Public Relations & Social Marketing Insight

The BBC's Jill Martin visits US clothing company Lolly Wolly Doodle, which is helping to lead the way in selling directly through Facebook.

As a family-run company with just 160 employees and a funny name, US children's clothing manufacturer Lolly Wolly Doodle (LWD) does not immediately seem like a trendsetter.Yet the North Carolina firm and its owner Brandi Temple are at the forefront of how small retailers are increasingly selling their wares directly through Facebook.

Billionaire investor Steve Case, the co-founder of US internet group AOL, is so impressed with LWD and its "Facebook commerce" business model that earlier this year his Revolution Growth fund invested $20m (£13m) in the company.

He says that LWD has the potential to be a billion-dollar business.Mr Case adds: "Ms Temple really had pioneered the whole area of social shopping. It's really bringing consumers almost into the design process."For most people focused on e-commerce, social is an afterthought. For her, it's the main event. I think that's unique."...

When it comes to selling luxury via social media, some brands are far more artful than others, according to a new analysis of social-media platforms from L2’s latest report.

The report ranked some 250 prestige brands across 15 social media platforms. Swarovski is batting a thousand and present on all of them, followed by fast-fashion chain Uniqlo, active on 13. “Prestige brands are present on an average of seven platforms, with 15% on 10 or more,” writes Scott Galloway, professor of marketing at New York University’s Stern School and founder of L2. “Brands are still searching for the right balance between promise and performance and, as costs increase, will likely pare down the number of platforms they invest in.”...