When shopping for new threads on the high street, we all want to feel like we got a great deal. Sometimes, though, that discount can come with a big cost attached.
A cost that we, as the shoppers, do not see.
An experiential marketing stunt from non-profit organisation Fashion Revolution sought to demonstrate a grim reality in a very powerful and memorable way.
Creating a social experiment that quickly generated a lot of interest and subsequently went viral, the group set up a vending machine in central Berlin. Shoppers were quickly attracted by the opportunity to buy a t-shirt for the astonishingly cheap price of just two euros.
That really is a bargain.
Would-be buyers were asked to put in the money in exchange for their new t-shirt – however, before they could get their hands on the low-cost garment, they were first asked to watch a video.
This video depicted workers in textile factories enduring days of up to 16 hours at a time, all to be able to earn just 13 cents an hour.
Powerful stuff indeed, and a very quick and effective demonstration of the real cost attached to the t-shirt on offer.
When the video finished, the option was placed back in the hands of the shopper – either buy or donate. An encouraging 90% of shoppers decided to donate their two euros in support of Fashion Revolution’s activities and their ongoing social campaign. Only 1 in 10 decided to go ahead with their purchase as planned.
The entire live brand experience was caught on camera, with a moving video showing how quickly attitudes to cheap clothing changed thanks to this thought-provoking activity.
Experiential marketing has the ability to make us all ask important questions. Much like AIDS Concern’s free coffee giveaway and La Trobe University’s dance for Parkinson’s activations, sometimes it takes very little to create a long-lasting impression.
Joss Davidge is Director of the Unexpected at BEcause, the award-winning live brand experience agency, dedicated to enhancing Brand Love. Sign up to Joss’ next complimentary brand experience masterclass to learn about the most effective experiential marketing strategies.