Miami’s annual Swim Week undergoes several changes this year, and innovative brand promotion strategies offer a few insights to marketers. Salon Allure, one of Swim Week’s swimwear presentations, promotions and brand recognition efforts, is partnering with Babalú—one of Miami’s top-selling retail stores. This year’s trade show expansion combines well-known, brick-and-mortar retail products with idealistic marketing approaches to create something new, something fresh and something relatively unharnessed within the industry. Touching upon experimental marketing’s finest approaches, Salon Allure and Babalú’s new creation, called "Hammock", combines industry insight and brand awareness to scope out a wide array of industry favorites and newcomers.
Babalú's Exquisite Opportunity
A Miami boutique chain, Babalú will harness Salon Allure as creative partner, shaping new looks while determining Miami’s newest trends. Historically, Hammock featured approximately 80 brand exhibits, providing open-forum spaces for industry insiders and newcomers alike. Babalú’s partnership is expected to enhance the brand exhibit count by another 40 brands, expanding the event’s total outreach.
Babalú’s outreach will take place in pre-arranged appointments. Additionally, any adjacent brands seeking walk-around traffic can take place in the area’s enhanced forum space additions. Salon Allure will also offer lighting, showroom signings, divider walls and fixtures to encase the event—creating an artistic touch capable of framing Babalú and other brands.
IMG: Swim Week’s Producer
Of course, no trade show event succeeds without production power, and Babalú’s eminent success will be contingent upon IMG: Swim Week’s production company. A regular participant in runway fashion shows, IMG is a huge asset to Babalú’s outreach—an attachment to the high fashion exposition furthers the brand’s retail quality and consumer angle.
IMG has also partnered with LDJ Productions, another events company, to create additional runway events stationed at the W’s Wet Lounge and ballroom in 1 Hotel South Beach. Miami Beach is famous for its artistic swimwear, and its culture is a powerhouse resource for any retail chain seeking invigoration or new angles.
Recent Hits and Future Expansion
Babalú’s Swim Week appearance isn’t its only experimental marketing project. Recently, its creative retail experience, dubbed “Perfume Genie”, provided consumers with an interactive fragrance finder. A unique approach, Babalú’s Perfume Genie was stationed in the Lincoln Road marketplace to enhance swimwear buying processes while enhancing its side-by-side perfume-loving consumer market.
The Opening Night Party and Runway Party
Taking place between July 18 and July 20, Swim Week kicks off with an awesome runway show and opening night party. The establishment’s Wet Pool Lounge will, as per tradition, exhibit luxury brands and the Lycra Design Challenge—which prompts brands to create unique cover-ups and swimsuits. The Lycra Xtra Life fiber makes a potent appearance, here, as does an all-expenses paid fashion photo shoot for the resort’s 2016 collection.
The W South Beach Suites will likely become a cornerstone location for Babalú in the future. The annual Swim Week trade show offers many unique opportunities, and Babalú’s attachment to event creation will provide great market access. Participating brands also include Basta Surf, Anna Sui Swimwear, Mikoh, Ella Moss, Stone Fox Swim, Pacific and Driftwood, Nautica and more.
