Receive the latest articles for free. Click here to get the Luxury Daily newsletters.

Burberry Facebook page fêtes 10M fans with unique images

December 29, 2011

Burberry reached 10 million fans

British label Burberry reached 10 million Facebook fans Dec. 24 and celebrated with the creation of three unique images designed by chief creative officer Christopher Bailey.

The brand is displaying the number 10 through a logo on a trenchcoat, in fireworks and using Burberry Body fragrance bottles. Each message also contains a hand-written note by Mr. Bailey.

“I think [Mr.] Bailey is doing exactly what Facebook interactions with fans are meant to do – giving something exclusive to the people who are marking themselves as fans of Burberry,” said Ron Schott, senior strategist at Spring Creek Group, Seattle.

“The three images are a personal ‘thank you’ to each one of the fans, something that not everyone has access to, because not everyone is a fan of the page,” he said. “He’s giving something back to the fans that give them so much.”

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

Burberry declined comment for this article.

Perfect 10
Mr. Bailey created three unique images to celebrate 10 million Facebook fans.

The first is a gold No. 10 shining against a dark sky, with fireworks going off around it.

“10 million Facebook fans!!!” is written underneath, presumably in Mr. Bailey’s handwriting.

The second image is the No. 10 spelled out using Burberry Body fragrance bottles. The bottles are against the same brown-gold background that is used in the fragrance’s campaigns.

“Thank you so much for all your incredible support!!!” Mr. Bailey wrote underneath.

The third image is the front of an iconic Burberry trenchcoat, with a No. 10 embroidered above the belt.

The last note says, “Christopher Bailey and all at Burberry.”

Understandably, the brand posted these images on Facebook so that all consumers could see them. As of press deadline, Burberry has 10,062,943 Facebook fans.

To add to the camaraderie, Burberry posted a video of Mr. Bailey thanking fans for their support and wishing them a Merry Christmas on the brand’s Facebook account Dec. 24.

Merry Christmas message from Mr. Bailey

“The fact that Burberry has 10 million fans is incredibly impressive,” Mr. Schott said. “For a brand that, in most cases, is a luxury brand and not on every shopper’s radar, they’ve done an incredible job of being approachable enough through their social media to welcome reachers – those who might have to stretch their budgets to be a part of the brand.”

Not just a face in the crowd
It is no wonder that Facebook has 10 million fans, since Burberry releases the majority of its marketing via the channels.

For example, images from Burberry’s Swinging Sixties campaign were released via Facebook. The brand is also releasing images for its spring/summer 2012 collection on-site.

Additionally, Mr. Bailey and Burberry Body spokesmodel Rosie Huntington-Whitley can be found talking about the fragrance in Facebook-exclusive videos that were released earlier this fall.

These are just a few examples of Burberry’s social media success – the brand has been perfecting its strategy for some time now.

In fact, Burberry was the first luxury brand to reach the 3 million fan mark last year.

To add, fans readily interact with the brand through comments and “likes” on pictures, posts and polls.

In fact, just the three 10 million celebratory photos alone are nearing 30,000 “likes.”

This is the kind of downstream brand exposure that is not seen with traditional marketing, per Mr. Schott.

Therefore, Burberry and Christopher Bailey’s personal celebration and thank you to 10 million fans is likely warranted.

“I’d say the celebration is probably two-pronged,” Mr. Schott said. “First, it’s a big milestone for the Burberry marketing team.

“At a company like Burberry, I’d guess their marketing team had to put up some great arguments to push as hard into the social realm as they have – and they’re seeing great return, at least as far as community growth, for their efforts,” he said.

“Second, it’s really a testament to how Burberry feels about their community – not every chief creative officer will sit down and think about a community like Facebook fans on a daily basis.”

Final Take
Rachel Lamb, associate reporter on Luxury Daily, New York

Rachel Lamb is an associate reporter 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 rachel@napean.com.