Victoria?s Secret unhooked a new strategy of marketing during live events with its own Lingerie Red Carpet on Instagram during MTV?s Video Music Awards broadcast, displaying pieces similar in style or color to celebrities? arrival outfits in a bid to spark inspiration among consumers.

The retailer posted images of several celebrities? arrival outfits, including that of its own Angel ambassador, Lily Aldridge, alongside bra-and-panties sets that matched with the dresses. Instagram users followed along via the #LingerieRedCarpet hashtag and posted excited comments on the outfit-and-lingerie combinations, suggesting that more major brands should use social media to market relevant products during live-event broadcasts.

?When celebrities attend Hollywood awards events like the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards, it creates prime marketing opportunities for companies with high fashion products,? said David Naumann, director of marketing at Boston Retail Partners, Boston. ?Victoria?s Secret?s promotion of #LingerieRedCarpet on Instagram was a clever way to engage fans across the nation during the MTV VMA event and promote lingerie that was matched with celebrities' outfits.

?Many fans watching #LingerieRedCarpet may be inspired to buy the Victoria?s Secret lingerie that is paired with the outfit of their favorite celebrity.?

Getting creative
Victoria?s Secret sought to target its key demographic of millennials during Sunday night?s Video Music Awards, an awards show frequently watched by younger consumers. Taking advantage of second-screen experiences, the brand posted content relevant to the VMAs? red carpet that also managed to entice consumers and offer some inspiration for future purchases.

Victoria?s Secret kicked off its Lingerie Red Carpet hosting duties by displaying an image of artist Demi Lovato?s pink arrival dress. The retailer kept in line with the theme of Ms. Lovato?s outfit by titling the post ?Make Me Blush? and showcasing a pink lingerie set from its Dream Angels collection.

The brand suggested that anyone fancying Ms. Lovato?s dress might also like to pick up the Dream Angels Quarter Cup Balconet Bra and matching panty, due to the similar sheer color.

As the broadcast continued, Victoria?s Secret posted additional sets inspired by celebrities? clothing. It tapped its own Angel ambassador, Lily Aldridge, to advertise the black Very Sexy Mesh Push-Up bra and matching underwear.

Ms. Aldridge wore a plunging black gown to the event, which matched perfectly with the lingerie set showcased by the brand.

The brand continued uploading images onto Instagram of lingerie items complementary to several celebrities? red carpet outfits, including music artists Nicki Minaj and Tori Kelly.

Live events marketing
Tapping mobile for marketing tactics during live events is a smart solution for many brands, provided that the content they post is relevant to attendees and viewers.

While many sports marketers have flocked to Snapchat?s ?Our Story? feature to leverage crowdsourcing techniques and bring live events to large numbers of consumers, the strategy is likely to work well for brands in any sector as users appreciate seeing snippets of real experiences to fuel future participation (see story).

In Victoria?s Secret?s case, Instagram was the best communication channel to leverage. Users could leave comments and tag their friends below the post, making it easy for content to be dispersed widely and quickly.

The lingerie retailer is no stranger to introducing strong marketing strategies to social media applications.

Last month, Victoria?s Secret celebrated the release of the new Body by Victoria bra and simultaneously promoted a new roster of Angel ambassadors by handing over the brand's Instagram and Snapchat accounts to four models as they captured their globetrotting experiences (see story).

However, the brand could have ramped up its Lingerie Red Carpet on Instagram even more by adding a commerce element. The entire VMAs event could have resulted in a sharp uptick in sales if Victoria?s Secret offered links to purchase the displayed looks on its Instagram account page.

This way, consumers would have been spared the time it took to browse for the advertised pieces.

?Adding a ?Shop Now? button to the #LingerieRedCarpet Instagram promotion could have stimulated more impulse purchases,? Mr. Naumann said. ?Action-oriented social media buttons that suggest purchases are an effective way to streamline the transaction and capitalize on consumers? enthusiasm and passion for fashion.?

Final Take
Alex Samuely, editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York