Mailchimp swings into NYFW with pop-up, capsule collection

Dive Brief:

Intuit Mailchimp will debut a new capsule merchandise collection and pop-up shop as part of New York Fashion Week (NYFW), according to a press release.
The email marketing platform is the first sponsor of the Black In Fashion Council (BIFC) Discovery Showrooms at Spring Studios, the hub of the NYFW: The Shows digital platform. The capsule collection showcases five BIFC designers and can be viewed online and at Mailchimp's pop-up space at Spring Studios, which will be open Sept. 10-14.
Mailchimp's NYFW activation combines in-person and digital elements and is part of the recently launched "Guess Less, Sell More" brand campaign that targets small- to mid-sized businesses.

Dive Insight:

Mailchimp is extending its just-announced brand campaign with an activation at NYFW, a semi-annual event that has long drawn marketer attention. As events continue to return but in hybrid form, marketers must combine in-person and digital tactics, as Mailchimp is doing with a pop-up shop and its debut on NYFW: The Shows, a digital platform that features live runway shows, fashion films, panel discussions, masterclasses and more.

“New York Fashion Week: The Shows is an incomparable opportunity for emerging designers, who are also entrepreneurs in their own right," said Michelle Taite, CMO at Mailchimp, in the press release. "The sponsorship of the BIFC Discovery Showrooms, as well as the capsule collection, will amplify amazing designers and showcase their work to a broader consumer market."

The brand's limited-edition capsule collection features Izayla, Kwame Adusei, Muehleder, Ndigo Studio and Sammy B, drawing attention to Black designers in an industry that traditionally lacks diversity and inclusivity. The purpose-driven element that could help the brand engage with younger, cause-minded consumers.

The highlighting of designers as both creatives and entrepreneurs ties to Mailchimp's value proposition and new brand campaign,"Guess Less, Sell More," that seeks to help small- to medium-sized businesses take the guesswork out of their marketing strategy. Created by Mailchimp’s in-house creative agency, Wink, in collaboration with global production company Smuggler and director Björn Rühmann, the campaign features four TV spots and will continue into 2023, per details shared with Marketing Dive.

Mailchimp's capsule collection can be viewed at Mailchimp's space at Spring Studios, which was designed and produced by Wink in partnership with IMG, from Sept. 10-14. The limited-edition merchandise will be available online — free of charge — starting Sept. 10.

This season’s NYFW runs today (Sept. 9) through Sept. 14. Puma this week debuted its first-ever metaverse experience as part of the sports brand’s “Futrograde” show during NYFW.