I recently had the pleasure of catching up with Erin Crumpacker, spokesperson for jack + bill. The new PR firm that just last week held a two day open casting call to see who would be the lucky recipients of their services for the next three months to help launch them to fashion stardom.The votes are still being tallied to see who the lucky winners will be. You will have to keep checking in to find out who will be the next IT in fashion. For now here is what Erin had to say about the company, the importance of social media in fashion, and how the internet is changing fashion. Check out the jack + bill blog to read snippets during the casting call and the after thoughts.
Trish: Can you give us a little background about how the company was formed?
Erin: The concept and plan for Jack + Bill all developed very organically. It started with a small brainstorm initiated by a few staff who wanted to find a way for Porter Novelli to help young up-and-comers in the fashion industry and find new ways of reaching potential clients. We all have hard working friends in the fashion industry who are so busy creating that they don’t have the time or know-how to self-promote their brand. New York is a competitive market and if you’re not out there showcasing what you got, it’s easy to be overlooked. So, we designed a pop-up agency concept, launching with a casting call to search for new designers, models, and stylists. So far people have jumped at the chance to have an experienced team from a top PR agency promote their brand— especially at no cost!
And, that’s how Jack + Bill was born. The agency is comprised of eight, twenty-something staffers who are extremely passionate about the project and very tapped into what’s happening culturally today in New York.
Trish: How does Jack + Bill’s PR approach differ from other fashion PR companies?
Erin: Jack + Bill is run by a young, energetic team who not only offer experience within the fashion industry, but also have worked on a variety of industries and accounts, including Fortune 500 companies and smaller non-profits. Our style credentials include representing fashion brands, working in fashion photography, running runway shows, casting calls and New York Fashion Week parties. What makes out approach different is that we are extremely tech-savvy individuals with experience running social media campaigns, which thus far has really helped drive interest in Jack + Bill.
Trish: How important is it in your opinion for emerging designers or models, photographers, event planners to be using digital and social media to help get the word out?
Erin: Today, it’s just as important to build a personal presence online as it is to breakthrough into traditional print and broadcast media. There are a lot of people online participating in the conversation and if you’re not than you’re missing out on a large, continually growing audience. Artists should automatically correlate social media with social networking – it’s an easy way to quickly communicate and build an audience for your brand. Additionally, there are so many ways to begin a conversation online, so if one way doesn’t work, it’s easy to try another, but it’s important to be smart and strategic with what you put out there.
Trish: Have you noticed an increase in of new faces trying to break into fashion?
Erin: Certainly, especially with all of the different resources online – nowadays, there are so many ways to express one’s own personal style. Even if someone isn’t plugged into the industry directly, they can build an audience by offering their authoritative opinions on style and trends. Personally, I have a few friends who are aspiring stylists who have created a unique online presence with their own personal blogs to build an audience. Their work online has opened doors for them into mainstream fashion and media industries. Also, online communities like the one you’ll find on Smashing Darling are great because they connect designers with other designers, which can lead to a potential business connection.
Trish: Do you see things changing for the fashion industry in the future because of the internet?
Erin: Yes, the industry has elevated itself in a way because now the conversation has gotten broader. Aspiring fashionistas around the world are contributing to the conversation and expressing their sense of style through online forums, personal blogs, social networking sites and are selling their designs via online boutiques. The Internet allows for more conversation, more personal networking and provides more flexibility for any small business to get their brand out there. In the future, I for see more niche fashion brands popping up because it’s so easy to hone in on a particular niche and target audience online. There’s also the cost factor to consider – the Web allows designers and stylists to introduce their work without renting a physical retail space– everything can be done digitally, personally and at little cost all at the same time.
Trish: If one of our designers wanted to become a client, what would they have to do?
Erin: If they’re based in New York and are interested in receiving free PR, we’d certainly like them to attend our casting call today and tomorrow and be part of the selection process. You can learn more and register for the casting at JackandBillpr.com. If they can’t make the casting, or they don’t make it through the selection process, we are interested in representing designers under a small retainer fee. Jack + Bill is structured like a boutique agency, meaning we’ll assemble a team to work on their business at a flat monthly rate.
Trish: If you could share with our community of indie/emerging designers one piece of advice what would you tell them?
Erin: Be sure to communicate the meaning and unique purpose behind your design. There are so many brands out there, so it’s important to explain why you as a designer care about your collection. There are many elements to consider when speaking to media and building your brand, but if your collection is well-designed and tells a meaningful, interesting story it can help really sell it to buyers, consumers and editors both online and off.
