It's May! With Q2 moving at lightning speed, we're here to keep you in the loop. This week we're sharing *luxury* marketing tips to steal for your strategy, a partnership we didn't see coming (think 1970s rock band + modern fitness app) and a quick update on Google's plans for a post-cookie world.
So let's get you up to speed — here's everything you need to know *now* within the marketing + creative space.
Consider this newsletter a resource for marketers and creatives, by marketers and creatives. Enjoy!
How + Why Luxury Brands Win at Influencer Marketing
*Social is an endless scroll. Where to stop? Here we analyze relevant moments, cultural trends and the marketing geniuses behind it all.*
Gifting, content, collabs, events — there are so many ways to tap into influencer marketing — and with 82% of consumers reporting that they trust influencer recommendations, it's not difficult to understand why brands continue to invest. A key benefit of influencer marketing? It's scalable (and attainable) for all brands. But what can we take away from brands that go big? Here are tips that luxury brands live by when it comes to working with creators, influencers and celebrities — and now, they're all yours:
**Prada Seizes the Moment to Dress Caitlin Clark for the WNBA Draft**
Last month, college basketball star Caitlin Clark became the no. 1 pick in this year's WNBA draft — and with all the media buzz surrounding her, many wondered which sportswear brand would snap her up first for a sponsorship. A collaboration many didn't see coming? Prada, who made big moves by dressing Clark from head to toe for the WNBA draft — the brand's first time dressing a WNBA or NBA player for the occasion.
📈 *Prada's Tip: The early bird catches the worm. Influence is incredibly fluid (ever heard of 'the overnight influencer'?) so when building an influencer marketing strategy, it is critical to remain on top of who has influence at any given time. With all the buzz around Clark and her potential collaborations, Prada snapped up a massive moment that excited sports and fashion fans alike.
***Jimmy Choo Prioritizes Authenticity in Alex Cooper Collab**
Last week Alex Cooper, host of Call Her Daddy podcast, shared the details of her intimate wedding in Mexico with her followers. The next day, Jimmy Choo dropped a campaign featuring Alex in their 2024 Bridal Collection. The collaboration included a series of static and video content, capturing the collection as Alex prepped for her big day. Most notably, the campaign didn't shy away from letting Alex be Alex — known for her boldness and wit, her personality shone through all of the content, and the partnership was widely praised by fans for its authenticity.
📈 *Jimmy Choo's Tip: Authenticity is key. When working with influencers, creators or celebrities it's easy to get stuck in the cycle of creating content that fits neatly into your brand guidelines, but the key to a successful collaboration? It must feel authentic to both your brand and the collaborator's brand. Giving your collaborator the freedom to get creative in sharing how they connect with your brand will ultimately resonate much more with audiences than a cookie-cutter campaign.
***Mercedes-Benz Hosts a Celebrity-Filled G-Class Launch**
Did Mercedes-Benz host *the* party of the spring? They just might have. Last week the iconic luxury car brand hosted a celebration in honor of the all-new electric Mercedes-Benz G-Class — and the guest list was packed with celebrities and people of influence including Kendall Jenner, Selma Blair and Travis Scott. The event could be seen in earned media across editorial and social, as well as on Mercedes' marketing channels.
📈 *Mercedes' Tip: Always consider how a moment can live across channels. Of course, this event garnered massive amounts of earned media — likely the primary objective — but additionally, Mercedes seized the moment to create intentional organic content to live across their own channels.*
Whether applying influencer marketing strategies in big ways or small, these tips are now yours to keep — and of course, if you're interested in tapping into influencer marketing, we have agencies to help.
Marketing Wins we <3
*Who doesn’t love a marketing win? Below are recent marketing moments we couldn’t help but share — partnership edition.*
Chamberlain Coffee and 818 Tequila Come Together to Create a Limited Edition Espresso Martini
Last week, social media powerhouses Emma Chamberlain and Kendall Jenner brought their brands together to deliver the perfect tequila espresso martini as a limited-edition bundle. It doesn't stop there, the buzzy beverage (literally) can also be sipped IRL at select locations in NYC and LA.
*💡 Takeaway: Sometimes a collaboration just makes sense — don't overthink it. Of course, there's often talk around the power of 'the unexpected partnership' (we're big fans), but if a collab feels like the perfect fit, it just might be.*
Tecovas and BÉIS Take the Stagecoach Experience to the Next Level
Last weekend Stagecoach took social media by storm, and BÉIS and Tecovas were the stars of the *marketing* show. Together, the brands went full force, partnering on a creator house, festival activation and social content — we couldn't have loved it more!
*💡 Takeaway: Leverage partnerships across channels — strategically. This Stagecoach, there was no shortage of brand content, but with the multi-channel approach BÉIS and Tecovas took, you couldn't miss them!*
Aerosmith and Peloton Partner on Workout Playlists
This week, Aerosmith and Peloton officially partnered, bringing the iconic rock band's music to the Peloton app — much to the excitement of Aerosmith and Peloton fans alike. Talk about taking your workout to the next level!
*💡 Takeaway: Meet your audience where they are — but consider they may be somewhere you least expect. For Aerosmith, a fitness app was likely not the first idea in the partnership brainstorm, but the overjoyed reaction to the announcement showed that Aerosmith fans are everywhere!*
Marketing Jargon
*In marketing, it feels like there's a new term being thrown around every day. We've got you! Here are a few you should have on your radar (and mention in your next meeting).*
**DSP:** Short for 'demand side platform' — a software that allows advertisers to buy and sell ad impressions with the help of automation. The big DSP news this week? Kroger's retail media network (KPM) struck a deal with Yahoo Advertising to give marketers the ability to access their audiences programmatically through Yahoo's DSP.
**Sonic Logo:** A sonic branding tool that is a short, identifiable auditory signature. An example? The familiar 'ta-dum' that plays when you open the Netflix app on your TV.
**Privacy Sandbox:** Google's post-cookie advertising platform. Though the timeline of cookie deprecation continues to change due to the intricacies involved in the data shift, the current expected rollout is mid-2025.
---
That wraps issue no. 21 of The Breef POV! Keep an eye on your inbox for the next edition. In the meantime, browse more on The Breefing Room.
