In today’s internet-age, luxury brand’s most effective way to target millennials is through the certified use of ‘influencers’; these are young, like-minded individuals who have reached levels of fame through the use of social media. Gone are the days of becoming rich or famous through reality TV and leaked porn tapes – today’s influencers thankfully have some integrity. They are the social media stars, the taste-makers, the judge and the jury of what is hot and hip now.
Brands now recognise the arrival of the “era of millennials,” who not only are about to become the largest spending generation in history but also confidently re-define the vision of luxury. With 47% of this group making their purchase decisions under the influence of social media, luxury brands have had no other choice but to rise to the challenge.
Research from Digital Luxury Group shows 40% of Google results for branded and technical watch brand terms are from blogs and forums. Chiara Ferragani from The Blonde Salad, Kristina Bazan of Kayture, Aimee Song from Song of Style, Leandra Medine of The Man Repeller, and many more have already collaborated with luxury brands in impactful ways.
After ignoring digital for years, Rolex first graced Instagram at the end of 2015 by tapping into the pool of connections of its celebrity portfolio (Roger Federer alone boasting 2.3 million followers) and promptly overtook the competition in just weeks after the first post.
Tiffany & Co. also generated great organic reach via its aspirational demographics by featuring a constellation of celebrity faces in #LegendaryStyle and #LoveNotLike campaigns.
While hot off the press this week is Dolce & Gabbana’s Spring/Summer 2017 campaign which stars a cast of fresh-faced millennial influencers; featuring Cameron Dallas – a Vine star, Presley Gerber – son of supermodel Cindy Crawford, Gabriel Kane Day-Lewis – son of Daniel Day Lewis, Luka Sabbat – style influencer, Brandon Thomas Lee – son of Pamela Anderson & Tommy Lee, Rafferty Law son of Sadie Frost & Jude Law, Zendaya Coleman actress & singer, Sonia Ben Ammar model girlfriend of Brooklyn Beckham, and Thylane Blondeau model, who all together, accumulate more than 50 million social media followers.
