There’s a lot of sponsorship money and action around London Fashion Week. Some of it makes sense: Mercedes sponsoring the cars that transport the editors from show to show (yes, yes, we all know I have one of the cars at my disposal, but I still think it’s a good synergy), or MAC sponsoring a make-up touch-up area in the press centre (if you’d seen my eyebags before I went on air this morning you’ll know *just* how much I needed some slap), or Mulberry designing & underwriting the beautifully-designed calico totes that hold the LFW handbook that everyone gets at registration each season.
Others are just bonkers: there was a season where everyone walking into the tents was handed a miniature of a liqueur. During the day. (On second thought, handy for numbing the pain of a bad show.) But really, where’s the connection with LFW? The girls in AbFab may be drunken lushes but it’s not the MO of most editors I know.
But my all-time favourite has to be this season’s headline sponsorship of LFW by Vodafone. They haven’t just slapped their logo onto everything in sight, someone has actually thought about how to extend the brand’s reach organically into the fabric of LFW. There are charging lockers in the press centre for leaving dead phones & charging stands strategically dotted about and, most genius of all, pull-out drawers built into the front row benches in the main tent, so show attendees can charge their phones during the shows. AND the cables are extendable so you can still have your phone in your hand whilst the show takes place.
I just think this is absolute brilliance: given that even print editors are expected to Tweet, Instagram and Tumble these days, everyone’s phones die within hours of arrival. And for someone like me who runs a multi-tentacled business in the digital sphere, with a dead smartphone I am completely screwed.
I am clearly not alone in my thinking: I Tweeted the photo above of my seat before Corrie Nielsen’s wonderful show this morning and my feed practically buckled under the weight of re-Tweets.
LFW is crazy, hectic and sometimes you do wonder why obvious things aren’t done: like having a lounge sponsored by a tech firm for digital attendees, so the press centre can be used by those who need to file copy (as opposed to hanging out & chatting), so it’s great to see an initiative that makes everyone’s working lives so much easier at the shows.
Thank you Vodafone.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Very clever…
It may be an obvious thing to say, but most people may rejoice at the charging possibilities but you, with a Galaxy S2, only need a little supply of spare charged up batteries with you. Switch whenever you need and — done..
Who’d have an iPhone!
XXXXXX
Genius idea and as you say, such a game changer.
I was stuck in Turin airport last week for 12 hours courtesy of a flight delay. I wasn’t working, but had planned on being back to get work done. Not only was the business centre shut (in the day time), but there were no charging stations and I resorted to unplugging a Pringles vending machine and sitting on the floor next to my tech whilst several confused Italians looked at the ‘broken’ machine, not putting 2 and 2 together! Did I mention there was also no wifi?
Well done Vodafone and LFW.
Glad you liked the stand, we put a lot of hard work into the build. It is an amazing idea and if the author would like to mention us the makers feel free.
The event so far has been an amazing success from what I’m hearing from the organisers and Vodafone.
Seriously why haven’t they introduced charging lockers already, it seems such a simple but fantastic idea. The number of times i’ve been stuck without my phone due to a dead battery. Charging lockers go one step better than a plug socket, you can go off and do what you please for an hour. Westfield Stratford City take note. Phone on charge whilst i’m doing my weekly shop. :}
Oh, how I wished they would have had those in Berlin. My phone started dying around noon the day I went and was completely dead by 8 p.m. I was asking every info stand as well as in the press area. No charger to be found… I will never ever attend a fashion week without a charger again.
It was a genius idea — if only we could have had them in the other rows! Henry there are now Vodafone charging lockers throughout LFW, but I don’t like leaving my phone in a locker as I never know when I will need it. My tactic is to carry my charger around with me and plug in whenever I’m near a plug point. Shows, shops, cafes, wherever!
I love seeing smart ideas and well-run events — it appeals to my neurotic nature:)