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Trend Report Gucci Advertising Campaign 2020

Contents Brand Research Image - legacy, philosophy Client – Target Audience Personality Social/Culture/Financial impacts Execution Need for Trend Forecasting Marketing Campaigns Upcoming Global Trends Technology Photography, Film and Videography Social Media Technology Photography, Film and Videography

Brand Research Long ago, people used buy a product for its sole function, instead now we buy a product to satisfy necessities. Undoubtedly a product or a service as we are connected to symbolic values. We strive for our psychological wants. More than ever we are attached to a favorite brand, simply for the fact that we love it as if we love ourselves. Among the functions brands perform is the relational function, where the brand is construed as having a personality which enables it to form a relationship with the consumer. You find yourself in love with a brand when it symbolizes your distinctive values and characteristics. Cheerful, brave, successful or classy are amongst various adjectives used to describe our beloved brands. By assigning a set of traits, human attributes to a brand, we anthropomorphize it. From that, brand personality derives.

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Gucci has an iconic brand identity. Its GG interlocking gold logo and their horse bite loafers are recognizable to consumers as products like the GG logo belt are instant reminders that someone is wearing Gucci product. They have a strong brand identity which is backed up by high quality, trendy and Italian Craftsmanship factors.

Image - legacy, philosophy

Gucci has a very strong brand identity, they communicate a perception of high-quality craftsmanship along with innovative and bold design. The brand’s personality is reflected in their customers; eclectic, contemporary and romantic. They also very clearly depict their country of origin; Italy amongst their identity, evoking feelings amongst customers that Gucci products represent the pinnacle of Italian craftsmanship. Because of this strong identity, their relationship with their customers is highly personal. When a customer looks in the mirror and sees Gucci the brand is reflected back in themselves, the stereotypical consumer will feel influential, innovative and progressive- much like the brand itself.

Client – Target Audience

Target market is middle and high-class consumers around the ages of 20-50. Who buy for their products for the Italian heritage, luxury and timeless pieces. Gucci’s demographics has changed a lot in recent years.

Personality

Gucci, as a market leader in the fashion industry, well applies those dimensions in building its brand identity. From another angle, Gucci’s personality is inferred through the applications of semiotics (brand logo, signs, and symbols) and classical conditioning (when an external stimulus such as typ-

ical user, endorser, and price of advertising style is associated with the brand to trigger expected responses). As suggested by many scholars, excitement and sincerity are considered two fundamental dimensions that capture the majority of variance in personality ratings for brands. It is not an overstatement to say Gucci has a notoriously recognizable and loveable identity worldwide. The brand takes pride in its high-quality craftsmanship and unparalleled, innovative design, possessing itself a robust identity. Just by looking at something as simple as the brand’s monochromatic logo, we can notice a sense of grandeur and authenticity. The ‘Made in Italy’ slogan accentuates the brand’s affluent Italian Heritage – a luxury craftsmanship culture renowned as a leader in art and fashion. Thus, the belief that Gucci’s products are made from the pinnacle of Italian mastery is ingrained in consumer’s perception. The brand’s personality is also reflected in its eclectic, contemporary and romantically flashy customers. Since Gucci fans usually find themselves influential, innovative and progressive – much like the brand itself – the brand’s luxurious nature and its customer self-image are interrelated. By utilizing numerous strategic alliances with celebrities as brand ambassadors, the brand further accelerates its prestige stance. On top of that, Gucci’s top-end price range, in relation to the classical conditioning concept, brings out a Veblen effect, postulating that goods are desired for being over-priced. It is caused either by the belief that higher price means the higher quality or by the desire for conspicuous consumption and to be seen as buying an expensive, prestige item. All those factors contribute to the brand’s imagery which characterizes five dimensions above. To name every single contributor of Gucci brand’s multi-dimensional personality, it is obviously an elephantine task. However, those elements are more or less pertinent to the classical conditioning and semiotics field. By well employing factors such as logo, symbols or pricing or promotion strategies, Gucci has successfully established its robust identity of being innovative, luxuri-

Social/Culture/Financial impacts Social One day prior to World Environment Day, last 5th June, Gucci unveiled the launch of Gucci Equilibrium, an online platform designed to further its commitment to sustainability. This launch is part of Gucci’s 10-year sustainability plan, centered on three pillars: environment, people and innovation. Gucci desires to have a World in equilibrium. It is not easy nowadays, we know, lots of things to undo. That is why the company has decided to take part of the fashion revolution bringing positive change in order to secure its collective future. With Gucci Equilibrium, the luxury company ensures it will update its employers on the way they are letting planet Earth set the limits and how they are applying innovation and cutting-edge science to find new ways to manage its impact. Gucci Equilibrium also explains how the brand accounts for its actions, helping to shift the way that society values companies to make them

more sustainable.

For the future of fashion Gucci is really doing for the future of fashion. Lots of things, Gucci has a recycling programs in which they are retoffing LED lighting at 200 stores. The company also monitors Co2 emissions, so that it can set real targets for reduction. Gucci is steadily increasing the number of hybrid vehicles in its fleet, up from 19 in 2015 to 52 in 2017. It will carry on switching. Gucci has established an ambitious target to reduce its EP&L footprints by 40% relative to Business growth by 2015. Regarding to environmental reporting, Gucci reduced a 63% the paper consumption, a 33% the water consumption and an 18% the energy consumption per employee in 2017 vs. 2016 in its offices.

“We know that our brand and our people are committed agents of social and environmental change and we want to take that seriously”.

Last 2017, Gucci purchased around 102 tons of GOTS certified cotton that is about the same weight as a blue whale, and equates to 13% of all the cotton the company consumes. Gucci is also working to increase the proportion of recycled and plant-based fibres they use. The company has incorporated Newlife polyester into its ready-to-wear collections. This is an engineered fibre made 100% from post-consumer bottles, which are sourced, processed and spun into yarns using a mechanical (not Chemicals) process. Gucci no longer uses PVC anywhere in its products. In 2015, they began replacing verging plastic in the heels of shoes with a recycled ABS plastic and, in 2018, they will produce 40,000 pairs of shoes with TPU soles which contains 50% bio-plastic content. Gucci’s ongoing campaign to support girls’ and women’s empowerment, diversity and inclusion through initiatives like Chime for Change has been widely publicized thanks to the work of its high-profile founders Salma Hayek and Beyoncé. I was a Sari, shows how Gucci craftsmen teach women from marginalized communities in Mumbai the skills to upcycled saris.

“Equilibrium means that we are committed to bringing the very best quality to our customers, while maintaining positive environmental and social impact”. Cultural

Gucci Launches Initiatives to Foster Cultural Diversity and AwarenessThe Italian luxury company revealed Friday the first four long-term initiatives to achieve cultural diversity and awareness throughout its organization and activities globally, following accusations last week that a Gucci balaclava-style sweater evoked blackface. The first four initiatives are: • Hiring global and regional directors for diversity and inclusion; • Setting up a multicultural design scholarship program; • Launching a diversity and inclusivity awareness program; • Launching a global exchange program. Gucci is pledging to hire diverse talent within key functions and leadership positions of the group, including the design office, and will invest in educating all of its 18,000 employees around the world “to achieve a much higher level of global cultural awareness.”

“The pain of these days: my own and that of the people who saw in one of my creative projects an intolerable insult,” - Gucci employees, Michele

President and chief executive officer Marco Bizzarri said Gucci accepted “full accountability for this incident, which has clearly exposed shortfalls in our ongoing strategic approach to embedding diversity and inclusion in both our organization and in our activities.” In an interview with WWD earlier this week, Bizzarri pointed to “ignorance of this matter. Certainly, it was not intentional but this is not an excuse.” A “thorough review of the circumstances that led to this” followed, said Bizzarri on Friday, explaining that he had “also engaged with all of our stakeholders, most especially our employees and leaders of the African-American community, in order to determine immediate actions that will bring greater diversity to key functions in our corporate and regional offices, along with greater cultural awareness throughout our worldwide organization to avoid similar situations occurring in the future.” The executive was in New York this week and he underscored the role Dapper Dan — a Gucci collaborator — played in helping to meet other community and industry leaders in Harlem, N.Y., to receive their perspective and insights. This was not a one-off, underscored the company, as the plan is to continue to engage with this group to ensure diversity and cultural awareness in the long-term. Dan said earlier this week that he held Gucci accountable for “getting it outrageously wrong.” “My entire life has been dedicated to fight to grant myself and any other the possibility to be different and to freely express themselves,” said creative director Alessandro Michele. “I look forward to welcoming new perspectives to my team and together working even harder for Gucci to represent a voice for inclusivity.” As reported, in a letter to Gucci employees, Michele, while also taking “full accountability,” expressed “the pain of these days: my own and that of the people who saw in one of my creative projects an intolerable insult,” explaining that the sweater “was a tribute to Leigh Bowery, to his camouflage art.” As part of the initiatives, Gucci will seek to hire global and regional directors for diversity and inclusion in terms not only of diverse candidates but also creating positions within the company “whose sole responsibility will be to ensure the company reaches these standards.”

Internal mobility is also key as part of a global exchange program to be launched with immediate effect. Selected participants will be able to come and work at the Italian headquarters, paired with mentors. Gucci President and CEO Marco Bizzarri Unveils Culture of Purpose Sustainability Plan On the occasion of both the International Day of the Girl and the 2017 Kering Talk at the London College of Fashion, Gucci President and CEO Marco Bizzarri unveiled details of the company’s new 10-year ‘Culture of Purpose’ sustainability plan with two significant commitments. The first, that Gucci will join the Fur Free Alliance eliminating animal fur from its Spring Summer 2018 collection onwards; and, the second, that Gucci is contributing €1 million as a founding partner of UNICEF’s Girls’ Empowerment Initiative. During the Kering Talk, Bizzarri spoke to Eco-Age’s Founder and Creative Director Livia Firth about Gucci’s ambitious 10-year ‘Culture of Purpose’ sustainability plan, which underpins the company’s approach to creating a more responsible business. Following Kering’s sustainability framework, the plan is focused on three pillars: Environment Gucci is committed to reducing its environmental impacts and is setting ambitious targets to create a new standard in luxury retail, e.g. guaranteeing the traceability of 95% of our raw materials.

Humanity

Gucci recognizes the value of its employees and is dedicated to enhancing the lives of the people who make its products as well as supporting communities, e.g. responsible and innovative management of the supply chain (Gucci was recently awarded with the Green Carpet Fashion award for Sustainable Innovation), gender equality (59% women senior manager, campaigns to support girls and women empowerment), diversity and inclusion (membership with Parks). New Models Gucci is developing new solutions by applying technical innovation to improve efficiency in its production and logistics. E.g. setting up an incubator and start-up environment to foster innovation within the company. Commenting on the plan, Bizzarri said, “Our new ten-year ‘Culture of Purpose’ sustainability plan has three principal focuses: the Environment, Humanity and New Models. The announcements that Gucci has joined the Fur Free Alliance and has become a founding partner of UNICEF’s Girls’ Empowerment Initiative, demonstrate our absolute commitment to making sustainability an intrinsic part of our business.” Explaining the origins of Gucci’s progressive approach, Bizzarri attributed dynamic change to the unified vision he shares with Gucci’s creative director, Alessandro Michele: “In selecting

a new creative director I wanted to find someone who shared a belief in the importance of the same values. I sensed that immediately on meeting Alessandro for the first time. Together, by committing to a culture of purpose, taking responsibility and encouraging respect, inclusivity and empowerment, we want to create the necessary conditions for a progressive approach to sustainability.” Fur Free Alliance Commitment Gucci announced that it will no longer use, promote or publicize animal fur beginning with its Spring Summer 2018 collection. As a commitment and thanks to a long term partnership with LAV and The Humane Society, Gucci joins the Fur Free Alliance (FFA), which focuses on the deprivation and cruelty suffered by fur bearing animals both in wild trapping and industrial fur farming. Gucci will be organizing a charity auction of remaining animal fur items with proceeds to benefit LAV and the Humane

Society. Girls’ Empowerment Initiative Building on its long term CHIME FOR CHANGE campaign for gender equality Gucci is donating Euros 1 million as a Founding Partner of UNICEF’s Girls’ Empowerment Initiative. This will help UNICEF reach more than 50,000 girls directly with programs aimed at empowering them, and indirectly reach 150,000 more. The fund and program underpins a joint commitment by Gucci and UNICEF to support the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically Goal 5, which sets out a robust agenda on gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. During the Kering Talk event, the Centre for Sustainable Fashion (CSF) also revealed the winners of the 2017 Kering Award for Sustainable Fashion presented by Gucci and Stella McCartney. Financial In 2017, Gucci’s sales grew by 44.6% over the previous year. And in the first quarter of 2018, the luxury brand posted nearly $2.2 billion in sales revenue, up 48.7% compared to the same period last year. As any experienced marketer will tell you, luxury branding requires a different approach than standard B2C efforts. We at IntraLink Global understand luxury brands and have done award-winning work in this space. To us, millennials are the clear access point: According to the Financial Times, millennials are “the world’s most powerful consumers.” While many other luxury brands have struggled to tap into the growing millennial demand, Gucci has found an eager and expanding base. According to Francois-Henri Pinault, CEO of Kering, Gucci’s parent company, millennials and Gen Z account for nearly 50% of Gucci’s total sales. According to Fast Company, Gucci CEO Marco Bizzarri’s partnership with famed Harlem tailor Dapper

Dan has helped transform the Gucci brand for a new generation of luxury consumers: the hip-hop crowd. Gucci’s name has been used in lyrics by artists including Pusha T and 2 Chainz, which have likely influenced millennial demand. However, there’s more to Gucci’s success with millennials than simply knowing what’s “cool.” To win with millennial consumers, brands need to understand what millennials value: personal satisfaction and purpose.

do so with sustainability in mind, prioritizing the demographics’ commitment to social values. According to various sources, the fashion industry is one of the most wasteful in terms of pollution. For example, Burberry’s decision to burn $40 million worth of stock rather than selling it at a discount was meant to maintain the brand’s exclusive status but instead drew considerable criticism. They’re not alone: Stella McCartney was one of the earliest and most vocal luxury fashion companies to adopt sustainable practices. Adidas has led the charge in the footwear space (yes, Adidas is a luxury brand now) by tapping into purpose-based branding with a focus on eliminating waste and environmental impact. It has pioneered the “sustainable sneaker” by using more eco-friendly materials.

luxury product trends, compared to 15.1% who cited brands’ websites. Millennial luxury shoppers’ online migration has resulted in another major shift in the fashion industry: “recommerce.” Essentially, this is a higher-end online resale or consignment e-commerce store of authentic, highly desired fashion brands. Examples of recommerce brands include Luxury Garage Sale, Farfetch, TheRealReal, Poshmark and thredUP. Luxury fashion recommerce is also powered by an unusual twist on purpose. By promoting resale and repurposed fashion, it helps contribute to sustainable consumption. We can look to one of the original sustainability designers, Stella McCartney, as a role model. Not only does she boast a line of high-quality, vegan products, but she also pays attention to the post-purchase life of her clothing.

So, how can you incorporate these tactics into your own luxury branding strategy? As some would say, the secret’s in the sauce. High-end luxury still revolves around the continued artisan craftsmanship that has long been part of the industry’s DNA. Integrating sustainability into that narrative is key — millennials love Luxury Brands Moving To to know how the “sauce” is made.

The eponymous designer recently partnered with online retailer TheRealReal to facilitate future consignment. The futility of fast fashion is no longer acceptable. Well-made clothing that lasts is what’s in, and this also means educating consumers on proper care and storage to ensure longevity. Capturing the Millennial Market The luxury market has grown at a staggering pace in recent years, yet luxury brands face serious challenges in the years ahead if they fail to engage millennial consumers on their own terms. Purpose is key. Brands must demonstrate that they stand for more than just making money. Promoting sustainability and ethical business practices is one way to stand out. Embracing millennial-focused business models such as luxury fashion recommerce also offers a way forward.

Redefining Luxury

There are two things that have traditionally marked a brand as being “luxury.” The first is high-quality craftsmanship — you can’t have luxury without superior quality. The second is exclusivity — luxury is often thought about as showing off to everyone else. According to a Deloitte survey, millennials don’t buy into these traditional selling points. For one, the term “luxury” has lost some of its cachet to lower-cost competitors. Millennials are less interested than previous generations in outward displays of status. According to the report, which surveyed 1,005 millennial luxury consumers in the U.S., U.K., Italy and China, “Respondents from all four geographies were most likely to say that they bought luxury to please themselves, not to impress others or to do what influencers or celebrities said they should do.” More than anything, millennial consumers crave purpose, authenticity and passion. They’re attracted to companies that demonstrate a committed, ethical approach to business. So, luxury brands must embrace a higher purpose if they want to win over millennials.

Purpose

Issues like sustainability, transparency and ethical manufacturing have received increasing attention in the media, but the luxury industry has been slow to respond, as the 2018 Fashion Transparency Index reports. Profits are strong now, which is why some brands might not see the need to change. However, millennial consumers demand change, and their volume is increasing. A 2015 Nielsen study confirms that consumers who are willing to pay more for a product

A New Luxury Model

While brick-and-mortar retail will always be important to luxury fashion, the future of the industry is online. The rise of e-commerce is already in full swing, with many luxury brands building online shopping experiences to access millennial consumers in their natural habitats. According to Deloitte, 20.5% of millennials cited social media as their main source of high-end fashion and

Execution Gucci is communicated in various ways, they have used social media especially instagram as platform to share their campaigns and new products. They created Guccigram, an individual website which shares artworks done by artists of their own take on Gucci imagery. ‘Gucci Places’ has also helped to communicate Gucci all over the world. It is a section on their website described as ‘dedicated to those seeking the unexpected in travel and experiences. Unveiling new Gucci places’. Their ‘Gucci places’ travelled from Chatsworth House in Debyshire in the UK to Waltz store in Tokyo.

Gucci’s designs, under creative director Alessandro Michele are recognized by the people because of the layered, ruffled skirts, bright colors and embroidered snake accents. Most recently, the brand translated it into a video series, a recreation of the Greek romance “The Myth of Orpheus and Eurydice,” taking place in modern-day New York City, to promote its 2016 pre-fall collection. Directed by filmmaker Gia Coppola (granddaughter of Francis Ford Coppola) and produced by Condé Nast’s content studio 23 Stories, the video series tells an updated version of the story of Orpheus and Eurydice in four parts: their marriage, their happiness, Eurydice’s murder and Orpheus’ visit to Hades. Instead of ancient Greece, scenes take place in a Manhattan brownstone, Central Park and a nightclub. Everyone in the videos is wearing Gucci’s new collection. It is the first multi-part video series for Gucci’s branded-content strategy. Each video will run on six Condé Nast properties, including Vogue, The New Yorker and Vanity Fair, as well as Gucci.com. “Gucci has a very strong voice, and we used that as a North Star,” said Josh Stinchcomb, managing director of 23 Stories. “When we’re creating content, we can always refer back to it. That makes the brand so ripe for storytelling.” The four two-and-a-half minute videos are part of Gucci’s plan to turn its current cultural buzz into a lasting brand for today’s younger consumers. Gucci is looking to build the brand to reflect Michele’s strong point of view, using native content and social media to ride the current momentum brand into longterm brand loyalty, according to the brand’s recent strategy presentation on June 3. The strategy is especially timely given the current state of the luxury industry: as creative directors have begun leaving their posts at fashion houses after three- or four-year stints, observers are wondering how long Gucci can hold onto Michele, who’s been in his current position since January 2015, and his success. In 2015, the brand brought in $4.4 billion inrevenue, up from $3.9 billion in 2014.

“A lot of people are really intrigued by the new Gucci, and with longer videos, you can actually get a grasp on the brand, which you can’t really do on Snapchat and Instagram,” said King. “People get a little sick of seeing brands all the time there.”

Marketing Campaigns ‘The new Gucci’

“He’s a relatively new creative director who is trying to position his aesthetic as a total lifestyle, so [the videos are] a great position for them to show not just the clothes but how you wear them and what inspired the collection,” said Tony King, founder of creative agency King and Partners. “Brands are talking about storytelling and narrative but haven’t really done it. This is Gucci doing it well.” The video on Gucci.com also connects the dots, said King, as it’s accompanied by the full list of products and outfits featured in the series with links to shop. It’s reasonable to assume, however, that most of those watching the video series won’t then purchase Gucci’s $19,000 snake-embroidered dress. The millennial consumer that the brand claims to be targeting might go for the $620 pair of sneakers, though. It’s too early to see such results. Gucci’s built-in coverage for the branded-content series from Vanity Fair, Vogue, and nonhigh fashion magazines like GQ and Pitchfork, can raise publicity outside of regular ad campaigns (and feature more links to shop). The series was also promoted in snippets and stills across Gucci’s and Condé Nast’s social media accounts, aligning with the type of curated video content Gucci most often shares. It isn’t as readily embracing the type of video that most brands are creating to blend in on platforms like Snapchat, Periscope and Facebook Live. “It tends to be obviously produced,” said Thomas Rankin, CEO and co-founder of Dash Hudson, an Instagram marketing platform. “They take their time to create something that feels very much in the image of Gucci rather than behind-the-scenes or on-the-fly like other brands are doing.” According to Dash Hudson data, Gucci’s video view rate (the percentage of followers who watched a video post) on Instagram declined from 2.3 percent in December to 1.9 percent in May (Gucci has 9 million followers). The brand is also posting less on average now than it was six months ago. On Snapchat, Gucci’s account only surfaces in followers’ feeds a few times a year when they’re hosting a fashion show. Most recently, the singer SoKo took over the brand’s Snapchat account to generate buzz around the Gucci 2017 resort collection.

Gucci: Old world luxury meets digital marketing In today’s fast paced social media age, fashion is in a constant flux. High fashion labels are constantly facing the pressure to present something new each season, something that will ensure that they are ‘seen’, and not lost amidst the crowd. Today, it is not enough that a fashion label just creates clothes and showcases it on the runway or in stores, it has to compete to be seen and faces tough competition from other up and coming labels. Today’s consumer wants to see things instantly, and if not, they move on quickly. This means investing in huge amounts in marketing alone, raising the starting capita of fashion startups to a higher amount today than ever before. Failing to do so and remaining relevant in the consumer’s eyes can result in the demise of your company. So how do traditional fashion houses adapt and cope with social media and e-commerce today? Born decades before social media, brands like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, have fostered an image of exclusivity in their marketing campaigns. Social media and its inclusivity, on hindsight, does not seem to bode well for such brands. Some, as with Chanel, initially were resistant to the change, but were eventually convinced that social media and the internet was going nowhere. Some failed to pick it up quick enough, such as BCBG Maxria, who relied mostly on brick-and-mortar sales, and eventually went bankrupt, or Ralph Lauren, who has recognized its need to refocus its e-commerce operations after announcing it will close its retail store on Fifth ever, New York due to dismal sales. Some labels are thriving better than others. Gucci is a prime example of a fashion label that has adapted well to the currents of social media. But this wasn’t always the case. In the early 2015s, Italian luxury brand Gucci, born in 1921, suffered from poor sales, under Frida Giannini, struggling with the new reality of the internet and social media. Furthermore, Gucci was associated with bad taste — it was associated with gaudy and outdated things, and ultimately not relatable. No one wanted to buy Gucci, and the company faced near bankruptcy. But fast forward to today, Gucci has experienced a quick turnabout, with 30% increase in profits since 2016, and has even been named the top luxury brand in 2017. It is also named the top brand in the study of social media influencers in 2016. Under Alessandro Michele, Gucci’s appointed creative director since mid-2015s, Gucci embraced its maximalist, romantic aesthetic that created covetable, iconic “subversive geek chic” pieces, bringing it back to the spotlight.

But its not just the clothes that account for its success. Gucci experienced a revamp in terms of style, imagery, and embraced a more tech-savvy approach towards their marketing. Indeed, a major component of its success today is attributed to its innovative digital strategy and marketing. Born decades before social media, brands like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, have fostered an image of exclusivity in their marketing campaigns. Social media and its inclusivity, on hindsight, does not seem to bode well for such brands. But it’s not just the clothes that account for its success. Gucci experienced a revamp in terms of style, imagery, and embraced a more tech-savvy approach towards their marketing. Indeed, a major component of its success today is attributed to its innovative digital strategy and marketing. Today’s millennials — people who have grown up with cellphones and the internet — care more about experiences rather than buying things. Thus, as a brand today, one needs to have meaningful engagement with their audience, and how you advertise to them must resonate. Gucci has very innovative social media campaigns, and has expertly weaved different social media platforms to craft a strong brand presence. Its success it largely due to the creation of a lifestyle that people want to emulate. It marries editorial content with e-commerce, evident through the numerous campaigns and collaborations with many contemporary artists of today. It has also con solidified its cool factor through its numerous collaborations, namely photographer-model-it-girl Petra Collins whose dreamy aesthetic has shaped many of Gucci’s campaigns. Innovation Gucci was one of the first brands to engage on Flipboard, a social network and social news aggregator, and completely revamped their website to make it more user friendly and suitable across multiple platforms. This digital tailoring, which favors visuals over functionality, resulted in a 150% increase in traffic. It understands and cleverly utilizes the visual nature of such platforms.

Across all channels, it posts content regularly, which generates constant engagement. It also posts relevant content, such as behind the scenes shoots, which most consumers would not get a chance to see. Facebook Live has also been used as a live stream for their fashion shows. For instance, on the day they shared their live stream on September 21, there was a marked growth in page fans on their facebook.

Gucci’s social media campaigns

In its latest campaign, Gucci teamed up with GQ to produce a film series with up and coming male artists and actors of today. The full film series is available on Gucci’s website, and short snippets were posted on Gucci’s instagram and instagram stories. There is even a function of “swipe up to see more” on instagram stories that directs the user to their website to watch the entire film.

#tfwgucci: a collaborative meme project This was a recent meme-inspired campaign to launch the new collection of luxury watches under the brand. Gucci collaborated with some of the internet’s most celebrated meme artists such as @youvegotmale, @textsfromyourexistentialist, @scariestbugever and visual artists like Olaf Breuning, and posted these memes on their social media platforms. This sparked some controversy over the internet — was Gucci trying too hard? IT was certainly a risky move for such an established luxury brand. Either way, it produced for hugely entertaining content due to the different perspectives in content and the artists that produced it. This also resonated with a younger fan base on instagram, many who would not be able to afford the brand, but see it as aspirational. This builds a bond with the younger audience as future consumers, also positively differentiating itself from other brands.

How did it perform?

Well, 2 of the posts became the top performing posts of all time, with a high engagement rate. Clearly, Gucci is doing something right. #24hourace — Video project SS16 Artists, including Sue de Beer, James Kerr, were asked to produce 60 second videos inspired by Gucci’s Ace sneakers, to be posted on Gucci’s instagram account. There was also a 24 hour takeover on snapchat by the artists from around the world to illustrate and explain how they collaborated with Gucci, and a micro-site to showcase all the work here. Starting in NY and ending in Tokyo, the snapchat takeover was truly a full day and global experience.

#GucciGram

Another insta-initiative, Photographer-It-girl-model Petra Collins took over the Snapchat while shooting the Fall 2016 campaign in Japan. These a just a few examples of the collaborations and partnerships that Gucci has undertaken in the past 2 years alone. Through such partnerships, Gucci has been able to expand its reach (for instance, I only took notice of Gucci when one of my favorite photographers, Petra

Collins, started collaborating with them and producing amazing work). Furthermore, it has ensured that it stays relevant in today’s fast paced world. The digital strategies are able to weave a cohesive story around Gucci and its numerous ad campaigns. Such campaigns are effectively solidifying its cool factor, showing that Gucci isn’t afraid to be innovative. With a unified content strategy, it ensures that its content and posts feel native to each platform but are also instantly recognizable across all of them. Such careful curating ensures the distinct brand presence not only online, but offline as well.

Technology Virtual reality Augmented Reality products Chabot Photography, Film and Videography Full Frame Look & 4K+ More relatable content UK will be the next capital for Videography Emotional filmmaking

Social Media Ephemeral Content Niche Social Social Commerce Video content will Dominate Technology Adaptation Influencer Market Social Media for Customer Service More brands

Technology Virtual reality

VR is a new medium that can create immersive ads for brands. Virtual and augmented reality could change the world. Through full immersion, users can live out stories they’ve only ever dreamed of, be transported to an exotic place without leaving their house and interact with products as if they were viewing them in actual reality. The technology seems like the next step in media progression – it started with print then moved from photo to video, and full immersion would complete the circle of escapism and experience that media companies have strived to create for decades.

Augmented Reality

How Augmented Reality Makes Advertising Interactive Augmented reality (AR) has already become a buzzword in the world of technology. It’s difficult to find someone who’s never heard of Pokémon GO, a bestselling AR mobile game played by millions of people all over the world. However, AR isn’t just about games. It goes far beyond gaming and entertainment. AR has breathtaking prospects in many industries, from education to healthcare to construction. Now AR has come to advertising, and it’s going to change the way the digital advertising market functions in 2019.

AR makes advertising interactive, allowing marketers and advertisers to reach out to consumers in totally new ways. Many companies have already embraced this cutting-edge technology. If you still aren’t sure whether it’s worth going for, you should clearly realize what benefits augmented reality advertising provides and how exactly you can use this technology in real life.

Chatbots

The Growing Role of Chatbots in Digital Marketing The use of chatbots in digital marketing is becoming more important every year. In fact, get this: A survey taken by over 1,600 marketing professionals showed that 61% of the group believed both artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) will be the most important data initiatives in the coming years. As more brands are incorporating chatbots into their marketing strategy, this projected reality is quickly taking shape.

Photography, Film and Videography

Full Frame Look & 4K+ More relatable content UK will be the next capital for videography Emotional filmmaking

Leading Photographers/Videographers Pamela Hanson Mario Testino Zhang Jingna Mert and Marcus Ellen von Unwerth Jeff Bark Lara Jade Daniel Jackson Alexandra Nataf Tim Walker Sarah Moon Bruce Weber Elizaveta Porodina Cole Sprouse Olivia Malone Paul Bellaart Lina Tesch David Roemer Cass Bird Giampaolo Sgura Julia Hetta

Social Media Ephemeral Content Ephemeral Content: Everything Marketers Need to Know Ephemeral content is rich media, primarily images and videos that are only accessible for a brief period. As a marketing strategy, it is temporary content that takes advantage of the fear of missing out (FOMO) and is designed to elicit an immediate response from the user. There are two primary marketing goals when it comes to ephemeral content. Elicit an Immediate Response: Perhaps the most obvious goal is to elicit an immediate response from the user or viewer. The immediate goal may be for the user to make a quick purchasing decision or quick signup. It may also be for the user to make the content viral through liking, sharing, or reacting in some other way that is accessible and viewable by others. The short-term nature of ephemeral content creates a sense of urgency that’s fueled by the fear of missing out (FOMO). Increase User Engagement: Ephemeral content not only allows for the business to impress its product or service upon the user but also allows the user to engage in the brand on a more personal level. Ephemeral content as a content marketing strategy also encourages user-generated content (UGC).

Niche Social Niche marketing is an advertising strategy that focuses on a unique target market. Instead of marketing to everyone who could benefit from a product or service, this strategy focuses exclusively on one group—a niche market—or demographic of potential customers who would most benefit from the offerings. The benefit of niche marketing is that it allows brands to differentiate themselves, appear as a unique authority, and resonate more deeply with a distinct set of customers. Rather than blend in with the many other brands that offer the same type of product or service, a brand can use niche marketing to stand out, appear more valuable, reach its growth potential, and build a stronger, longer-lasting connection with its ideal audience.

Technology Adaptation Advertisers must adapt to new technology or be ignored online. The internet has drastically changed the advertising industry, and it continues to change as new technology and platforms are released. Automation Automation has found its place in nearly all facets of the internet, and advertising is no different. The internet is a large net of data and information on consumers, and there’s no way advertisers can browse all that data to build profiles of their ideal customers. Algorithms are essential for analyzing that info and putting it to use. Automated advertising platforms save time and money by freeing up advertisement departments that need to build and manage countless ad campaigns. The automated platforms use data to bid on ad space, detecting which ads are doing better and putting in more bids for the ones that result in more conversions. Of course, you set a cap on how much the platform spends on ad space. These automated platforms can be set to run until they reach a certain ROI. The other end of this process is also likely automated, with algorithm-based platforms like Google AdSense automatically selling ad space for websites. According to the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), about 20 percent of digital advertising business is done by one machine interacting with another, and that number is rapidly growing. Social media and mobile Fortunately, the major sites, such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, have robust advertising platforms. Furthermore, a staggering 80 percent of users interact with social media on mobile devices, according to Word Stream, which calls for optimized advertising for the medium. The highest-performing ads on social media are ones that take advantage of relocation technology on mobile devices, allowing for hyper local ads to target users within a predetermined area.

Social Commerce Social commerce is a subset of electronic commerce that involves social media, online media that supports social interaction, and user contributions to assist online buying and selling of products and services. More succinctly, social commerce is the use of social network(s) in the context of e-commerce transactions.

Video Commerce: Engages Even the Laziest Buyers

The modern customer wants to see the product in action. Video preference is one of the most important driving forces of using video in your content marketing. Video marketing can capture a wide audience, and it works on many levels.

Video content will Dominate

Video is also a growing medium for advertising that’s catching people’s attention. According to a Kissmetrics blog post, video on social media gets much more engagement than non-video ads. On YouTube, viewers are 1.4 times more likely to watch and share ads on mobile. A popular type on social media is video that doesn’t require sound and uses subtitles, allowing for non-disruptive viewing in public. It’s not just about advertising on the biggest social media platforms. Companies like Nanigans sell advertising space on various mobile apps and games, allowing advertisers to get in on the action if these fledgling apps have the potential to go viral.

Native advertising Native advertising is on the rise, with advertisements being integrated into popular content sites, bringing back the old line of “this program was brought to you by …” Traditional advertising, depending on your audience, is falling by the wayside, especially with the rise of adblocking software. Advertisers need new, creative ways to get their messages to viewers and actually get them to listen. Many advertising networks now include native advertising packages, offering opportunities for sponsored articles that blend in with the rest of a platform’s content. “Everything on the internet is branded, whether consumers realize it or not. It has been proven to be more effective than other forms on the internet,” Bruton said. “Advertisers are expected to provide content that is engaging and either entertaining or insightful.” The goal of native advertising is to be non-disruptive to users, and companies like AdYouLike create ads that fit into a website or platform’s

style and format. Getting creative with new tech “The internet has allowed good, creative advertising to be more effective, because it’s easier than ever to find and track the target audience for optimal effectiveness,” Bruton said. “However, if the advertising is bad, it won’t matter how well the audience has been targeted.” Advertisers need to keep looking forward as the internet changes and new technology develops. It will take creativity from advertisers to monetize new platforms. “The big boom of augmented reality is happening, as phone manufacturers are already developing AR-capable devices, and that creates a large window of untapped potential for advertisers,” Bruton said. Snapchat’s various filters for photos are a form of AR, and they are becoming more impressive and already being used by marketers. While mobile is currently king of online engagement, wearable tech, like the Apple Watch, is gaining traction and likely is already being examined by advertisers. No matter how niche or fad-like, no trendy app, platform or device should be ignored for advertising potential. In a time when traditional advertising is continually being ignored by the changing demographics, advertisers need to change and adapt.

Influencer Market Influencer Marketing: How to Work With Social Media Influencers To pull off an effective influencer marketing campaign you need to work with the right social media influencers. Resonance This is the potential level of engagement the influencer can create with an audience relevant to your brand. Bigger isn’t always better. A huge follower count is meaningless if those followers aren’t interested in your offer. And a smaller follower count can be very powerful if it’s a niche area. Niche influencers can have very dedicated and engaged followers.

Social media for customer service Engage with your customers

Social media is a good way for engaging and interacting customers. The more you communicate with the audience, the more chances you have of conversion. Set up a two-way communication with your target audience so that their wishes are known and their interest is catered with ease. Moreover, communication and engagement with customers is one the ways to win their attention and convey them your brand message. Thus, your brand will reach more audience in real terms and gets itself established without any hassle. Improved brand loyalty When you have a social media presence, you make it easier for your customers to find you and connect with you. By connecting with your customers through social

media, you are more probable to upsurge customer retention and customer loyalty. Since developing a loyal customer base is one of the main goals of almost any business. Customer satisfaction and brand loyalty typically go hand in hand. It is essential to often engage with your customers and start developing a bond with them. Social media is not just limited to introducing your product, it is also a leading platform for promotional campaigns. A customer sees these platforms as service channels where they can directly communicate with the business.

Healthier customer satisfaction Social media plays a vital role in networking and communication platform. With the help of these platforms, creating a voice for your company is important in improving the overall brand image. Customers appreciate the fact that when they post comments on your page, they receive a modified reply rather than a computerized message. A brand that values its customers, takes the time to compose a personal message, which is perceived naturally in a positive light.

Marketplace awareness One of the best ways to find the needs and wants of your customers instead of directly communicating with them is Marketplace awareness. It is also considered as the most valuable advantage of social media. By observing the activities on your profile, you can see customers’ interest and opinions that you might not know otherwise if you didn’t have a social media presence. As a complementary research tool, social media can help you get information and a better understanding of your industry. Once you get a large following, you can then use additional tools to examine other demographics of your consumers.

More brand authority For making your business more powerful, brand loyalty and customer satisfaction both play a major role, but it all comes down to communication. When customers see your company posting on social media, especially replying to their queries and posting original content, it helps them build a positive image in their minds. Regularly interacting with your customers proves that you and your business care about them. Once you get a few satisfied customers, who are vocal about their positive purchase experience, you can let the advertising be done for you by genuine customers who appreciated your product or service.

References Solomon, M, Russell-Bennett, R. and Previte, J, 2019, ‘Consumer Behaviour’, Australian Edition, 4th Ed., Pearson (A1) Aaker, J. (1997). Dimensions of Brand Personality. SSRN Electronic Journal. (A2) Aaker, J., Fournier, S. and Brasel, A. (2004), “When good brands do bad”, Journal of Consumer Research, Vol. 31 No. 1, pp. 1‐16. Hankinson, G. (2004), “The brand images of tourism destinations: a study of the saliency of organic images”, Journal of Product and Brand Management, Vol. 13 No. 1, pp. 6‐14 https://luxiders.com/gucci-equilibrium/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2018/11/02/what-canluxury-brands-learn-from-gucci-about-millennials/) Connie J. A. Beck and Bruce D. Sales, Family Mediation: Facts, Myths, and Future Prospects (Washington: APA, 2001), 99-100. Beck and Sales, Family Mediation Beck, Connie J. A., and Bruce D. Sales. Family Mediation: Facts, Myths, and Future Prospects.

Image References Jewelle Taylor Gibbs and Larke Nahme Huang, eds., Children of Color: Psychological Interventions With Minority Youth (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1991), 87 pects. Solomon, M, Russell-Bennett, R. and Previte, J, 2019, ‘Consumer Behaviour’, Australian Edition, 4th Ed., Pearson (A1) Aaker, J. (1997). Dimensions of Brand Personality. SSRN Electronic Journal. (A2) Aaker, J., Fournier, S. and Brasel, A. (2004), “When good brands do bad”, Journal of Consumer Research, Vol. 31 No. 1, pp. 1‐16. Hankinson, G. (2004), “The brand images of tourism destinations: a study of the saliency of organic images”, Journal of Product and Brand Management, Vol. 13 No. 1, pp. 6‐14 https://luxiders.com/gucci-equilibrium/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2018/11/02/what-can-luxury-brandslearn-from-gucci-about-millennials/) Connie J. A. Beck and Bruce D. Sales, Family Mediation: Facts, Myths, and Future Prospects (Washington: APA, 2001), 99-100. Beck and Sales, Family Mediation Beck, Connie J. A., and Bruce D. Sales. Family Mediation: Facts, Myths, and Future Pros-