News

Previous Article Next Article

Abzal Issa Bekov AW16 Whatsapp campaign photographed by Timothy Schaumburg, UK

Abzal Issa Bekov AW16 Whatsapp campaign photographed by Timothy Schaumburg, UK

Abzal Issa Bekov AW16 Whatsapp campaign photographed by Timothy Schaumburg, UK

Msg 4 gr8 fashion

By Rhiannon McGregor 10 : 11 : 2016 Backlash Brands : Opt-In Culture : Text Commerce

London – Fashion graduate Abzal Issa Bekov is generating a sense of intrigue with his opt-in advertising campaign.

Bekov explores the phenomenon of sexting by encouraging people to text a WhatsApp number in exchange for collection photos
Messages will be replied to sporadically in person rather than using AI technology

A number encouraging users to ‘WhatsApp Me!’ and a figure shrouded in shadow are the only visual stimuli on Abzal Issa Bekov’s website.

As the campaign’s creative director Philipp Humm explained to LS:N Global, the decision to showcase the Central Saint Martins graduate’s collection entirely on WhatsApp was a way of parodying the anonymity and ambiguity that are so integral to many of our online exchanges.

As the website is manned sporadically, users must wait until Bekov comes back online to receive a unique combination of two images from the campaign, mimicking the intermittent nature of real-life WhatsApp exchanges.

‘People are employing new filters that block out everything they don’t want to see. That’s technological filters as well as cognitive ones,’ says Humm. ‘One way to get through to them is to make them curious.’

The Big Picture

Brands are foregoing the mass marketing approach and instead turning to opt-in advertising to nurture a sense of secrecy and exclusivity. See the Opt-In Culture section in our Backlash Brands macrotrend for more.

Latest Articles

Geltor develops vegan collagen to replace gelatin

Geltor develops vegan collagen to replace gelatin:

Cultured protein developer Geltor is catering for a gap in the food and beverage market with the creation of...

Food : Drink : Vegan

EADEM is redefining melanin inclusive skincare

EADEM is redefining melanin inclusive skincare:

The skincare brand is catering for the needs of melanin-rich complexions, while challenging the beauty...

Beauty : Diversity & Inclusion : Skincare

This campaign champions football’s diverse history

This campaign champions football’s diverse history:

London’s Migration Museum is drawing attention to the diverse backgrounds of professional footballers...

Society : Design : Football

Stat: India leads global nations for LGBT+ adults

Stat: India leads global nations for LGBT+ adults:

A new global survey by Ipsos reveals that an increasing number of young people identify as non-heterosexual...

Stat : Statistic : Society

Deliveroo riders bolster neighbourhood safety

Deliveroo riders bolster neighbourhood safety:

Delivery giant Deliveroo is launching a new initiative to train its drivers in protecting local neighbourhoods.

Food : Drink : Society

Smile Makers’ latest sex toy is clitorally inclusive

Smile Makers’ latest sex toy is clitorally inclusive:

Sex toy brand Smile Makers is catering for the inclusivity needs of its customers with the launch of an...

Health And Wellness : Technology : Sexual Pleasure

This tombstone campaign urges people to shop local

This tombstone campaign urges people to shop local:

Buy Toronto Time is an awareness-building campaign provoking action from communities to keep local...

Retail : Covid-19 : Coronavirus

Stat: Japanese beauty buyers embrace gender-neutrality

Stat: Japanese beauty buyers embrace gender-neutrality:

In Japan, changing consumer beauty behaviour suggests a growing opportunity for genderless cosmetics – as...

Stat : Statistic : Beauty

Haeckels opens a beauty universe HQ

Haeckels opens a beauty universe HQ:

Beauty brand Haeckels is taking over a disused casino in Margate, transforming it into a headquarters and...

Beauty : Retail : Flux Capital

Libresse’s exhibition tackles period stigma in China

Libresse’s exhibition tackles period stigma in China:

Periodcare brand Libresse is empowering Chinese women to talk more openly about their periods.

Health & Wellness : Media And Entertainment : Technology

This speculative installation visualises climate hope

This speculative installation visualises climate hope:

Speculative futures group Superflux is inviting viewers to experience the current destructive reality of...

Health And Wellness : Sustainability : Design

Stat: Gender bias prevails among UK workers

Stat: Gender bias prevails among UK workers:

Gender bias remains prominent in UK workplaces, according to research from Samsung, which reveals that many...

Women Futures : Workplace : Soiciety

Netflix’s merch store targets digital fandoms

Netflix’s merch store targets digital fandoms:

The tv and film streaming platform is tapping into the rise of fan culture through the launch of an online...

Fashion : Media : Retail

Spotify diversifies its podcast audience with transcripts

Spotify diversifies its podcast audience with transcripts:

Streaming service Spotify is introducing automatic transcripts to podcasts, enabling wider audiences to...

Media : Technology : Intersectionality

H&M highlights funding barriers for eco-innovators

H&M highlights funding barriers for eco-innovators:

Apparel retailer H&M is highlighting the funding gap for sustainable innovators through a virtual fashion...

Fashion : Sustainability : Society

Stat: Young US women feel failed by sex education

Stat: Young US women feel failed by sex education:

In the US, many young women feel that their sexual education experiences failed them, resulting in knowledge...

Wellness : Society : Health

Pinterest users can now curate Shopping Lists

Pinterest users can now curate Shopping Lists:

Social media and image sharing platform Pinterest is bolstering its global shoppable elements, improving the...

Retail : Eccommerce : Technology

Ujjo hot sauce gives coffee a spicy kick

Ujjo hot sauce gives coffee a spicy kick:

Ujjo is catering to the demand for more innovative flavour profiles with its hot sauce range for coffee.

Drink : Food : Coffee

Templ is a store for contemplative shopping

Templ is a store for contemplative shopping:

Concept store Templ is imbuing a sense of belonging in its reflective environment, tuning into the interests...

Retail : Fashion : Society

Stat: Asian consumers fuelling FMCG e-commerce

Stat: Asian consumers fuelling FMCG e-commerce:

Across the globe, FMCG sales are increasingly from online channels, finds research by Kantar, GfK, IRI and...

Retail : Ecommerce : Food

You have 2 free News articles remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.

Discover Our Memberships Sign in

What do we use cookies for?

We use cookies to enable the use of our platform’s paid features and to analyse our traffic. No personal data, including your IP address, is stored and we do not sell data to third parties.