Balmain (digital) army and how the Brand leverages social luxury

Today more than ever digital media, mainly social networks, has become a key branding and advertising strategy to reach the next-generation luxury consumers. This is especially true today in the wake of the pandemic.

In this exclusive interview, Txampi Diz, the CMO of Balmain, shared The New Social Digital Luxury and how Balmain accelerated digitally by several years changing the online luxury landscape unprecedentedly by:

• Engaging audiences with next-level digital experiences,
• Meeting them on the social channels of their preference and
• Captivating them with Balmain’s contemporary luxury brand content.

Question:

How is Balmain taking Content creation & Performance marketing in digital and social media to a next level?

“First, a core principle remains unchanged: luxury brands must understand what the luxury consumer wants from a brand and how digital can help its customers get there.”

Content creation in the form of imagery, videos and text combined with social actions (live events & podcasts), influencer programs, partnerships, CRM systems and utility are some of the resources Balmain employs to communicate with their clientele, which is increasingly growing active online and in social media.

Live Streaming a digital experience: #BALMAINSS21 show during #PFW.
Balmain Spring/Summer 2021 Show #BALMAINSS21
YOUTUBE: 326,076 views Streamed live on 30 Sept 2020: 9.6K LIKE 

The Brand also had success in performance marketing because it managed to leverage their core values and heritage with the accessibility made possible by new technologies to appeal to the next generation of loyal, digital savvy, and well-connected consumers.

TikTok campaign: Raising massive awareness for Balmain’s Fall/Winter ‘21 collection through a live-streamed fashion show.
Results:
22M+Video views
240K+Unique liveshow viewers
50K+New Followers

Question:

What is the importance of community building for Balmain?

“When we started using social media as the main communication platform, it was quite controversial. But over the years it paid off, as we managed to build an audience organically.”

Balmain Instagram Account Evolution, source: followerstat

Fans of a brand can interpret, create, and share content that resonates with them, their followers in relation to the brand.

“It’s a powerful audience. Most of our followers are considered micro-influencers, and that’s rare in the luxury industry today.”

referring to the “Balmain Army”; a collective of diverse, forward-thinking influencers close to Oliver Rousteing, Creative Director of Balmain, and the brand.

“We never invested in follower acquisition campaigns. Balmain’s and Olivier’s followers combined are very powerful.”

Balmain is a prime example of how social digital luxury has to enhance the brand’s creative potential and place the customer at the centre. This way, consumers form communities that engage beyond a purchase. They learn, connect, understand, form an opinion about a brand’s products and services, which becomes key in their decision-making process and builds loyalty over time.

Question:

How is Balmain maximising brand heritage to tell the stories behind products?
Did the pandemic reshape the way you communicate with your community?

Another important factor for luxury brands, especially those with heritage, is reminding the public about their core values and keeping their legacy alive in a fresh and exciting way. This is because consumers gravitate towards brands whose social values align with their own.
This is something that became very clear for Balmain in the wake of the health crisis.

“During the pandemic, we noticed that social media advertising was generating a negative reaction.”

He goes on to explain that they changed strategies and launched the #BALMAINENSEMBLE campaign instead. The mission was to remind its audience about the house’s values.

“Diversity, inclusivity and the sense of community became even more relevant. It had an immediate impact in terms of web traffic and conversions.”

Next-level digitally Immersive Experiences with Balmain.

Especially since the pandemic, luxury brands have been focusing on offering 360 user experiences integrating video, image, social media and even augmented realities to provide digitally immersive experiences. As people increasingly move to online channels, brands need to evoke the same emotional responses as their carefully curated physical stores.
In this sense, Balmain’s social media platforms are key in connecting the users with new digital brand experiences and sharing them. At the same time, social channels help maintain a brand’s narrative consistent as users discover new ways to interact with them.

“At the same time, it’s crucial to engage this audience in next-level digital experiences, meeting them on the social channels of their preference and integrating them into the brand’s universe effectively.”

#BALMAINHERITAGE
Podcast L’Atelier Balmain, extract from the Episode 3 “A New French Style”
1,202 views • 1 Apr 2021

Actually, we are working on several new projects. At the moment, I can’t reveal all the details, but I can tell you that the end of 2021 will be very exciting for us & for our followers. We are preparing a series of hybrid events: a mix of fashion & entertainment that will create a whole new experience for our Balmain army.”

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