Consumer Generated Marketing| #TOPSHOPSTYLE

 There is no denying that Topshop is one of the most popular shopping destinations on the high street for young people, and Topshop use this popularity and avid fan base to their marketing advantage. With the nation becoming ever more fashion conscious, and craving the status of a 'fashionista', Topshop encourage their cusomers to create images of their looks, and share them across their social media plaforms, with the chance of being featured on the highly exclusive Topshop social media.

  

In relation to consumer generated marketing, Topshop encourage customers to share their Topshop purchases and outfits across their personal social media platforms, "Show us what you're loving and how you're wearing it on Twitter and Instagram #TOPSHOPSTYLE" is the message which appears on their site homepage. #TOPSHOPSTYLE pictures appear at bottom of topshop site which users can browse through, allowing you to upload your own pictures and to view the gallery. By implementing this consumer generated media into their own website, this allows customers to view the gallery and browse through pages and pages of other customers wearing Topshop products, which may inspire them to re-create the look, or buy certain pieces. Similarly to ASOS, Topshop use this to their advantage by adding the 'shop this look' feature which allows you to buy the products featured in the image.

 The Topshop Instagram page has a following of 3.5m, this creates a motivational aspect to Topshops use of of consumer generated media, as customers aspire to have their look shared on the Topshop Instagram, as this would be a reflection of status and 'style'.  Topshop also use inspirational bloggers to showcase their products and use Instagram hash tags to create awareness of their products, in addition to this, they also include the product codes below the image to induce sales.

 

TopshopTumblr is solely dedicated to showcasing customers wearing their products. The Topshop Tumblr page allows you to submit your outfit to the site, and if they like it they will re- post their favourites. The page is seen as exclusive, as there are a number of guidelines and tips that should be adhered too in order to get your picture published, which ensures all of the images posted are to a proffesional standard, thus showing Topshop products as something luxurious. The page states "Most excitingly, you can submit pics of yourself styled up in your favorite Topshop pieces. We’ll be tumbling the looks that we love the most, so be sure to take a peek at our photo guide before you start snapping. If you see yourself up there, tell all your friends - it means we love your style!" Ultimately, this is what any fashion conscious woman aspires to be, praised and noticed by one of the most popular fashion stores on the high street, and for others to see them as 'fashionable'.

 

This is something that Motel Rocks also offer their customers. In order to get more exposure of the brand, they encourage customers to take a picture of how they have styled their Motel products and then if chosen, they appear on the Motel Rocks website beneath images of the product. This is entitled "Motel girls rocking it #MotelRocks".

The customer ladder of loyalty is something which reflects the reasoning behind the creation of customer generated marketing, it shows the development of customer relationships in relation to 'moving them up the ladder of loyalty' from initially attracting the customer to eventually creating customer loyalty. These customers would be categorised as advocates and supporters of the brand as they are proud to wear the Topshop brand, they want to showcase their outfits to their friends and family and create exposure of what Topshop clothes they are buying and wearing, this will eventually encourage others to shop at Topshop as well.

 

(Payne, 1994)

  Consumer generated marketing is a highly valuable asset to any company, whether is is posting a review of a hotel on Trip Advisor, reviewing a product on Ebay, or uploading an image of your new favourite Topshop dress, it is highly valuable to a company when seeking strong customer relationships and developing awareness of their products or services. Ultimately, the customers who decide to create consumer generated marketing are those described as supporters, partners and advocates of the brand. Topshop can then use this media to create huge awareness of their products, not only through their own media, but for example when a customer uses the #TOPSHOPSTYLE hashtag, all of their followers see it, and anyone who browses through the hundreds of images with the hashtag shared. This can then be used as an effective sales increasing technique.