Luxury Brands Embrace TikTok: Navigating Trends and Influencer Strategies

In recent times, the luxury fashion landscape has been witnessing a dynamic shift towards embracing the captivating realm of TikTok. While premium brands like Gucci and Dior embarked on their TikTok journey as early as 2020, their foray was initially overshadowed by the dominance of fast-fashion hauls and imitation discussions. Yet, luxury brands persevered, leading to both triumphs and lessons along the way.

The statistics unveil a promising trend: during the first half of 2023, luxury brands amplified their Media Impact Value (MIV), an engagement indicator, on TikTok by a commendable 11 percent. This ascent outpaced fast fashion's respectable 7 percent increase, as reported by Launchmetrics. Brands such as Dior, Gucci, and Prada garnered almost as much MIV between January and May 2023 as they did throughout the entirety of 2022. Notably, Louis Vuitton has already surpassed its previous year's performance.

Sarah Keeble, Luxury Marketing Director at digital agency Verb Brands, remarked on this shift: "The question has evolved from 'Should we be doing this?' to 'How do we do it?'"

The answer continues to revolve around the influential prowess of content creators, whose contributions constitute nearly 70 percent of the media impact value for leading luxury brands. For instance, Dior's TikTok triumphs were significantly propelled by Jaadiee, an unconventional influencer—a grandfather who astutely unboxes and styles streetwear while harmonizing with Drake and Gunna beats. Jaadiee's unexpected charisma struck a chord, culminating in his presence at Dior's Spring/Summer 2024 show.

While influencers remain an integral facet, strategies are evolving. MIV derived from brands' official pages experienced a 4.5 percent annual growth, while the influencer share dwindled by 8 percent. Louis Vuitton's innovative approach merits recognition: it adeptly balanced MIV generation across both owned and influencer channels, effectively transforming monumental events into memorable TikTok moments. A prime illustration is the brand's behind-the-scenes video starring K-Pop sensation J-Hope at the June show—a conversation catalyst.

Undoubtedly, influencers propel brand relevance in uncharted territories, yet owned media seamlessly encapsulates a brand's essence and offers an insider's perspective to viewers. This form of content, which ingeniously extends the lifespan of events or photoshoots into engaging video material, emerges as a pragmatic and cost-effective approach, notes Keeble.

The charm of K-Pop luminaries has been harnessed as a reliable traffic catalyst, with campaigns featuring these artists yielding impressive results for Dior, Gucci, and Calvin Klein. However, predicting viral content remains a challenge. Zara's unexpected hit was a captivating video showcasing the crafting of custom candies to commemorate the brand's Cambodian store launch.

Keeble underscores the significance of authentic and relatable content: "It's the brands that dare to be original and convey a human touch that truly reap the rewards. The key is to deliver the unexpected."

Remarkably, certain brands have achieved TikTok triumphs despite maintaining a minimal presence. Chanel, for instance, ranks ninth in TikTok discussions this year, despite abstaining from uploading videos on its official account. Notably, singer Becky G's endorsement of her eponymous song on TikTok and a Vogue video spotlighting Jennie Kim at the Met Gala generated significant traction for the iconic brand.

Yet, while an inventive TikTok approach holds potential, it is not a panacea for struggling brands. Balenciaga's imaginative content, like the gravity-defying individual scaling a wall or ethereal Balenciaga items descending from the sky, did not shield it from a precipitous decline in MIV—from $38 million in 2022 to $4.5 million in 2023—attributed to the repercussions of a contentious November advertising incident.

As luxury brands refine their TikTok strategies and influencers continue to shape the discourse, the captivating dance between innovation and authenticity paves the way for an exciting new era in the luxury fashion landscape.