Like Draw Something and Google Wave before it, Vine is the latest social media trend to come out of nowhere and attract interest very quickly.

Like Draw Something and Google Wave before it, Vine is the latest social media trend to come out of nowhere and attract interest very quickly.

The new video tool, which allows Twitter and Facebook users to film and share six-second looped video clips with their social connections, has already been used by several retailers keen to cash in on the excitement it is generating.

Fashion retailer Topshop and department store Selfridges both used London Fashion Week as a chance to share video content with their followers. But online giant Asos has shown the most versatile use of the tool so far, from asking customers to film themselves ‘unboxing’ their purchases (below) to a short video demonstration of its app.

This kind of content is very engaging. It allows customers to connect with retailers in a new way and it’s highly shareable, creating a viral effect and maximising the impact.