Fashion GPS merges with influencer marketing experts Augure

Fashion GPS, a widely used software service in the fashion industry, has merged with Paris-based influencer marketing software experts Augure, to create Launchmetrics. This new service will enable brands and agencies to track the effectiveness of and target the most appropriate influencers.

Fashion GPS is used by more than 250 agencies globally to power their event invitation process and track the distribution of their samples. It claims 90% of New York Fashion Week shows are organised using its software and has more than 35,000 editors, celebrities, bloggers and other influencers in its community, GPS Radar.

Augure works with 1,700 brands and agencies in 70 countries and claims to generate more than 60,000 interactions a day between brands and influencers. It indexes 4m influencer posts every day through its advanced media and social influencer data and insights technology.

By coming together as one the new service will be able to "accelerate [a brand's] launch into the marketplace and build strong and lasting exposure through the activation of the influencers that matter for their audience."

“The fashion industry as a whole is questioning the traditional ways to launch collections to the media, retailers and ultimately the consumer and the timing of when these introductions should be made," said Eddie Mullon, former CEO of Fashion GPS and newly appointed President of Launchmetrics.

"What is impactful in 2016? Consumer sentiment changes quickly and product life-cycles are becoming increasingly shorter, with social media credited to sway consumers. It is now critical for brands to stay ahead of trends, quickly bring product to market, create exposure with the right timing and be able to measure how it impacts their business. Our new mission is to streamline these launches for brands, in the fashion industry and beyond,” Mullen added.

Launchmetrics will offer the following solutions:

• Identify and engage media and social influencers from a search engine with filtering capabilities on 100 types of verified criteria and metrics
• Leverage digital and mobile solutions for efficient event production
• Create virtual showrooms to expand global reach
• Strategise and streamline global product sampling to maximise internal efficiency and editorial exposure
• Amplify, capture and measure social "virality" and value across all launch-to-market efforts

Launchmetrics will remain "strongly centered on fashion and luxury", and claims a 74% market penetration of the top 70 fashion and luxury brands such as L’Oreal, LVMH, and Richemont Group. The company has enlisted KCD Digital, the digital arm of the global fashion PR group, as an adviser. It plans to retain its alliances with industry partners including the Council of Fashion Designers of America and the British Fashion Council.

The company will be headquartered in NYC with offices in London, Paris, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Madrid, and Girona (Spain). Further offices are planned for Italy in 2016 and Asia in 2017.