Think Customers: The 1to1 Blog

Last November, Burberry launched a Web site called Art of the Trench which pays tribute to the heritage and history of the Burberry trench coat. Visitors can click on any one of dozens of images of people wearing trench coats in different settings. Or they can filter the images by popularity, gender or styling (belted or unbelted). According to a Jan. 19 blog published by The Wall St. Journal, the Web site has attracted more than 5 million page views since its launch `and, according to company officials, it's helping traditional outerwear fly off the shelves like a coattail in a wind tunnel,' the reporter notes.

Although WSJ blogger Kathy Gordon lauds Art of the Trench for its sophisticated 'wizardry', she laments the Web site as being 'just a little too perfect,' noting that each comment made about a particular model or coat they're wearing 'is a blanket gushing of brilliance and encouragement.'

I have to agree. I randomly clicked on several different pictures of both men and women. Comments made about a young man running down the street in his open off-white trench coat while he's clutching a newspaper and bagels drew reactions ranging from 'Amazing...the trench, the jeans, the moment. I love it!' to 'Hot...hot...hotttttt..' It all seems a bit contrived, as if the quotes were manufactured by Burberry employees.

Still, Burberry deserves credit for attempting a new way to connect with consumers and for making a mature brand appear edgy. The online marketing push appears to be delivering solid top-line results. Meanwhile, the company's Facebook page, which links to the Art of the Trench site, counts more than 760,000 fans.

As Peppers & Rogers Group Founding Partner Don Peppers has noted, the multichannel environment is becoming increasingly critical to the success of a retailer's business. Research shows that cross-channel shoppers typically spend 30%-to-50% more than consumers who purchase through a single channel.

If Burberry's third-quarter results are indicative, the company's cross-channel approach appears to be working.