Marketing The Angels
By: Hope Wilkos, Writer
No matter if you are 15 years old or 50 years old, the line is always long, come holiday time at Victoria’s Secret. The retailer is even more chaotic the day after the annual VS Fashion Show is held at the beginning of December. Who wouldn’t want to look like one of the angels on the runway in their very own bedroom? It just happens to be one of the most brilliant marketing campaigns that any retailer could possibly come up with.
Every year around the holidays, Victoria’s Secret chooses some of their most high-profile models in the entire industry and christens them ‘Angels’ chosen to exclusively walk the runway in front of millions. Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, Behati Prinsloo, Candice Swanepoel and Lily Aldridge are the current novices of this generation. Angels going down in the ‘VS Hall of Fame’ include Giselle Bundchen, Heidi Klum, Karlie Kloss and Tyra Banks. One of the most exciting parts of the event is being appointed to wear the million dollar, fascinating, richly adorned diamond bra, a sort of dream come true, a privilege deemed as the ‘Oscar of Fashion.’ Lily Aldridge jumped for joy to learn she was going to walk the runway in this magical item for 2015.
As time goes on, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show becomes even more theatrical then the previous year, having some of the hottest entertainers in the business serenade the girls down the runway. Familiar names include Selena Gomez, Taylor Swift, Ellie Goulding, Justin Bieber, Ed Sheeran, the Weeknd and more. The amount of viewers that tune into CBS to watch the VS Fashion Show from their couch is absolutely staggering. The show truly considers New York City as its permanent home, although it has been relocated a few times to change it up, only to be lured back to New York City. The cities of Miami, London, Los Angeles and Cannes have made the VIP list, complete with the big pink Angel airplane. After all, who wouldn’t want a few angels to grace the streets of their city?
From the hustle and bustle backstage to the nervous energy that quickly overtakes the models, it is a fashionable celebration that many viewers and attendees can relate to. Fans can even ooh and ahh as they look up at the tall and overpowering billboard display with he girls walking the runway and blowing kisses, right in the middle of Times Square.
Year after year, the themes get even deeper into the realm of creativity and imagination. This year, glamour and glitter took shape via flowing silky capes, sparkling silver bodysuits grabbing each and every curve of the body and visions of butterflies dancing in our heads. Patriotism took a front seat with models gushing in beauty, decked out in red, while and blue, the colors of the American Flag. Feathers mixed with fireworks lit up the runway with a vision of color that was difficult to shake out. Although many of the outfits seen on the runway may never make it to your local Victoria’s Secret store, the limited ‘ICE ANGEL’ bra became a sure hit this year as loyal shoppers of the brand made sure that they bought at least one to last a lifetime.
Another free perk for just stepping in to the boutique and purchasing $75 worth of gorgeous garments or sultry perfumes and blossoming body lotions, was the VS fashion show tote (while supplies lasted). The public relations team of Victoria’s Secret deserves huge kudos for this very sharp strategy. This tote has traveled with the models throughout their practices and to the actual show.
Finally, this year’s Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show knew just how to capture all those social media addicts from Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. The two most popular young and vivacious models of the year were overwhelmingly invited to join the rest of the 2015 Angels, walking the runway in seductive sleepwear and outrageous undergarments. Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid had their moments of fame as they made their way down the runway. Both girls took advantage of the cameras zooming in to quickly wink or shoot a smile to their audience. Girls everywhere now know what they aspire to do as they watched bewitchingly beautiful angels with lovely long locks, magnificent smiles and a sexy saunter, just have fun with the moment, answering all their snow-covered wishes for yet another year
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However, the VS appeal doesn’t end when the runway goes dark. Just this week, the retailer introduced your very favorite VS Angels opening the many doors of a Parisian flat as they sang their way into your heart with the ’12 Days of Christmas’. What an ingenious way to show your loved one all that can be bought at the boutique. The holiday spirit just doesn’t get any better than glistening golden wings on glorified Victoria’s Secret angels.
