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This is my last post folks, hope you enjoyed the blog!!!

As always,

Peace, love & fashion!!!!!!!!!!

Kitson Goes Green

Kitson boutique recently joined forces with a new brand called LIV GRN, short for Live Green, which promotes the going green movement. According to their website, “LIV GRN is a statement, both in its ecological approach and in the literal message imprinted on every piece in the line... The LIV GRN ladybug logo, integral to every design, is a reminder of how fragile our ecosystem is and how much it needs our care. LIV GRN apparel is designed for everyone. Its brand philosophy is transparent: Smart, simple, savvy, affordable, ethical. Its goal is to inspire, motivate, teach and inform.”

The new LIV GRN, pink cropped tee at Kitson is only $45 and every LIV GRN purchase donates 10% of its sale to Global Green, one of the world’s largest and most recognized green charities. Global Green is led by Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz and Brad Pitt, all fabulously famous people. We all know that Kitson is no foe to celebrity clientele. Therefore, I foresee a possible publicity opportunity for the LIV GRN leaders and Kitson in the future.

Additionally, this chic new label symbolizes Kitson’s humanitarian effort towards preserving the environment. In today’s society, everyone is very environmentally conscious; therefore combing with an eco-friendly campaign is extremely appealing. The LIV GRN movement is a great way for Kitson to develop a positive image for the company, which in times of crisis could be extremely beneficial.

To purchase your LIV GRN t-shirt at Kitson click here!

Peace, love & fashion!!

Crises: Reliance on Internet

As I've discussed throughout this semester, crises can occur spontaneously and occasionally without warning. Therefore, responding to a crisis in a timely manner is crucial. However, current trends in society, technology, and the marketplace are changing the way companies respond to a crisis.

The increasing popularity of the internet has entirely changed the way companies send messages to their target publics. Internally, the booming trend of reliance on internet allows companies to utilize their website as a form of communication throughout a crisis.

After taking a look at Kitson’s website I realized it was severely lacking in many areas. First, the only way to get into direct contact with Kitson boutique is a toll-free number and a generic email address. The company appears rather careless towards customers’ needs. Secondly, I was very disappointed that the press link did not include updated media and press releases. Instead, it only displayed celebrity sightings at the boutique. Lastly, it was very evident that Kitson does not use their website as a means of communication during a crisis.

With that said, I have come up with some recommendations to revamp Kitson’s website. Fraser Ross… include press releases! It’s nice to see celebrity photos, but I want to hear to juicy details. I would also like to feel important… include the telephone numbers to your stores. Maybe I forgot my wallet in the fitting room; I do not want to go through the hassle of calling a 1-800 number when my banking card is MIA. Lastly, I know you have a Facebook fan page. Start incorporating social media links on your website.

Keeping up with today’s current social, technological and market trends is essential. The internet is a perfect way to communicate with your target audience during a crisis. Be prepared, be up-to-date!!

Peace, love & fashion!!!!

Ethical Crises

According to our book Crisis Management in the New Strategy Landscape, an ethical crisis is one that involves behavior by a company which is questionable, but does not necessarily violate the law. Typically, economic motives are linked to unethical and illegal behaviors. With factors like sales, profits and market share placing high amounts of stress on management and employees, it is not uncommon for companies to indulge in unethical behavior.

For a company like Kitson, the most common ethical crisis could result from how their products are manufactured. In a previous blog, I made reference to Camila Elves' handbag line called "Muxo." Elves' line is predominately a leather collection. Unfortunately, leather comes from animals, particularly cattle. I recently came across some unhappy bloggers on Extra.com that were questioning the manufacturing process of "Muxo" leather handbags. According to the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) the slaughtering of cattle for leather has become a booming industry. PETA is an animal rights organization that claims to be the largest animal rights group in the world. Since Kitson sells "Muxo" handbags, this could result in a major crisis for the boutique.

Our book states that the best way to deal with an ethical crisis is to prevent it from happening in the first place. To an extent, the organizational culture has the final say on how ethical or unethical decision making will be in the company. In this particular case, PETA has a major role in deciding what practices, in regards to animals, are ethical or not. Kitson should research the manufacturing process of Elves' "Muxo" leather handbags in order to put a lid on cyber gossip. If in fact, Elves' handbags are created from slaughtered animals, I think it would be in Kitson's best interest to drop the line altogether. We discussed that the line isn't selling anyway. So I say, no harm, no foul!

Peace, love & fashion!!

Kitson Exposed

Fashion enthusiasts, Courtney and I, discuss Kitson Boutique through a critical lens.

It Can't Happen to Us

The phrase has become the most frequently used defensive mechanism used by managers to deny the risk of a crisis affecting them. However, companies who choose to ignore history are destined to repeat it.

Crises are inevitably. With that said, it is better to learn from them, than to deny them all together. Our textbook Crisis Management in the New Strategy Landscape talks about crises as both negative situations and opportunities for organizational learning. Important questions to ask: What crisis warning signs were missed? How can communication networks improve so the company can respond better during the next crisis?

In a previous blog I talked about Kitson Boutique’s crisis with US Weekly, and the magazine’s lack of publicity of the company. Thankfully the crisis did not tarnish Kitson’s image, yet it can be used as a learning experience for the company. Changes in the crisis management plan should be made to ensure the stability and safety of Kitson in the future. For instance, Kitson could reestablish the company’s objectives, redesign their strategies, recognize the presence of interdependence in all departments within the company or build resilience through redundancy.

Nevertheless, learning from previous mistakes is a an important part of crisis communications. If a company learns from a crisis than its crisis management plan has been successful.

Peace, Love & Fashion!!!

Using Social Media When a Crisis Occurs

The internet and social media have added new dimensions to the recently outdated practice of crisis management. Events are now reported on Twitter and Facebook, before the main stream media ever gets a word. The internet even allows bloggers the opportunity to give companies feedback. Social media is surpassing old fashioned methods of crisis communication.

Before a crisis strikes, social media can be a useful way to identify warning signs that a crisis is on the rise. The crisis management team is responsible for crisis scanning of social media relevant to their industry. This could be as simple as setting Google Alerts, running regular searches and analyzing blog mentions of their company and products. Developing Facebook pages and setting up a Twitter account are great ways to monitor company fans.

Surprisingly few companies have modified their crisis communication plans to account for the remarkable changes brought on by the internet. Kitson is no exception. I conducted a social media scan myself and found that company did not have a twitter account or a blog. Although the company had created a fan page on Facebook back in 2007, the page has not been updated in quite some time. Opening a Twitter account is a simple and should be a necessary social media tactic for all companies and organizations. Kitson’s owner, Fraser Ross could easily tweet about the company’s upcoming events, new products and celebrity clientele.

As a company that is so heavily impacted by the media, it would be extremely beneficial for Kitson to create a blog. A blog can add a feature of interactivity, as customers and stakeholders can post comments and give feedback, as well as ask the company questions. Also, blogs can be effective means for providing updated information about a crisis. Podcasts and videos are also a helpful way to reach target audiences, especially in times of crisis. The JetBlue apology on YouTube is a perfect example of how social media was succeful in resolving a crisis.

Observing social media should extend into the crisis response and post-crisis phases in order to check the progress of your crisis management efforts. Kitson should include these social media techniques in their crisis communication plan. It will force the company to keep up with constantly changing technology of the time and hopefully prevent future crises from occuring.

Peace, love & fashion!!!