Lenzing Group

Vincent Leung is a versatile marketing professional with a proven track record of success in B2B and B2C social media marketing, email marketing, and content strategy. His experience spans across diverse industries and organizational structures, ranging from start-ups to corporate environments. 

Can you introduce yourself and your company?

I am the global head of digital brand marketing at Lenzing Group, an Austrian international fiber manufacturer. Our company is listed in Vienna and is a prominent listed company in Europe. Our primary focus is on the development of fibers that are spun into yarn and then made into fabric. Our fabric is purchased by brand partners such as Levi’s, H&M, Zara, Mara Hoffman, Calvin Klein, and many others. As the raw supply chain for sustainable fashion, we are committed to promoting eco-friendly practices throughout the fashion industry. My responsibility is to oversee the company’s global digital marketing efforts, ensuring that Lenzing Group’s mission and values are effectively communicated to customers worldwide. 

In your experience as the global head of digital brand marketing, what are some of the market changes you witnessed in regard to the implementation and use of technology?

Consumers today are becoming increasingly accustomed to new technology, such as non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and other innovative developments. This trend has been particularly prominent during the COVID-19 era, when people were unable to go out and had more time to explore new technologies. As a result, consumers are now expecting companies to leverage these advancements, particularly in the realm of web 3.0 technology.

As brands, we must consider how we can capitalize on these new technologies to engage with our customers. In the past, traditional media such as newspapers, radio, TV, and websites were the primary channels for reaching consumers. However, with the emergence of web 3.0, companies must adapt to remain relevant and effectively communicate with their audience. This shift towards web 3.0 is a significant change that has occurred over the past two years, and it will continue to be a critical consideration for companies moving forward.

How is lenzing group stepping forward in terms of marketing in the web 3.0 era?

At Lenzing Group, we are actively exploring various ways to leverage web 3.0 and blockchain technology to enhance our business and better serve our customers. For example, we are planning a sustainable online Metaverse fashion show in collaboration with our partners, which will utilize carbon offsetting and minting methods to minimize carbon emissions. By employing this approach, we can reduce the environmental impact of our NFTs, as each NFT is estimated to cost more than three trees’ worth of carbon emissions.

In addition to our Metaverse fashion show, we are also working with a company called Textile Genesis to develop a fiber-coin that can track our fibers from raw materials to the garment maker, retailer, and eventually to the consumer. Through this technology, customers can scan the QR code on our TENCEL clothing tag and learn about the entire journey of the garment, all the way back to its raw materials. This level of transparency is increasingly important to consumers, who want to know that their clothing is ethically sourced and manufactured without unethical labor practices.

“Consumers today are becoming increasingly accustomed to new technology, such as non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and other innovative developments. This trend has been particularly prominent during the COVID-19 era when people were unable to go out and had more time to explore new technologies.”

By incorporating blockchain technology and fiber-coin into our supply chain, we can provide transparency to our customers and ensure that our clothing is genuine TENCEL clothing, thus protecting our brand from counterfeits and fake items. These innovative solutions not only benefit our customers but also demonstrate our commitment to sustainability and ethical practices.

What are some challenges that you’ve seen in the industry lately, especially with marketing?

In today’s digital age, consumers are bombarded with thousands of advertisements every day across various channels such as TV, computers, mobile phones, and iPads. As marketers, it is become increasingly challenging to capture their attention, especially as the attention span has reduced from three seconds to one second. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that we target the right audience to grab their attention.

To achieve this, audience or customer segmentation has become one of the most crucial aspects of marketing. As marketers, we must understand the preferences of our target audience to create tailored messaging that resonates with them. For example, at Lenzing Group, our target audience consists of sustainable fashion advocates who live a minimalist lifestyle and value nature and recycling. By understanding their preferences, we can create messaging that speaks to their values and interests.

Furthermore, we must also stay on top of the latest trends and speak to our audience in the language of the upcoming trends. This approach enables us to remain relevant to our target audience and cut through the cluttered forest of advertisements.

Talking about marketing and attracting the right customers, what would you say are some of the factors that attract them?

Cost marketing has become increasingly important, especially after the pandemic, as people are more health and environmentally conscious. At Lenzing TENCEL, we focus on sustainable fashion and co-brand with partners to drive sustainability initiatives together.

To promote sustainable fashion, we use various digital marketing programs, including online e-shops and our sustainable fashion portal, where we aggregate different brands that use TENCEL fabric. Additionally, we run digital campaigns such as our #MakeItFeelRight campaign, which features our brand partners and international influencers advocating for sustainable fashion. This campaign resulted in the planting of 10,000 trees through the NGO, onetreeplanted.org.

By incorporating cause marketing into our campaigns, we can drive sustainable fashion advocacy while also supporting meaningful initiatives. In today’s world, consumers are looking for more than just products; they want brands to stand for something and promote a cause. Therefore, incorporating cause marketing into our campaigns can help us connect with our audience on a deeper level and promote meaningful change.

What advice would you give to your fellow leaders?

At its core, marketing is about predicting trends and understanding customer behavior. By staying ahead of the curve and anticipating customer needs, we can position ourselves to meet their demands when they arise. This involves planting a seed where we expect customers to go, so that when they arrive, we are ready with a fully grown tree.