With fashion bloggers styling models and nearly half a million people tuning in to a live stream, Cotton Incorporated staged a 24-hour runway show earlier this month in Miami Beach. Produced by Jack Morton Worldwide, the multimedia event focused on "America's style" by showing fashions that represented regions across the country.
It was the second edition of the 24-hour runway, a concept intended to show how cotton clothing can transition from day to night. An oversize clock on stage counted the hours as models walked the runway for a full day.
The event took place on Ocean Drive in South Beach, a location chosen for its 24-hour lifestyle and cooperative weather, according to Mandi Zanski, associate creative director at Jack Morton. The angular stage, white with touches of bright orange, aqua, and lime, took its design cues from South Beach but also had screens with iconic images from cities across the country.
The campaign included a digital component that took place before, during, and after the event. In the four months leading up to the event, Cotton Incorporated engaged six fashion bloggers to provide fashion tips and brought them to Miami for the show, where they each styled a segment with clothing evocative of their region. During the event, People.com broadcasted a live stream on its home page, which, together with a microsite dedicated to the campaign, drew more than 425,000 unique visitors. Viewers stayed an average of eight minutes, according to Jack Morton strategist Asif Khan. A Twitter campaign drew 15,000 tweets, or one every six seconds, during the show. Afterward, consumers were able to "shop the runway" at participating retailers.
