Copy This Formula To Run Ads Like A Luxury Fashion Brand
By the time you're done reading this, you'll be running ads like luxury fashion brands Gucci, Louis Vuitton or Fendi to name a few. If you've ever struggled with running paid ads on Instagram or Facebook, this is for you.
It's a misconception that luxury brands don't advertise. At one time, advertising to the masses was believed to diminish a brand's perceived value. Luxury products are marketed so exclusive that advertising them should be unnecessary. In the past this may have been true.
Someone told me that Rolls Royce won't advertise on TV because their customers don't have the time to watch it. No clue if that's true, but I think about what he meant. Being in the right space.
I haven't scrolled by any Instagram ads for a Phantom but high fashion luxury brands like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Fendi and Prada, I see plenty.
How do you advertise a luxury brand online? One way is to produce winning ad creatives using a proven formula. A shift from thinking about selling products to selling a lifestyle. You can use this formula to communicate intimate details about your brand or next drop.
Focus on selling the lifestyle
These methods are based on the concept of selling a lifestyle vs. selling a product. Arranging your creative to tell a story. To deliberately shift the viewers train of thought away from the pressures of buying products, to the pleasures of a specific lifestyle.
If you examine the luxury ads running on social media right now, you'll notice a particular pattern in the way these brands use visuals to explain the difficult lifestyle aspects of the brand.
The formula
These ad sets all feature a primary lifestyle shot (photo/video) accompanied by a minimum of 3 complementary product shots ran as a collection ad. That's the formula.
Other variations include a lifestyle shot to highlight the main pieces of a collection and product images to display any missing items. In the first example above, Gucci shows a lifestyle shot with a model wearing a backpack. The product images show other backpacks available this season.
Good lifestyle photography tells the story of what life could be like. The single product images are the details. Together they make the vision clear, push the aesthetic and encourage people to buy into the brand not the product.
Depending on the story you're trying to tell, use video for your ad creative. Video can maximize an ads effectiveness by further explaining things or helping people visualize and relate to real life situations.
To run these ads on Instagram or Facebook all you need is your Meta Ads Manager account. If you're already logged in, click +create set up your ad, making sure to choose collection as your ad format. You'll be able to link the ad to an existing Instant Experience or custom build one from scratch. Click here for more information about creating a collection ad with Meta Ads Manager.
Before you start, you'll need a minimum of 4 assets. Specifically, your main lifestyle shot and at least three product images or any other combination that works better for your objectives.
Choose photos and videos that do the story telling for you.
Make good ads
If you've been paying attention, you might have noticed that the examples so far aren't even that great. Some brand's tell better stories than others, even brands in the luxury space. Louis Vuitton tells a better story. The world famous monogram is behind some of the more cohesive ads running, compared to other competing brands.
Below is a good example of a recent Louis Vuitton ad running on Meta's platform. The screenshot is taken from Instagram.
Pay attention to the lifestyle image. A puzzled puppy sits on a dark green LV skateboard beside a monogramed leather mens waist bag. Muted earth tones contrast against the premium leather. The color choices, skateboard and puppy make the scenario relatable to the viewer.
Completing the ad are three simple product images. Two of the products are showcased in the lifestyle image. The third, a sneaker to conclude the story by putting viewers into the perspective of a dog owning skateboarder living a luxurious life.
Ad creatives like this don't happen by accident. It takes effort to create highly relatable ads. Once you have the winning one, you'll need to show it to the right people.
Other popular brands that focus on selling the lifestyle vs selling the product.
The concept isn't new, in fact there are multiple examples of brands implementing some sort of lifestyle marketing strategy long before running ads on social media. Think sponsorships, endorsements or product placements.
These marketing efforts work because they communicate something about the lifestyle of the end user vs the qualities of the product.
Nike
First let's take a look at the sneaker giant, Nike. Since the beginning Nike has focused it's marketing efforts on telling the inspirational stories of superstar athletes. The best of the best.
Professional athletes dedicate their entire lives to achieve physical greatness. By capturing the hard work, sweat, tears, pain, and suffering athletes endure in advertising campaigns they're are able to resonate with the right audience.
Technically Converse was the first sneaker company to implement an influencer marketing strategy by endorsing Larry Bird, but Nike achieved hyper success, changing the direction of sneaker culture, high fashion and marketing forever, by betting big on a young Micheal Jordan.
Dapper Dan
If you're up on New York's hip hop culture, you've probably heard the name Dapper Dan. The Harlem fashion designer has been outspoken on issues like the relationship between what's hot in fashion and what the streets are wearing.
He understands and appreciates the role music plays in developing a personal or community identity. By aligning himself with luxury brands and trend setting rappers, Dapper Dan has become an international fashion icon and staple in the hip hop community.
Ronnie Fieg (KITH)
Another good example is Ronnie Fieg, founder of Kith who recently changed the game with the new Kith Loyalty program. Kith is well known in the sneaker space but has collaborated with other major relevant brands.
Ronnie & Kith's credentials include a wide variety of collabs with legendary New Yorl rap groups like The Lox, Wu Tang Clan and Dipset but also an HBO series The Wire, BMW, Tommy Hilfiger and Marvel Comics.
In 2015 the brand introduced us to Kith Treats, an aspirational cereal bar inspired by Ronnie's childhood growing up in New York City. Some locations feature Sadelle's restaurants with menus and decor that directly reflect the 24/7 lifestyles of New Yorkers.
Apply it everywhere
Running successful ads isn't the only way this formula or philosophy can be applied by luxury brands. Photography, websites, messaging and social media should be revisited to ensure it's focused on communicating the lifestyle aspects of the end user.
Related,
HUNDX
