current season. It may prove to be a way of expanding DKNY's consumer market and business income. The website should include a link to the DKNY blog resulting in more exposure for the blog and the product.
The blog needs more movement. The photographs on Aliza's daily social media platforms are good, but as Business week commented "increasingly consumers and followers are expecting videos" - (Business week, 2013). Filmography gives the consumer a much more personal and real connection and will attract much more to the product and also to the various platforms. The website also should offer videography in order that the prospective customer can see a more accurate viewing of the product which may, in turn, lead to a decrease in return items. When Aliza attends any DKNY event, instead of photographing, it should be filmed. This would increase interest particularly from younger consumers and bloggers and, equally important, would be innovative; most mid to high end brands are not yet doing this; an opporunity for dkny.
Digitalisation is the way forward. DKNY has created this brand particularly for the woman who has to balance family and a successful and active career but who likes to dress well. Donna Karan once said “Design is a constant challenge to balance comfort with luxe, the practical with the desirable.” Increasingly consumers are shopping online; DKNY need to develop the online interaction experience for the website and the non-existing mobile app. Currently the YouTube account has 6,528 subscribers, which includes a number of short videos featuring the brand’s most current happenings. On the website consumers are offered a 3D image of a model wearing the garment. Companies such as ASOS are excelling digitally by featuring catwalk videos. DKNY needs to understand that the consumer today wants to view the garments in a more realistic and accurate light before purchasing. On the dkny website there is no Sales Associate to tempt, give advice, persuade, as there would be in store; it is vital that the products are featured in the very best way.
The Facebook has more followers than the DKNY PR Girl Platform yet is updated less often
'DKny pr girl picks' are Aliza Licht's favourite pieces which can be identified by the small icon in the corner of each product. A good connection with DKNy pr girl social media.