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Burberry adds shoppable video to multichannel autumn campaign

June 5, 2012

Burberry autumn/winter 2012

British label Burberry is incorporating shoppable video into its latest campaign line-up via a digital experience on its Web site.

The four-part autumn/winter 2012 video series features a soundtrack of music by Roo Panes, who models apparel and accessories in the campaign images and videos alongside British actress Gabriella Wilde. Consumers can view and buy items from the collection while viewing the videos via the Burberry ecommerce site.

“The short music video series allows Burberry customers to experience and engage the brand in a cool way that highlights the look, feel and functionality of products from the brand’s autumn and winter lines,” said John Casey, founder of Freshfluff, New York.

“It is a more intimate and entertaining experience for the customer and presents an opportunity for the customer to immediately react to that intimacy by clicking through to make a purchase on the spot,” he said. “It is a much more effective way to present a seasonal look book.”

Mr. Casey is not affiliated with Burberry, but agreed to comment as an industry expert.

Burberry did not comment directly before press deadline.

Trench warfare
Burberry is encouraging users to shop via videos, images and music via an experience on http://burberry.com.

Burberry autumn/winter 2012 campaign image

The first shoppable campaign video was released via YouTube June 1 and is called “The Encounter.” The remaining three videos currently available only in the Experiences section on Burberry’s Web site include “Midnight Rain,” “The Icons” and “London Fog.”

All videos feature music by campaign ambassador Mr. Panes and show him and Ms. Wilde in Burberry jackets and accessories.

In fact, Mr. Panes wrote and recorded “Indigo Home” for release June 1 as the official campaign soundtrack. It was available on iTunes on that date.

The shopping capabilities are available only when viewing the videos on Burberry’s Web site. Consumers can also buy via a campaign image gallery that is shown in the same section of the site.

Viewers must press the arrow at the bottom of the screen to pause the video and shop the products featured. They can browse and buy via a window that pops up over the video, or click to go to a new window to shop.

This one-minute video, “The Encounter,” will be promoted during June. Another shoppable video will be pushed in July.

Each video highlights new outerwear and accessories from the Burberry Prorsum, London and Brit collections.

The videos mimic the photographs of the autumn/winter 2012 campaign that were shot at the Royal Naval College in Greenwich in London, and are entirely in black-and-white.

The Encounter video

The Encounter starts with a rainy scene in London. A woman and man walk together on a sidewalk.

Campaign images flash on the screen as the music by Mr. Panes increases in tempo.

The couple is, again, shown walking as the video shows close-up shots of the accessories. The end of the video says, “To be continued,” which likely alludes to the rest of the videos in the series.

Weathering the storm
The shoppable videos are part of Burberry’s autumn/winter 2012 campaign that will be pushed through digital, mobile, out of home and print outlets (see story).

Burberry autumn/winter 2012 campaign image

Burberry wanted to include everything that is in the heart of the brand, celebrating London through imagery, film, music, weather and outerwear in a poetic and British way, according to creative director Christopher Bailey.

As always, social media will play a huge part in this effort. The campaign will be available on all platforms including Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest, Sina Weibo, Douban, Kaixin001 and Youku.

Many luxury marketers are incorporating shoppable video into mulitchannel campaigns, especially Gucci. The brand released a shoppable video last quarter for its cruise spring/summer 2012 collection (see story).

Brands that are using shoppable video are probably ahead on a trend that many others will eventually succumb to.

“The first installments of the campaign were executed well,” Mr. Casey said. “It makes the brand more entertaining and engaging to its customers.

“It allows the customer to get a feel and sense of the apparel and accessories without actually trying them on,” he said. “The music works well with the imagery of warmth, comfort and functionality.”

“Luxury brands that are not employing similar methods are going to start to look stale to customers who enjoy engaging with these new presentation and purchasing methods.”

Final Take
Tricia Carr, editorial assistant on Luxury Daily, New York

Tricia Carr is an editorial assistant on Luxury Daily. Her beats are apparel and accessories, arts and entertainment, education, food and beverage, fragrance and personal care, government, healthcare, home furnishings, jewelry, legal/privacy and nonprofits. Reach her at tricia@napean.com.