British fashion retailer Ted Baker is inviting fans to share their kisses on social media as part of its “Merry Kissmas” campaign. The brand is using the holiday tradition of kissing under the mistletoe, with a twist: The mistletoe is a 20- by 20-foot aluminum sculpture created by Kin Design hanging above its Fifth Avenue store, and photos of the kisses are being shared on Twitter and Instagram with the hashtag #KissTed.
As fans around the world post photos with that hashtag (whether taken outside the store or elsewhere), the images feed into an app developed by Tangible Interaction known as Social Mosa. “We customized it quite a bit for them to give it a Christmas design with the photos in falling snowballs, and we made it tie into the brand. So it doesn’t look like a prepackaged app,” said Alex Beim, Tangible Interaction’s C.E.O. and creative director. “It’s about how brands are integrating social media in retail spaces, in a way that has value to the user and not just the brand. From the experiential view, we are using social media to promote humanity.”
Since December 5, the custom photo display has been running on two 90-inch monitors inside the store’s front windows every Thursday through Sunday, with the intention of catching the attention of shoppers as they pass by. The app allows Ted Baker staff to approve or delete images through an iPad in a matter of seconds, so they appear in the display almost instantly. The campaign ends December 24, when the brand will select one participant to receive a free four-night stay for two at the St. Regis Hotel in Abu Dhabi.
The company has promoted the contest on its blog, through social media accounts, and with signage in store. To date it has received more than 500 entries.
