In todays article I want to explain you Burberry´s breakthrough in the digital world and what it meant for the brand strategically to take this risk going into the unknown sphere.
However, it is interesting how the opinions differed when it came to the question for a luxury brand to digital or not. I remember an article I have read about luxury brands turning their marketing strategy upside down by Jean-Noël Kapferer and Vincent Bastien. Theybasically held the opinion to maintain the difficult accessibility to luxury products, even digital, as the desire for those brands would increase.
It was November 2009 when the Management of Burberry decided to strike a blow for luxury brands. They launched a social media platform in favour of Burberry customers and potential customers.
A step which was uncertain ,but certainly, met an unmet need, since customers were highly aware of the potential of social media platforms and its influence. Also, the desire for customization, which was rather popular among mass market brands splashed over luxury brands. Besides Burberry, Louis Vuitton and Ralph Lauren had launched platforms to customize their products. This new and increasing awareness of the costumer, took Burberry into account and offered their customer the website feature “Design your own Burberry Trenchcoat”.
Additionally, the management developed an interactive marketing strategy to increase the customer digital experience under a webpage called “Art of the Trench”. As you may have noticed, it must be related to the famous Trenchcoat of Burberry. It works as a social media platform, or rather a brand community, where customers have the opportunity to upload pictures of themselves or other in their Burberry Trenchcoat and upload them to the public website. User can like, comment or share this content on other Social Media Platforms like Facebook. The website also creates a strong between the brand, image maker and customer.
In an interview with Suzy Menkes former CCO Christopher Bailey said:
“I would say that the Trenchcoat really makes the past present. We live off the philosophy of that Trenchcoat, we live off the fact that it is a democratic piece, that it talks to so many different types of people - men, women, old, young, fashionistas, traditional, classic. We are a tale of contradictions at Burberry and I think that’s what the Trenchcoat is (...)”
Interesting here are in my opinion the words “democratic piece” and “tale of contradictions”. If you take a look on the website you will notice the different styles, colors and combinations of the Trenchcoat, worn by people different ethnics, gender and cultural background. This is what makes the Trenchcoat such a strong piece of clothes and in fact the flagship for Burberry. Since Burberry offered their customers to design their own Burberry Trenchcoat, the statement of Bailey regarding the “democratic piece” appears plausible. Also, with the strategy to launch a social media platform exclusive for Burberry customer and fans has shown the direction shift of the brand. From being an old, conservative British brand to a highly innovative and forward thinking luxury brand.
When I visited the webpage the very first time, I immediately was impressed by the simplicity of the website and particularly the focus on the customer and its Trenchcoat. Just a tiny icon in the right upper corner leads you to the Burberry website or directly to the menu where you can buy a Trenchcoat.
The marketing strategy in my eyes is simple and clear. The user creates content and publicity for the brand without any or let´s say minimal costs for Burberry. A huge advantage of the website is, that it creates a brand community of Trenchcoat lovers, who like to get inspiration or just love the way of presenting the coat on so many different personalities. So instead of leading the viewer of the webpage directly to the Burberry website, where he or she can buy the products, the humanization of the coat makes the webpage vivid and diverse since pictures of customers are taken all over the world on different people.
Unfortunately the last picture were uploaded almost 2 years ago, even though the website still exists and is in my opinion a great way to interact within a brand community: The Burberry Trenchcoat Community.
I see you soon.
Cheers!
Niklas
Sources:
1) http://burberry.tumblr.com
2) https://www.desired.de/luxus/luxus-designer/burberry-ehrt-klassiker-trenchcoat-mit-art-of-the-trench/
3) https://www.theguardian.com/media/pda/2009/nov/09/burberry-art-of-the-trench
4) https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11621-012-0108-7.pdf
5) https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1057%2Fbm.2008.51.pdf
6) https://eprints.qut.edu.au/41811/2/41811.pdf
Picture Sources:
2) https://my.asiatatler.com/style/100-years-of-burberry-trench-coats-world-war-i-casablanca-art-of-the-trench
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