
Burberry Acoustic
It’s February 21, 2011 and Burberry’s Autumn/Winter womenswear collection has just been revealed to 1,000 attendees at Kensington Gardens in London. Simultaneously, it’s streamed live to 150 countries, at 40 events, and on a 32-metre digital screen in Piccadilly Circus – a world first.
Shoppers are invited to click to buy products on Burberry’s website up to a week after the show, allowing Burberry to earn revenue and access direct customer feedback months before the collection hits stores.
Luxury brands like Burberry define themselves and their products with words like “authenticity,” “timelessness,” and “iconic.” By building their reputation around tradition and history, these brands achieve a level of hyper-exclusivity that keeps them off-limits to the general public.
So how does this translate to a 140-character world where networking, sharing, and the open exchange of ideas, thoughts and emotions are the norm?
Burberry goes geeky
Technology has to be dynamic. It needs to enable the process of designing, and enable the consumer to get close to the brand.
–Christopher Bailey, Chief Creative Officer, Burberry
Luxury brands today need an online presence, but the virtual world is trickier for them to navigate than most. Not enough presence, and brands risk losing potential customers and revenue opportunities; jump in head first and they risk demystification.
Furthermore, a luxury brand’s online image has to remain consistent with its offline values, which can be challenging given the emphasis on history and tradition.
At the helm of Burberry’s technological revolution is Chief Creative Officer Christopher Bailey, who has been heralded as a digital pioneer in the fashion industry.
Since his arrival at Burberry in 2001, Bailey has made strides to revive the 155-year-old British brand, once famous primarily for its trench coats. Thanks to Bailey’s efforts, the brand has become a streetwise global leader on the digital frontier.
Burberry boasts almost nine million Facebook fans and Bailey personally updates the company’s Twitter account, posting behind-the-scenes photos and re-tweeting mentions from followers.
“It’s about an experience as well as buying a product,” Bailey told Vogue last year. “The more we entertain, the more we allow people into our brand. Then maybe one day they’ll buy. And then … who knows?”
In 2009 Burberry launched the hugely popular Art of the Trench, a social networking site where users can share their trench looks from around the world.
It’s also launched Burberry Acoustic, a website featuring up-and-coming British bands, complete with its own Facebook page and YouTube channel, and which has quickly become the MTV for the British fashion scene.
In the meantime, Burberry’s corporate website features countdowns for product launches and fashion shows, in addition to an online shopping portal.
Technology is now part of the brand’s DNA, and Burberry continues to look towards the future: its most recent retail opening in Beijing featured virtual image technology, animated footage, and holograms – all streamed live on Burberry.com. It even launched official accounts on four Chinese social media platforms to honour the occasion.

Burberry's Art of the Trench
Hermès’ digital stumble
Luxury whispers and cannot be loud or too colourful.
–Cem Boyner, Chairman & CEO, Boyner Holdings
While Burberry’s reinvention as a thoroughly digital brand has been applauded around the world, Hermès’ digital forays have been seen as major missteps. When a brand veers too far from its original values, customers take notice – and quickly.
In 2010 Hermès launched J’aime mon carré, a street-style inspired micro-site featuring ‘It Girls’ from New York, Paris, London, and Tokyo. Through the use of photos, videos, and guides, the girls showed visitors the many ways they wear their Hermès silk scarves.
Within days of the launch the blogosphere was ablaze with comments. Visitors noted the site’s lack of interactivity compared to Burberry’s Art of the Trench; there was no way to upload pictures or leave comments.
But what was really jarring to existing and would-be Hermès customers was the acute departure from Hermès’ much-lauded brand values.
Hermès is widely considered to be the last genuine luxury brand, in part because of its discreteness. Hermès has never used splashy marketing campaigns or engaged in the now ubiquitous celebrity-endorsement deal. Instead, it has chosen to remain truly exclusive, with customers gladly waiting up to a year to purchase one of its coveted Birkin or Kelly bags.
The girls featured on J’aime mon carré were young and beautiful – meant to show the masses just how cool wearing an Hermès scarf can be. But Hermès is not for the masses; within months of its launch, the site was shut down.
Out with the branding, in with the content
People are no longer being communicated to, they choose what they want to see, when they want to see it, and how they want to see it.
–Jefferson Hack, Editor-in-Chief, AnOther Magazine
Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy (LVMH) is one of the world’s largest fashion conglomerates. LVMH’s portfolio includes a myriad of luxury brands with a range of online properties, from the simple lookbook-style of Celine’s website, to e-commerce and dedicated microsites at Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton.
Blurring the lines between editorial and promotional content, LVMH launched NOWNESS in February 2010. The site’s content is generated by an international team of editors who produce photo slideshows and videos about art, fashion, photography, architecture, and design. Users can provide editorial direction by tagging a post as “Love” or “Don’t Love.”
Excellent curation and exclusive content is a powerful combination, and with no product to sell and no obvious links to LVMH on the site (the site also features brands outside of the LVMH group), NOWNESS has taken on a life of its own.
NOWNESS attracted 300,000 members and more than 10,000 visitors within the first month of its soft launch, and now boasts more than 35,000 Twitter followers.
Keeping the brands’ values and the brands valuable
Luxury brands are still figuring out where they fit into the digital landscape. But it’s becoming clear that while they can’t afford to sit out of the social media revolution, they need to engage people in ways that respect their existing customers and reputations.
Hermès initially stumbled in the online space because it forgot what made it successful in the first place. Burberry and LVMH, on the other hand, knew who their audiences were, and then created content and communities especially for them.
For both brands, establishing an online presence that held true to their brand values allowed them to push their brand forward into the digital market, and also to attract a new generation of digital-savvy shoppers.
Great analysis Aliyah. Also consider the use of the fashion video as marketing tool. Prada Group has been excelling in this space working with Steven Meisel, as has Lanvin with its Fall Winter 2012 campaign spoof video that went ultra-viral on YouTube with over 100,000 views (also shot by Meisel, featuring Karen Elson)
Here is a link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwwcnUBY9Zg
Hi Sarah, thanks for the comment. Video is a really interesting medium to look at in terms of luxury brands. Lanvin is such an elegant and refined brand, and sometimes not taking yourself too seriously when using social media really goes along way when trying to connect to existing and future customers.
I know I’m late to the party, but I really really enjoyed this, Aliyah.
Luxury Brands sometimes feel so “timeless” as to be almost static, and it’s really seen when the cultural landscape changes like this (going digital).
It’s very cool to see these epic brands adjust and grow with the culture, and I have a feeling Hermes will be fine 🙂
When #Luxury Brands Go #Digital http://t.co/E2R7jcva – #Burberry example of how it is done well. #Hermes not so much
When Luxury Brands Go Digital http://t.co/SA0gbCgO
It's about the context that makes branding that connects http://t.co/tgomohP5
When Luxury Brands Go Digital http://t.co/HCJHv8CW #luxury #socialmedia
When Luxury Brands Go Digital http://t.co/U44ndpcB
Article up on @Sparksheet http://t.co/8LwMF9ip #LaLaLaLuxury
Article up on @Sparksheet http://t.co/8LwMF9ip #LaLaLaLuxury
When Luxury Brands Go Digital | Sparksheet: http://t.co/3xbCsdjX via @AddThis
"#Technology is now part of #Burberrys DNA" says Christopher Bailey http://t.co/sYpUh4Yb #socialmedia #biz PLEASE RETWEET
When Luxury Brands Go Digital http://t.co/U44ndpcB
When Luxury Brands Go Digital | Sparksheet: http://t.co/coJhArMn via @AddThis
When Luxury Brands Go Digital | Sparksheet: http://t.co/6z9AVV7R via @AddThis
Ooo-LaLa.. When luxury brands go digital http://t.co/hOmH36Al
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When #Luxury Brands Go Digital http://t.co/hfz6gymu #luxchat
RT @LuxuryPRGal: When #Luxury Brands Go Digital http://t.co/5hd3UMIA #luxchat
When Luxury Brands Go #Digital – http://t.co/vIUEFlSs @stephaniegfoy- nods to @LuxuryPRGal #socialmedia
RT @LuxuryPRGal: When #Luxury Brands Go Digital http://t.co/0uRkhUc0 #luxchat <- Just what I needed in my life! I love it!
A great article on luxury brands going digital. It's now out with the branding, in with the content! http://t.co/M9BBwTqz
When #Luxury Brands Go Digital http://t.co/hfz6gymu #luxchat
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RT @luxuryprgal: When #Luxury Brands Go Digital http://t.co/YLP20IP6 #luxchat
How #luxury brands go geeky #digital http://t.co/HrzdOJrh
Digital intresserad? Då måste du hålla koll på vad Burberry gör med alla digitala verktyg: http://t.co/CUoUO0Sg (+ även Hermes)
When Luxury Brands Go Digital | Sparksheet: http://t.co/CrX7hzUb via @AddThis
When Luxury Brands Go Digital | Sparksheet: http://t.co/CrX7hzUb via @AddThis
When luxury brands go digital via @sparksheet http://t.co/K4Wdczw7
#Luxury #Digital #Marketing must be built on brand authenticity | http://t.co/IKMANlTI
#Luxury #Digital #Marketing must be built on brand authenticity | http://t.co/IKMANlTI
RT @Sparksheet: “The more we entertain, the more we allow people into our brand. Then maybe …” http://t.co/ej451qVT #luxury #recap
When Luxury Brands Go Digital | Sparksheet: http://t.co/qLVxxKIw via @AddThis
[Case studies] When Luxury Brands (Burberry, Hermès) Go Digital http://t.co/9NuPv9Ws #luxury #branding #smm
How luxury brands go digital http://t.co/0lzp4DvH
Our midday read of the day: When Luxury Brands Go Digital (via @Sparksheet) http://t.co/c50YrH4Q via @AddThis
When Luxury Brands Go Digital | Sparksheet: http://t.co/M1lFGZ03
Burberry does it well, Hermes didn't: when luxury brands go digital. http://t.co/ascPnDSN
Cc @dinisurono RT @sillysampi: Burberry does it well, Hermes didn't: when luxury brands go digital. http://t.co/KmUIdC9S
Luxury brands go digital: http://t.co/Pdll7e9F Why its more difficult and who is doing it right.
Going #digital with #luxury http://t.co/Hjq1KYAX #branding #socialmedia
Traditional, iconic and timeless as well as current and cutting edge? Luxury brands go digital http://t.co/bKpFds4p (via @Sparksheet )
When Luxury Brands Go Digital > http://t.co/EGATCdgm
When Luxury Brands Go Digital | Sparksheet http://t.co/X26TWJEf
RT @whygopure @Sparksheet: Luxury brands go digital: http://t.co/6tNkKbs3 Why its more difficult and who is doing it right.
RT @whygopure @Sparksheet: Luxury brands go digital: http://t.co/6tNkKbs3 Why its more difficult and who is doing it right.
When Luxury Brands Go Digital | Sparksheet: http://t.co/Kxi0nB0J via @AddThis
When Luxury Brands Go Digital | Sparksheet: http://t.co/VjEoDsPP via @AddThis
When luxury brands go digital: http://t.co/NbIX2PSJ #Burberry #Hermes #LVMH
When luxury brands go digital: http://t.co/wrTPGv2E #Burberry #Hermes #LVMH via @terrinakamura
When luxury brands go digital: http://t.co/NbIX2PSJ #Burberry #Hermes #LVMH
When luxury brands go digital: http://t.co/NbIX2PSJ #Burberry #Hermes #LVMH
RT @terrinakamura: When luxury brands go digital: http://t.co/Vyh0ZZBV #Burberry #Hermes #LVMH
When luxury brands go digital: http://t.co/NbIX2PSJ #Burberry #Hermes #LVMH
When luxury brands go digital: http://t.co/NbIX2PSJ #Burberry #Hermes #LVMH
RT @sparksheet: When Luxury Brands Go Digital http://t.co/8fcbe7Tg
THX 4 RT @louiciano @abbassjaffer: When luxury brands go digital: http://t.co/NbIX2PSJ #Burberry #Hermes #LVMH via @terrinakamura
#Luxury Brands Go #Digital – #Engagement and #Exclusivity http://t.co/urB4AGf8
If you love Burberry please read RT @danielsk72: #Luxury Brands Go #Digital – #Engagement and #Exclusivity http://t.co/gIiJ9jh4
#marketing RT@Sparksheet Some luxury #retail brands succeed while others simply go out of style. http://t.co/MCIx7XCt