To kick off Toronto’s 2011 LG Fashion week, Matchstick and Transcontinental Media partnered to host a fashion and beauty blogger event entitled Style Your Brand.
The event was part of Matchstick’s ongoing Forum series of informative events for Canadian marketers. At Style Your Brand, fashion bloggers and brands gathered to speak about how Canadian brand marketers can create authentic and effective partnerships with our incredibly talented Canadian bloggers.
Guests were treated to an acclaimed lineup of speakers. Kicking things off were Matchstick founders Patrick Thoburn and Matthew Stradiotto, followed by a star-studded blogger panel featuring Anita Clarke (I Want I Got), Nelia Belkova (Styleblog), and Johanne Durocher (Fashion In Motion). Caroline Bergeron of Transcontinental Media also presented, and closing the evening were keynote speakers Erin Kleinberg and Stephanie Mark of the international sensation, The Coveteur.
Anita Clarke (@geekigirl), Nelia Belkova (@styleblogca), & Johanne Duroucher (@fashioninmotion)
Erin Kleinberg & Stephanie Mark of The Coveteur (@thecoveteur)
Anita Clarke, Nelia Belkova, and Johanne Durocher answered questions about brand and blogger relationships, while Caroline Bergeron spoke on blogger engagement strategies at Transcontinental Media. Lastly, Erin Kleinberg and Stephanie Mark detailed their rise to internet stardom and spoke about their recent work with brands that have contributed to their success.
Fellow fashion blogger Kendall Donaldson (@kendallerica) with The Coveteur authors
Key takeaways for brands were approaches on blogger collaboration. Whether the brand is couture or mainstream, the bloggers were clear that a great product and unique story is what interests them most. There was a strong emphasis on the importance of researching bloggers before outreach to ensure the blogger fits the brand, and the brand makes sense for the blogger’s audience. It is apparent that the blogosphere is changing rapidly. Gone are the days of quiet blogging purely for personal fulfillment, as bloggers have become some of the most influential voices in fashion. As Erin Kleinberg said, “fashion is business”, and we would add that fashion blogging is too!
We would like to extend a big thank you to all those in attendance at Matchstick Forum: Style Your Brand. The evening was a great success thanks to your presence.
Patrick Thoburn, Ashely Walsh and Leanne Mark of Matchstick with Stephanie Mark & Erin Kleinberg
- Written by Steven Gramlich
