Top 10 luxury brand social marketers of Q2

Harrods on Pinterest

Luxury marketers including Bergdorf Goodman, Four Seasons, Harrods, Jimmy Choo and Michael Kors stepped it up a notch in their social media efforts during the second quarter with daily updates, videos, contests and Facebook applications that encouraged interactions with their followers.

Since almost all luxury brands have a presence on social media, it is important for brands to stand out and many of the top performers of the second quarter did so by keeping in mind that their consumers like to be talked to rather than talked at. Luxury marketers provided their Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube followers with new brand information in creative ways that aligned with the spring season.

Here are the top 10 social marketers of the second quarter, in alphabetical order:

Bergdorf Goodman's Safe Sun Stories

Bergdorf Goodman – New York-based retailer Bergdorf Goodman bolstered its social media presence during the second quarter of this year with contests, store imagery, daily campaigns and collection previews.

For example, the retailer devoted its Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest accounts and its blog to a month-long initiative with the Melanoma Research Alliance to promote safe sun habits and UV-protecting beauty products.

During Melanoma Awareness Month, the retailer created a Facebook app that offered one sun safety tip per day in May that focused on a high-end beauty product.

Safe Sun Facebook app 

Bergdorf also held a chat on Twitter to answer questions regarding skin, makeup, hair and beauty with editors from http://www.beautyhigh.com. The chat used the hashtag #BeautyChat (see story).

To seamlessly transition to the third quarter, Bergdorf is aiming at its affluent female fan base by bringing back its Today I’m Wearing daily program.

Each day, the retailer is posting an image of one of its employees as he or she goes about his or her daily activities. Each post explains which items from Bergdorf the employee is wearing.

Barneys.com homepage

Barneys New York – Retailer Barneys New York took to its own Web site during the second quarter to create a social experience, which it pushed heavily via its Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest accounts.

The interactive setting on its ecommerce site lets consumers make shopping lists, share favorites and shop user-recommended products, a move likely to distinguish the retailer from its competitors.

When users are viewing their favorites, they have the option of browsing curated lists by The Influencers, Barneys’ chosen fashion experts.

Barneys is promoting lists by The Influencers such as fashion designers Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen and actresses Katie Holmes and Julianne Moore in Facebook posts, tweets and Pinterest inspiration boards (see story).

Barneys Facebook post 

Also during the second quarter, Barneys used its social media channels to raise awareness for contests and in-store events as well as provide daily must-haves and in-house seasonal shopping lists.

Dior Addict video teaser

Christian Dior – French fashion house Christian Dior took its social strategy up a notch during the second quarter as it introduced its Dior Addict fragrance line.

The social media push included a Facebook app, four social videos and a Twitter hashtag campaign to push the upcoming “Addict to Love” film.

The Dior Addict Facebook app consisted of a game where consumers had to find the “Dior Addict Frequency.” When they find it, a campaign video for Dior Addict played, which acted as a teaser for the full “Addict to Love” film.

Dior further hyped the upcoming movie through four 10-second videos on its Facebook page that showed a young lady named Daphne in a beach setting.

The brand likely used social media to tap aspirational consumers who inhabit Facebook and Twitter and who are more likely to be able to afford a fragrance rather than Dior couture (see story).

Addict to Love film teaser 

Meanwhile, Dior was also busy pushing its latest social video called “Secret Garden – Versailles” that highlights the brand lifestyle and image.

The video stars model Daria Strokous as she runs in the fall/winter 2012 collection through Versailles, a palace that has been a signature part of the Dior brand (see story).

Secret Garden – Versailles

Four Seasons Weddings magazine

Four Seasons – Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts extended its new bridal campaign and summer travel incentives during the second quarter with many social efforts.

First, the brand positioned itself as an expert on luxury wedding planning with bridal-dedicated Twitter and Pinterest accounts that share expert tips from the hotel’s staff and stories from real Four Seasons brides.

The new Pinterest page hosted a contest called Pin Your Dream Wedding that gave users the chance to win a $2,500 Four Seasons gift card. Users could “pin” photos that inspired their dream wedding to enter.

The @FSBridal Twitter handle launched with updates from three brides who will be married this year at Four Seasons properties in Beirut, Lebanon; Boston, MA; and Toronto.

The brand also established a Four Seasons Wedding app on its Facebook page that featured a feed from the Weddings online magazine and news from its other social media channels (see story).

Four Seasons Bridal Pinterest page 

In June, the brand began pushing its summer travel incentives that give guests a free night or hotel credit and a contest for a $2,500 gift card via a Facebook app called World of Wonder.

The brand is using the concept of the “life list” – as in, all of the places a consumer wants to travel to in a lifetime – for the contest that lets users add their chosen destinations to a curated travel wishlist on Facebook (see story).

World of Wonder Facebook app 

Harrods on Pinterest

Harrods – London-based retailer Harrods immersed its social media followers in all-things Diamond Jubilee to celebrate the British Queen’s 60th year on the throne, which took place during the second quarter.

In addition to daily Facebook and Twitter posts that related fashion to the British monarchy and depicted the London celebrations, Harrods tapped into consumers’ creativity and inspiration by holding a contest on Pinterest that allowed users to design their own store window.

Consumers who “pinned” inspirations for the window around the theme “Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Street Party” had a chance to have a Harrods window inspired by their mood board.

Harrods used Facebook and Twitter to raise awareness for the contest as well (see story).

Harrods Pinspiration board

Hugo Boss' New Dimension Beijing

Hugo Boss – German fashion label Hugo Boss used its social media accounts as major components in its largest digital campaign called New Dimension Beijing that revolved around a runway show for its Black collection and live-streamed in 3D.

Consumers were given access to content wherever they were through multiple touchpoints including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, which all had 3D components that could be viewed with Hugo Boss 3D glasses.

For example, the label devoted its Facebook page to the campaign for a majority of the second quarter.

The bulk of the campaign is hosted on the Hugo Boss Web site and mobile sites while even more content and details to the show and the brand were offered on social media (see story).

Hugo Boss Facebook 

Meanwhile, toward the end of the second quarter, Hugo Boss let its Boss Orange watches take over its Facebook page.

The label committed to give away 50 watches over 50 days to some of its 2 million Facebook fans via a Lucky Times app that lets them set the time on a virtual Boss Orange watch and register to enter a contest (see story).

Choo 24:7 Stylemaker user photo

Jimmy Choo – Footwear label Jimmy Choo called on consumers during the second quarter to shape a user-curated fashion Web site named after its Choo 24:7 collection that likely positioned the brand as a go-to style resource.

With much of the promotion happening on its Facebook and Twitter accounts, the Choo 24:7 microsite presented users with a collection of user-submitted photos from select international cities around the world such as New York, London, Beijing and Tokyo.

The brand asked consumers to sign up or link a Facebook account to post personal style photographs, which also strengthened its database used for future email and social media marketing (see story).

Choo 24:7 Stylemakers Web site 

After its launch, the label pushed image uploads on the site with a contest that was promoted via Facebook and Twitter. Users had until June 6 to submit their style photos for the chance to win a Choo 24:7 wardrobe worth up to $6,240.

The label also shared well-known figures, such as actresses and models, on the Choo 24: 7 site via social media.

Land Rover off-roading image

Land Rover – British automaker Land Rover’s North America division stuck to the adventurous spirit of the brand in its second quarter social media efforts.

For instance, the automaker reinforced that its vehicles are meant for on- and off-road traveling by offering its consumers adventure advice via Facebook throughout the month of June.

Land Rover North America used its Facebook Timeline as the venue for an off-roading month initiative to share with and engage consumers regarding a vehicle’s off-roading capabilities on different types of terrain.

The automaker used advice, stories, images and videos to reiterate the message that Land Rover vehicles are suited for off-road travel.

Land Rover also encouraged engagement by asking consumers to submit personal stories and photos via Facebook and Twitter to participate in the Land Rover Adventure Story Challenge (see story).

Meanwhile, Land Rover gifted its social media followers with an online magazine that presented brand history and consumer stories to coincide with the British automaker’s 64th birthday that took place during the second quarter.

The brand celebrated its birthday globally April 30 and its North America sector marked the day by releasing a digital magazine called 64 Reasons to Love Land Rover. The automaker chose to market via social media, a channel that it claims its fans prefer (see story).

Magazine page 

In addition, Land Rover North America continued to push its Tumblr blog that it created at the end of the first quarter, which featured new photography during the section quarter (see story).

Mandarin Oriental, New York

Mandarin Oriental – Mandarin Oriental, New York, began a year-long social campaign during the second quarter that shares photos and qualities of its location and home city each day for one year.

The 365 Reasons campaign features one property amenity, local landmark or nearby event that is unique to New York on the Mandarin Oriental, New York, Facebook page each day.

The campaign was developed to build a follower base for the Facebook page and engage current fans across additional digital platforms such as Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and email (see story).

Mandarin Oriental, New York, Facebook page 

Also during the second quarter,Mandarin Oriental, New York, partnered with retailer Barneys New York to attract female consumers on Facebook in a contest for Mother’s Day.

Both brands tapped Facebook to market a new contest that gave a mother-daughter pair the chance to win a brand-oriented getaway package that comprises a stay at the hotel, a spa package, lunch at a Barneys eatery and two $500 gift cards from the retailer (see story).

Living the Kors Life campaign

Michael Kors – Michael Kors tried a few new social tactics during the second quarter, while continuing to keep its followers aware of the label’s behind-the-scenes happenings.

In fact, Michael Kors was the most Facebook-savvy of the luxury marketers in the 2012 L2 Think Tank Facebook IQ. Tied for the No. 3 spot, it was the only luxury brand to receive a genius rating and jumped 100 spots from last year’s IQ, according to the label.

One social campaign from Michael Kors that began in June pushed the wearability of its collections.

The Living the Kors Life campaign is hosted on the label’s lifestyle Web site at http://destinationkors.com as well as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Each season, Michael Kors will follow three different Insiders, or employees, and cover their fashion, culinary and entertainment choices while showing the women in the brand’s apparel and accessories (see story).

Living the Kors Life video 

Also during the second quarter, Michael Kors doubled its space on Manhattan’s luxury-speckled retail section Madison Avenue and invited consumers to the new digs via a social video starring blogger Man Repeller, which was shared on its social media accounts (see story).

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

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Tags: Barneys New York, Bergdorf Goodman, Dior, Facebook, Four Seasons, Harrods, Hugo Boss, Jimmy Choo, Land Rover, luxury, luxury marketing, Michael Kors, Pinterest, social media, Twitter, YouTube