Top 10 luxury brand social media marketers of Q1

Luxury marketers triggered conversations about new collections and brand milestones during the first quarter of 2013 through strategic social media campaigns.

Many luxury brands and retailers created their own hashtags and sharable content for fans to share with their peers. The most effective campaigns were those that engaged followers in a conversation about the brand.

Here are the top 10 luxury brand social media campaigns in the first quarter of 2013, in alphabetical order.

Bentley’s Flying Spur promotions - British automaker Bentley Motors used digital tactics to create buzz for the Flying Spur model among socially-connected consumers.

The automaker showed a video on a microsite that depicts close-up angles of the model to tease the unveiling of the Flying Spur to its online audience. The video ends with the hashtag #NewFlyingSpur, which the automaker used to encourage consumers to follow the conversation on social media.

The video contained scenes from different global cities and close-up shots of the Flying Spur set to lively music. It also showed the microsite URL and #NewFlyingSpur hashtag.

Below the video on the microsite, users were able to sign up to receive more information about the Flying Spur, “like” Bentley on Facebook and follow the automaker on Twitter.

Bentley shared the video on its social channels including Twitter, where it joined the hashtag conversation. Many users posted about the model and video as well.

Chloé’s 60th anniversary contest - French fashion house Chloé gave consumers an incentive to watch videos from the eight-part mini film series on its 60th anniversary collection through a quiz-style Facebook application.

The app provided consumers with the first four videos in the 60th anniversary video series. Facebook users were able to answer trivia questions based on the films for the chance to win a Chloé accessory.

The French label asked its more than 800,000 Facebook fans to take a quiz on the “Let’s Play” Facebook app.

When consumers begin the quiz, they are shown the first four videos one by one in their order in the series. The whole series was meant to showcase the 16 reissued pieces that make up the label’s 60th anniversary collection.

When they completed the four questions, consumers had to fill out a registration form to enter the random drawing to win a Chloé accessory.

The label required consumers to submit their name, email address, birthday and address. Consumers were able to opt-in to receive the Chloé newsletter as well.

Also, consumers could share the app via their personal Facebook account, which gave them a greater chance at winning if their Facebook friends participated.

Dior’s exclusive colors Twitter campaign - Christian Dior exhibited the colors seen backstage at its runway shows in a day-long Twitter campaign that was staged with the #IconicColors hashtag.

The French fashion house shared image and text posts via Twitter that hinted at a soon-to-launch makeup line. The campaign took place exclusively on Twitter, but was teased with YouTube commercials that Dior shared with its social followers.

The fashion house kept up the momentum on its Twitter account March 27 with the #IconicColors campaign.

Every 30 minutes, Dior posted one exclusive brand color accompanied by an image of a makeup look or an apparel or accessory item. The brand described each color in a few words and provided its name and number.

For instance, the campaign began with the tweet, “Christian Dior said «A touch of color is enough to change your appearance.» #Dior #IconicColors” to briefly tell consumers why color means so much in the fashion industry.

Later that day, the label announced that Ms. Groeneveld would be the face for the new Dior Addict Gloss and posted a video and images of the campaign.

Gucci’s Guilty Black Facebook app - Italian fashion house Gucci leveraged its Guilty Black scent through a Facebook app that included a video and fragrance locator.

The Facebook app included a video that featured actors Chris Evans and Rachel Evan Wood, information about the fragrances, campaign images and an area where consumers could join Gucci’s mailing list and see if the fragrance is available in their area.

Facebook users can watch the video starring Mr. Evans and Ms. Wood that was prominent on the app.

Scrolling down on the page revealed more content where users could learn about the different Gucci fragrances.

Also, consumers could share a fragrance through Facebook or Twitter, or select their top three scents and share them. There was a “shop now” button on each fragrance as well.

Next, users could discover the campaign through the multiple campaign images and check to see if samples of the fragrances are available at a nearby location by filling out their contact information.

The app provided much information for both the consumer and the brand as it strongly engages users in the world of Gucci, while also allowing them to spread the word through social media and allowing Gucci to gain access to consumer information.

Jaguar’s F-Type social efforts - British automaker Jaguar looked to engage consumers in its home market through a daily social campaign that was designed to spark conversation on the new F-Type sports car.

The campaign centered on the notion of “Desire” that Jaguar attached to the F-Type through previous marketing efforts. Fans of the Jaguar UK Facebook account had the chance to win prizes that have been deemed desirable by bloggers, influencers and social media users for 14 days.

Each of the 14 days were themed. For example, the first prize was an F-Type track day that focused on the racing aspect of the brand.

The task for day No. 1 was to tweet a precise message and tag a friend. The post had to say, “@JaguarUK I want to be one of the first to drive the new #FTYPE with [friend’s name] #FTYPEdesire.”

The campaign spanned Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Jaguar encouraged consumers to be part of the conversation on these three social channels with the daily tasks.

Louis Vuitton’s Twitter love poems - French label Louis Vuitton joined social marketing efforts for its women’s Mini Icons handbag collection and its men’s accessories through a love poem Twitter campaign.

Items in the women’s Mini Mon Amour and men’s Gallant Love collections conversed via Twitter by writing mini love poems to each other. Louis Vuitton used hashtags #MiniMonAmour, #GallantLove and #LVLove and linked to the respective commerce-enabled accessories sections of its Web site.

Louis Vuitton began its Twitter love poem campaign by posting, “Attraction between the updated mini Monceau BB and the mighty Damier Keepall. Find #LVLove at http://vuitton.lv/usMiniLove.”

The tweet included an image of the Monceau BB Mini Icons bag with the men’s Damier Keepall bag as well as a link to shop the Mini Icons collection.

The campaign continued for a couple of weeks in February. Items that featured include watches, bags, wallets, jewelry and iPhone cases.

Neiman Marcus’ online magazine social commentary - Department store chain Neiman Marcus is incorporated style tips from its Facebook fans into content for its online magazine InSite and an email campaign.

Luxury marketers often encourage Facebook fan feedback on the social network itself. Neiman Marcus took this feedback a step further by incorporating comments from fans into content on InSite and an email.

Neiman Marcus sent an email Feb. 15 with the subject line “How to dress for Date Night” that linked to a style guide on its ecommerce site.

One of the first pages told consumers to dress in red for a dinner date. The featured item was the Diane von Furstenberg Messon Half-Sleeve Dress in red for $135.

To the right of the page, Facebook fans weigh-in with by finishing the sentence, “Wear it…” Tips include “With Chanel No. 5” from Russ G. and “With nude shoes and lots of mixed gold and silver jewelry” from Joan L.

Other pages followed suit by giving tips from Facebook users about what to wear certain items with.

Nordstrom’s newlywed Pinterest contest - Department store chain Nordstrom engaged social-savvy newlyweds through a Pinterest contest to win a gift card and a honeymoon package at certain JW Marriott Resort properties.

Nordstrom partnered with JW Marriott Resorts to offers newly-married couples the chance to win a $4,000 Nordstrom gift card and a five-night honeymoon to a participating JW Marriott property with spa treatments and breakfast included.

Pinterest users could enter the contest by pinning at least three wedding-related images from Nordstrom’s Web site or Nordstrom’s Pinterest account.

Users had to use the hashtag #Nordstromweddings when pinning images.

The hashtag was used on images of dresses, shoes, wedding ceremony ideas and jewelry.

Porsche’s 911 design through Facebook feedback  - German automaker Porsche honored its 5 million Facebook fans by letting them collaborate to design a 911 Carrera 4S vehicle.

Porsche announced that it hit the 5 million fan milestone Jan. 31 by updating its cover image to say “Thank you for 5 million likes.” To celebrate, the automaker launched an interactive campaign on a Facebook app where fans could vote on the characteristics of a 911 Carrera 4S that Porsche will produce.

Porsche held the voting for the specifications of the special 911 Carrera 4S model for five weeks. Each week, fans were able to vote on a different part of the vehicle.

The automaker is encouraging consumers to click to the voting app at http://www.porsche.com/5million   with posts on its Timeline.

Tourneau’s pre-owned collection - Watchmaker and retailer Tourneau raised awareness of its Certified Pre-Owned collection among its social media followers through a storytelling campaign.

The #WatchStories campaign is housed on a Facebook application where consumers can browse pre-owned timepieces and share events that happened during each watch’s circa year. Participants have the chance to win a Tourneau TNY Series watch when engaging with the campaign.

The #WatchStories Facebook app contained a selection of 24 timepieces from Tourneau’s Certified Pre-Owned collection.

Tourneau told consumers, “Click on a watch below and enter an event that happened during the watch’s circa year. The story with the most ‘likes’ wins a Tourneau TNY Series watch.”

Clicking on an item opened a window dedicated to the watch. It showed the name of the watch, its release year, a Facebook comment tool and a link to purchase the watch on Tourneau’s Web site.

Facebook users were able to post their comment directly on each watch’s page.

Tourneau also used the #WatchStories hashtag to extend the campaign to Twitter.

Final take

Erin Shea, editorial assistant on Luxury Daily, New York