Today’s post comes from the Lippe Taylor Social Media Team.

Facebook Timeline is the new Facebook layout for brand pages which all pages will begin using on March 30, 2012. The guide below will take you through the layout ‘s major changes and how to get started.

New Visual Layout

Instead of profile pictures, the top of your brand page will feature one square photo thumbnail and one large, horizontal image called the “Cover Photo.” The Cover Photo is an opportunity to post high-quality images that will immediately capture users’ attention and make a statement about the brand (diagram A).

• A brief (three-line) About section will be displayed on the bottom left of the Cover Photo. (diagram B).
• Applications will now live at the top of your brand page, just below the Cover Photo.
  • An icon displaying total likes and an icon to the Photo Albums page will always be on display. You can choose which two other applications you would like featured on top. Other applications can be accessed through a dropdown menu at the top of the page (diagram C).
  • Application icons will use thumbnail images, so each application can look unique.
• Content is displayed in a chronological format, where users can easily browse page history by month and year, going as far back as the brand chooses. (diagram C). This allows brands to tell their stories through posts and images, highlighting to fans their key moments in history, such as the brand launch date.
• Instead of welcome or landing tabs, users will automatically be taken to the page Timeline, giving users a chance to immediately see your page’s content.
• Photos uploaded to the main page will appear larger than previously. (diagram E).This means that users’ attention will draw to posted photos and videos.

Brands will have more control and creative liberty in how they post content, including:

• The ability to pin key posts to the top of the pages for up to 7 days, making it easier to highlight important posts (diagram F).
  • This will be particularly helpful for campaign promotions and announcements.
• Marking specific posts as “Milestones.” Milestone posts will be displayed extra large.

Facebook page administrators (the people who manage the page) will have new tools to monitor pages and moderate fan conversations, such as:

• A new admin panel giving a snapshot of recent page activity and key metrics.
• The ability to privately direct message fans, which will be key for customer service support.

How to Get Started:

• Create branded Cover Photos that will excite users and enhance the look of the page.
• Mark significant posts as Milestones. This will be ideal for product launches, new campaigns and brand events.
• Create a brand story timeline starting from as early as when the brand launched.
• Post more visual content, such as images and videos.

If you’d like to see more examples of brands currently using Timeline check out these Facebook pages: People magazine, Today Show, New York Times, Coca-Cola.

Today’s post comes from Heather D’Amico, digital account executive at Lippe Taylor and Amanda Brecher, digital account coordinator at Lippe Taylor.

The Changing Face of Technology

Social Media Week is a global forum that offers a series of interrelated activities and conversations on new trends spanning all major industries in social and mobile media. It highlights the global impact of social media and serves as a catalyst in driving cultural, economic, political and social change in developed and emerging markets.

Social Media Week 2012 took place from February 13-17 in Hamburg, Hong Kong, London, Miami, New York, Paris, San Francisco, São Paulo, Singapore, Tokyo, Toronto and Washington DC.

Here are a few key takeaways and trends from this year’s Social Media Week NYC 2012:

Social Media is Evolving the Idea of ‘New Beauty’ 

• Only 4% of women believe they are beautiful and social media is helping to change this.
• Social media provides a larger platform for consumers to see beyond stereotypes. Through sites, such as Pinterest, Polyvore, Facebook and Twitter, people are able to see different standards of beauty and see that imperfections are beautiful.
• Beauty brands are utilizing social media to build a community and drive loyalty through personalization, authenticity and credibility.

Companies Capitalize on Consumers’ Fear of Missing Out

• Consumers are constantly consuming and sharing content via social media, and the fear of missing out (FOMO) on new digital trends and information encourages people to remain active on current platforms and seek new emerging platforms for participation.
• Companies are strategically playing into consumers’ FOMO by taking advantage of these emerging platforms and integrating with current channels to reach a wider audience and develop stronger brand-to-consumer relationships.
• Emerging platforms include, but not limited to: Pinterest, Google+, Polyvore, StickK and Mobile apps.

Incorporating Social Good

• More than ever, people are using social media platforms to mobilize others to take action in everything from protests to fundraising efforts.
• Director of Trendspotting JWT in New York, Ann Mack, explains, “brands can tap into the spirit of social good by creating movements around their CSR [corporate social responsibility] efforts and calling people for ideas. They should enable hands-on consumers to show passion for and engagement with the relevant cause or campaign –providing them with tools for involvement.”
• Yoxi is a platform helping users, referred to as “Social Innovation Rockstars”, creatively tell their stories and reach a mainstream audience.

Personalization is Key

• Users want to have a personalized experience on social media. To connect with brands on social media, users are generally clicking on content based on what their friends and the digital community as a whole are recommending.
• Brands are recognizing this, and through the use of analytics programs they are determining key demographics and conversations to create content relating to those specific individuals.
  

  Susan Yara, Editorial Director of Video & Interactive at New Beauty Magazine, at The Changing Face of Technology.

Today’s post comes from Nicole Cavaliere, an account executive at Lippe Taylor, and Kendall Ford, an account coordinator at Lippe Taylor.

After scoring tickets to the Zac Posen A/W 2012 show, I immediately thought, “oh god, what do I wear?” As a blue-blooded female in the beauty industry, this thought is not uncommon and after attending Fashion Week events for the past 4 seasons, I knew that the second you step into Lincoln Center, every outfit is up for judgement.

Fashion Week is about more than the designers showing on the runways, it’s about the characters you see traipsing about from show to show.

Zac Posen had the honor of showing his collection in the David Koch Theater which immediately raises the bar and sets the stage for elegance. While the production company herded the masses into the room I couldn’t help but people watch. Kate Mara, Anna Wintour, Dita Von Teese and the heiresses to the Clarins empire were all present and acting nonchalant. Groups of men and women of every age and breed were doused in fur and colored denim. The show itself was beautiful and had references to Bonnie and Clyde with a touch of Asian discipline. After about 20 minutes the show was over and the characters dispersed onto the streets of the Upper West Side to get ready for a full day of shows starting bright and early on Monday morning.

Now as a PR professional, I was a little surprised that the branding at the show was limited. It wasn’t until I browsed through the program that I realized Judith Leiber accessories and Manolo Blahnik pumps also had their toes dipped in the Zac Posen pool. John Frieda and MAC provided hair and makeup (sleek buns and red lips) to set the tone for the fall.

Designers Continue to Team Up with Mass Retailers

This post is brought to you by Amanda Sabatelle, Account Supervisor at Lippe Taylor.

Fashion Week is right around the corner, and for most of us, the styles seen on the runway are more often emulated than replicated in our closets. Let’s face it. We all can’t afford a Valentino couture gown but we can incorporate the trends of florals and ruffles into our daily wardrobe for less.

And with the likes of designers and their partnerships with mass retailers, fashion is continuing to become more “democratic.” On Monday, Jason Wu launched his line for Target giving consumers the opportunity to purchase a dress for say, $50, rather than his runway collection retailing for much much more. In fact (as we all can remember), Target.com crashed as a result of its highly anticipated Missoni launch.

More mass market fashion retailers continue to take the “Target” approach to marketing their brands. For instance, JC Penney recently instituted an“everyday low price” strategy instead of promoting its large sales. To broaden the reach, the store is adding more in-store boutiques including Nanette Lepore and Martha Stewart.

And then we have Kmart partnering with a trendy downtown designer, Sophomore, who are coming together to create a limited edition t-shirt for Fashion Week featuring the slogan “#FashionWeekProblems.” Other notable partnerships include Karl Lagerfeld at Macy’s and Versace for H&M, to name a few.

As these mass retailers continue to team up with niche designers, what does it mean for the fashion industry? In my opinion, it appears to be a mutually beneficial partnership. (Why would they partner if it wasn’t…) The mass retailer gains a bit more “street cred” in the eyes of fashionistas as well as the editorial world, while getting some new customers along the way. The designer (whose sales may have declined because of the recession) is now making money again.

As for the consumer, (I speak for myself on this one), I am loving this trend. While I am a sucker for splurging on an occasional designer handbag or shoes, I can’t seem to resist a pair of colorful Missoni flats for a fraction of the price.