 A sexy vibe has taken our city by storm in the last few months. Thanks to a teaser campaign and a stylish street team, Sex and the District—a marketing campaign created by Vantage Studios—has been on the lips of trendsetters throughout the city. But what’s behind the hype?
Located in the heart of the Exchange District, the team at Vantage Studios, comprised of five marketing and branding specialists ranging in age from 21 to 30, was looking for a way to promote themselves as an up-and-coming marketing and branding company. In business for just over two years, they saw an opportunity to showcase their skills by promoting the unique boutiques, restaurants and nightlife in the Exchange using alternative forms of advertising not often seen in Winnipeg.
“We weren’t profiting financially, but definitely through exposure,” says Donavan Robinson, co-owner and creative director of Vantage Studios Inc. “We did the whole campaign for free, and all the marketing material was done in-house. We used viral marketing, teaser ads, a street team, wild postings, Facebook and e-newsletters.” The goal? To rebrand the area and to both create awareness and change people’s perceptions of the neighbourhood, says Robinson.
 Although a strategy wasn’t originally in place to rebrand the Exchange, the team at Vantage Studios knew who they were trying to target: young professional females between the ages of 20-35, living in or from the suburbs, who didn’t realize what the Exchange had to offer. They were confident that if they could change that demographic’s perception of the area—and create a successful event—that would inspire businesses, and the city, to get involved.
Radio and print teaser ads ran for three weeks before the actual event was announced on Sept. 17, creating a buzz that organizers hoped would promote interest and drive people to the Sex and the District website. A street team comprised of a group of 10 outgoing individuals cruised the streets using word of mouth advertising for a month and a half leading up to the event, telling everyone they met about the big night.
During the event, which took place on Friday, Oct. 12, the Exchange was pulsing with a big city vibe. The sidewalks were filled with trendy Winnipeggers excited to check out boutiques that had extended their hours, serving hors d’oeuvres and cocktails as DJs spun records in the window.
“Everyone’s so excited,” said Candie & Dolls‘s Candice Versace, during the event. “A lot of people that don’t come down here have been in all day. A lot of people don’t know this exists in Winnipeg.”
Later in the evening, while local musicians played on the outdoor stage at Old Market Square, fashion shows were held at Alive in the District, Club Desire and The Empire, promoting area boutiques. Enthusiastic store owners seemed hopeful that the evening—and overall campaign—would inspire a whole new group of people to head downtown.
“It’s encouraging. I love the area; I like the vibe, the community. It’d be great if we could do it all the time,” says Rebecca McCormack, owner of Cake Clothing.
It’s Vantage Studios’ hope that they can continue promoting the Exchange this way, with support from the Exchange District BIZ, area shops and the City. The next step, they say, would be to create a brand that is uniquely Winnipeg.
“We’re working with the Exchange BIZ on some ideas to rebrand the area and all of the (shop) owners are willing to invest money into more events like this,” says Robinson of the campaign’s future. “We used the Sex and the City theme so everyone would know it was about fashion and a big city lifestyle. Now we’re in the works to use different ideas for the campaign to give it its own identity.”
Lisa Holowchuk, executive director of the Exchange District BIZ, sees a lot of potential in the campaign. “I think it’s great, I think that Vantage Studios did a really good job and are really in touch with the demographic they were trying to target,” she says. “They can now build on the success of this because the interest was really high. It’s part of our mandate to get the word out about our unique shopping district; if the retailers pool their resources they can present themselves as a whole, and we can help facilitate and promote that.”
Hip Winnipeg trendsetters throughout the city will have to stay tuned for the evolution of a possible Sex and the District Season Two, this time complete with a distinctiveness that is all its own. |
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May 2008
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