Brief:
- Fashion brand Anne Klein this week started a livestreamed video series on Facebook to highlight inspiring stories by innovative women during the coronavirus pandemic. "Women Who Do" is hosted by Jesse Gre Rubinstein, the granddaughter of designer Anne Klein, on Facebook Live every Wednesday at 12 p.m. ET, per an announcement.
- Each week, Rubinstein will interview guests from a mix of industries, including those who are promoting pandemic relief efforts with Anne Klein. Rubinstein last month worked with the fashion brand to deliver 100,000 face masks to essential workers nationwide.
- Kara Goldin, founder and CEO of healthy beverage company Hint, was the first guest on the show's premiere on May 20 and spoke about "believing in oneself." Laurie Santos, professor of psychology at Yale, will speak about personal happiness on May 27. Actress Ilfenesh Hadera will talk about kindness on June 3, while designer Reem Acra's episode a week later is titled "Invest In Who You Want To Be," per the announcement.
Insight:
Anne Klein's video series on Facebook Live aims to reach consumers who are watching more livestreamed programming while stuck at home during the pandemic. Video streaming to TVs jumped 85% during the first three weeks of March, per Nielsen data cited by Variety. However, the gradual lifting of lockdowns in many regions likely will drive a shift in video viewership away from TVs and toward mobile devices as people resume former activities like commuting to work. Either way, Anne Klein can extend its audience reach among a broader variety of viewing devices with its livestreamed series.
Livestreaming platforms like Facebook Live, Amazon-owned Twitch and Google's YouTube Live give brands complete creative control over long-form programming, though it's important to provide content that's compelling to viewers. Anne Klein's "Women Who Do" aims to draw viewers with interviews of inspiring people while reinforcing a theme of women's empowerment that has been central to the brand's messaging for more than 50 years. By streaming a series on Facebook Live, the fashion brand can connect with a younger generation of consumers who are elusive to traditional media like TV and print.
Anne Klein is among the brands that have recently created or sponsored livestreamed programming to reach homebound viewers who are hungry for content as producers scramble to meet demand. Most of the livestreams emphasize how brands are helping others during the pandemic. Spice maker McCormick this week hosted a virtual taco-making party with actress Drew Barrymore on Instagram Live, while raising awareness for COVID-19 relief. Buffalo Wild Wings, Busch Beer, Cholula Hot Sauce, DoorDash and Chili's Grill & Bar, PepsiCo's Tostitos brand and Verizon also have sponsored livestreams in the past two months to entertain viewers and promote relief efforts.
