- Sep 4, 2017
Updated: Feb 4, 2021
On 31st August, Jonny and Maksym headed to Berlin to attend Bread & Butter by Zalando.
Launched in 2001, Bread & Butter is a fashion and lifestyle event showcasing the latest in fashion, music and food to both industry experts and members of the public. The three day event this year was packed full of brands showcasing their styles via panel talks, brand labs and exhibitions, with the highlight being fashion shows launching new products. Particularly exciting was the opportunity to hear Vivienne Westwood speak on the first day of the event. In addition to the focus on fashion, there was also emphasis on beauty brands.
There were nine food booths serving delicious street food inspired by this year’s theme of “BOLD” – including food from the world’s first Michelin starred street food chef, Chan Hon Meng. The event also showcased the best of international music acts and DJs spread over six stages and three after-show parties.
Jonny and Maksym were able to find time to enjoy the event but were also kept busy working with Zalando. Over the course of the event, there were nine fashion shows presented to audiences of thousands of people. These shows were filmed, and Jonny and Maksym worked to rapidly apply our interactive software to seven of them, meaning that a significant portion of the looks released were shoppable. These interactive runways then went live on the Bread & Butter homepage on Zalando’s website approximately two hours after they finished.
This quick turnaround meant that customers were (and still are) able to shop pieces taking their fancy almost immediately after the show was finished. The shows which Smartzer worked on were for The Kooples, Hugo by Hugo Boss, Selected Femme/Homme, Zalando, G-Star Raw, Topman and Topshop*. This experience is a great example of our capacity to produce shoppable videos on a large scale, and also of our ability to quickly and thoroughly turn traditional video content into interactive, cutting-edge products which monetize existing content.
It was a pleasure to be asked to return to work with Zalando, and to be able to do so within the context of such a vibrant, exciting and international event like Bread & Butter was a great experience.
Thank you to Zalando and all of the brands whose runway shows we worked on!
*Topman and Topshop runway shows are not currently shoppable in the UK or Norway.
- Jul 25, 2017
Updated: Feb 17, 2021
Our most recent collaboration has been produced exclusively for G-Star’s Denim Journeys range . G-Star have followed three denim-lovers as the inspiration for this new collection, which celebrates the craftsmanship and creativity behind the much-loved material.
Available exclusively on Zalando’s Dutch and German websites, we believe that this video is the perfect example of the international applicability of our innovative technology. G-Star have launched this denim collection through Zalando’s website and customers exploring Zalando’s G-Star brand shop can enjoy the experience of our shoppable video. This means that a wide range of customers are reached.
It was a delight to work with G-Star x Zalando on this interaction video which revolves around the history of denim, featuring reworked, unique pieces which are both traditional yet also forward-thinking.
Check out the collaboration here!
- Apr 21, 2017
Updated: Feb 17, 2021
Karoline and Miles headed to Berlin to attend Vizions by Zalando on the 20th April.
Vizions by Zalando is Europe’s platform conference run by the retail giant, exploring the challenges and opportunities afforded by digital platforms via a range of speaker talks, panels and workshops. In a nutshell, a company operating with a platform model facilitates exchange between producers and consumers, utilising technology to build networks and enable communication. More and more companies are making the transition to the platform model following the success of companies such as Amazon, Facebook, eBay and Uber. Vizions by Zalando was the perfect opportunity to hear insights from market experts.
One especially interesting talk we saw was given by Susan Danzinger (CEO & Founder, Ziggeo) on ‘Increasing Consumer Engagement: The Future is Video’. Susan discussed the benefits that retailers see by using videos to engage and connect with their consumers in just a few seconds, rapidly and accurately conveying the desired scene or feel. The popularity of video was described, backed up by figures such as the fact that 10 billion videos are watched on Snapchat daily. Of course, utilising the spread and popularity of videos as an advertising tool is key to Smartzer’s development, so to hear the future of video discussed in such a positive way was fantastic for us!
Hearing Andy Long (CEO, Pentland Brands) speak alongside Jan Wilmking (CEO & MD, zLabels) was also really engaging. They discussed businesses operating on a global scale and how there will always be a role for retailers and face-to-face connection. However, technology can be used to enhance this and create the omni-channel experience expected by the consumer.
Beyond attending these talks and others, we really enjoyed the opportunity to network with other attendees and speakers. We gained insights from not only well established businesses but also fellow start-ups. It’s also always great to share our work with others and to hear their feedback. To top off a brilliant event, the venue was the edgy Kraftwerk building, a piece of Berlin’s industrial history which was the perfect space for the event.
Thank you to Zalando for having Smartzer at this insightful and busy conference!