Lorna Jane Launches SocialEyes Technology In Stores

This story originally appeared here in the February issue of Business Review Australia magazine.

Story by Katie Wegner

Lorna Jane, Australia’s premier women’s fitness clothing brand, has recently launched a social media initiative called SocialEyes, linking its in-store shoppers with the Lorna Jane Facebook community of over 250,000 women.

Lorna Jane’s 21-year history of continuous growth, sprouting more than 120 stores and $100 million in annual revenue, highlights the company’s savvy brand management in a niche market. The brand message promotes a healthy, active lifestyle – stylishly outfitted, of course, by Lorna Jane.

Besides outfitting women to be active, Lorna Jane Clarkson, the company’s founder and creative director, has also built up an enthusiastic community that supports the message of the brand as well as the clothing. The community’s enthusiasm is exemplified by the personable presence and story of Lorna Jane herself, who creates open channels of communication with shoppers through blogs, Facebook posts, YouTube videos, and now a book called “Move, Nourish, Believe.”

This SocialEyes technology, developed by Brisbane-based Five Faces, is the company’s latest attempt to communicate the bricks-and-mortar retail experience with their online community.

In November of last year, the first interactive display systems were unveiled in the Chermside, Sydney and Melbourne stores to the fitting campaign of “FOLLOW MY LEAD.”

“Lorna Jane will be the first retailer to put the SocialEyes system in their retail outlet, and we look forward to working with an inspirational and innovative brand like Lorna Jane to provide this new social experience to their customers,” said Yazz Krishna, founder and CEO of Five Faces, in a press release.

The SocialEyes interactive display system enables customers to take photos of themselves via a reflective digital mirror, which then sends the photo to the Lorna Jane Facebook page to be shared with the community.Customers tag themselves in photos taken in-store and share them in the ‘Strike A Pose’ album. 

 Participating customers receive a code word that give them instant in-store rewards and entrance into a drawing for a $250 Lorna Jane wardrobe. This LCD digital mirror is the first to be implemented by an Australian retailer.

Clarkson said that SocialEyes is a perfect way for customers to continue the positive Lorna Jane online experience while in the Lorna Jane store.

“[After] such an amazing response to our Facebook page, [we decided] that SocialEyes [was] the next step to ensure that our customers [could] continue enjoying the interactive experience they received online while shopping in-store,” Clarkson said in a press release.

This unique collaboration of brand promotion and innovative customer engagement may prove to be a trendsetter, prompting other brands to FOLLOW Lorna Jane’s LEAD.