The blog and portfolio of Kiersten Timpe

I’ve never been into the group shopping experience. Sometimes it’s more fun to go with a friend, but if I know what I need I’d rather just run in and grab it. Unless I’m in a thrift store or record store where there’s a true sense of discovery, I’d rather just shop online. Over the past few months I’ve noticed a few ways companies have used social media to bring that ‘group feel’ to online shopping and they totally grabbed my attention.

YouTube Hauls

The first thing I noticed was a string of videos called ‘hauls’ on YouTube. When I first saw one I literally said, “I can’t believe people watch this,” and proceeded to sit there and watch it. Some shoppers are grabbing their webcams when they get home from the mall to show off their recent purchases and give short reviews. If you type ‘haul’ into YouTube you’ll find thousands of videos of teen girls rummaging through full shopping bags, showing off headbands and leggings. Some have over 600,000 views (!) and commenters showering them with compliments, making them feel like mini-celebs.

This is solid gold for clothing stores. How amazing is it that flocks of customers are bragging about their products to a world-wide audience, and people want to watch? While it’s exciting for marketers, it made me feel really old. When I buy new clothes and want to show them off, I wear them. I don’t make a YouTube video.

Mappos

Zappo’s has even introduced an interactive map that shows customers’ orders in real time and lets you vote on their purchases. Now the shoes you’re buying are being judged by strangers before they even make it on your feet! (Someone from Savannah, GA bought yellow Uggs two seconds ago? Thumbs down!) While it sounds rude, it’s oddly addictive. You can use it as an outlet for your inner fashion critic or just sit back and be amazed at watching all those stats roll in at real time. Zappos is turning the interactivity into sales by lettering visitors click on the styles they like and view top-rated fashions.

Polyvore

ModCloth by Kiersten Timpe on Polyvore.com

Polyvore lets you mix and match products from thousands of brands to create collages of your dream outfit or future apartment. I think it’s genius. As you play and interact with the merchandise you’re getting attached to certain stores and products. Some might think it’s just like grabbing an old Vogue magazine, scissors and glue stick, but it’s so much more. Each set you make is posted publicly to the site so others can click through each item, see the price and purchase it.

I found out about Polyvore through a contest for ModCloth. I created this set to enter their drawing (laugh at me, I can take it) and was surprised how addictive it was to browse all the styles.

Have you noticed any other online shopping trends? New and creative marketing for online stores? I’m not sure any of these would convince me to buy something right away, but I did learn something. If I buy my Snuggies and Crocs on Zappos, I will face judgment.

Kiersten

There’s a reason my posts have been (extra) infrequent lately.

While busy with animations, job applications, work and midterms, I was putting in countless hours for AAF’s National Student Advertising Competition last week. Integrated marketing communication majors at Ithaca College can enter the competition through a senior capstone course called Ad Lab. Ad Lab has a reputation of being a black hole. As soon as someone joins the class they won’t be seen for weeks at a time. Their waking hours are spent working a tiny lab in ‘The Annex,’ which is a glorified trailer. This is now my life.

During our busiest week, I got an email asking me to submit an image for IC’s senior art show catalog. Every year, the Handwerker Gallery exhibits the work of graduating seniors who study art, cinema, photography and media arts. Through my art minor I’ve taken silkscreening, 2D design, several painting courses and am currently taking computer art and animation. I had a lot of work to choose from.

In the end, I decided to submit one of my prints from computer art and animation. I know it will reproduce well and I didn’t have to worry about photographing it.

‘In and Out,’ Mixed media, 2010

When I printed this I separated the graphic elements from the hand drawn. I printed the digital image on matte paper, then printed the hand drawn figures on transparencies. I mounted the figures a half inch away from the canvas so they would hover over the image, slightly separated from their surroundings.

Now that “In and Out” has been accepted for the catalog I can submit up to 5 other pieces for the juried exhibit. For the first time I had to write an artist statement, price work – scary! I’d like to create something new for the show, but I might play it safe and submit older pieces. I’m on spring break right now so I’m digging through my high school creations for inspiration.

Have any of you had experience exhibiting work? How do you price your art, if you sell it at all? All of this is new to me so I’m curious how others do it.

Kiersten