Interaction with luxury brands:
The case of Gucci on Instagram
Name of student: Daniel Felipe González Quila Name of tutor: Alberto Guevara Chacón
Date 20-06-2022
DEGREE DISSERTATION
“Today, like yesterday, innovation is speaking the language of the moment, of the contemporary. I think that our time probably corresponds to something that exists:
whoever does my job doesn’t invent much, and never did.”
Alessandro Michele
Abstract
Currently, the profiles of fashion brands on Instagram are followed by a large community of young users. One of the most highlighted firms in the social network is Gucci, whose digital communication strategy exemplifies the efforts of some luxury brands to refocus on new consumer profiles. The main objective of this study is to know how Gucci communicates through its Instagram profile during the health crisis known as COVID-19. Through a quantitative content analysis on a sample of 36 posts, structured brand associations are recorded with high consumer attention and interest through interaction on the posts.
Resum executiu
Actualment, els perfils de les marques de moda a Instagram són seguits per una àmplia comunitat de joves usuaris. Una de les firmes més destacades a la xarxa social és Gucci, l’estratègia de comunicació digital de la qual exemplifica els esforços d’algunes marques de luxe per reorientar-se cap als nous perfils de consumidors. El principal objectiu d’aquest treball és conèixer com Gucci es comunica a través del seu perfil d’Instagram durant la crisi sanitària coneguda com la COVID-19. Mitjançant un anàlisis de contingut quantitatiu sobre una mostra de 36 publicacions, on es registren i es valida la gran atenció i interès pel consumidor a través de la interacció a les publicacions.
Resumen
Actualmente, los perfiles de las marcas de moda en Instagram son seguidos por una amplia comunidad de jóvenes usuarios. Una de las firmas más destacadas en la red social es Gucci, cuya estrategia de comunicación digital ejemplifica los esfuerzos de algunas otras marcas por reorientarse hacia los nuevos perfiles de consumidores. El principal objetivo de este trabajo es conocer de qué manera se comunica Gucci a través de su perfil de Instagram durante la crisis sanitaria conocida como la COVID-19. Mediante un análisis de contenido cuantitativo sobre una muestra de 36 publicaciones, se valida la gran atención e interés por el consumidor a través de la interacción en las publicaciones.
INDEX
1.Introduction………...….7
1.1. Relevance and relation with the field of studies………...7
1.2. Personal motivation………...….9
2.Theoretical framework………...10
2.1. Introducing the fashion industry in the digital era…….………...10
2.2. Gucci’s role in social media…………...………...………...11
2.2.1. Key points of the communication strategy……….…….11
2.3. History and evolution of the new generations...………...17
2.3.1. Relationship between the Millennials and social networks………...……..18
2.4. Theoretical framework conclusions……….…...19
3.Research question……….….21
3.1. Objectives………...21
3.2. Hypothesis……….21
4.Methodological framework...………22
4.1. Data collection...………22
4.2. Data analysis……….………25
5.Results………...27
5.1. Features of the publications analysis……….…27
5.2. Results analysis……….…35
6.Conclusions……….38
6.1. General conclusions……….38
6.2. Recommendations and future research lines………40
7.Bibliography……….…41
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Figures
Figure 1: Number of publications per year. Source: Web of Science 2021..……8 Figure 2: Number of publications per country. Source: Web of Science 2021....8 Figure 3: Frida Giannini betting on the transition from the 60’s to the 70’s. A strategy that aimed to keep loyal consumers active in the brand. Source: VOGUE https://www.vogue.es/moda/news/galerias/los-diez-mejores-momentos-de-frida- giannini-en-gucci/11519 ... 13 Figure 4: Alessandro Michele, has become the most influential fashion designer today. Betting on a nerdy trend, colorful and maximalist aesthetic that was the
cause of new current of
image………..…13 Figure 5: Harry Styles in the Met Gala 2019 wearing the most beautiful look
according to
Vigue………..14 Figure 6: An example of the Gucci Garden collaboration from Gucci and Roblox………....15 Figure 7: The exhibition space that shows the vision and legacy of the brand in Florene………...15 Figure 8: Gucci's newest snaker collaboration with Wanna Kicks App…...……..16 Figure 9: Gucci's NFT Collection with SUPERPLASTICS ……….17 Figure 10: Process to follow for literature review data gathering, processing and analysis……….……….23 Figure 11: Visualization of the bibliometric network based on selected keywords………...24 Figure 12: Process for obtaining the data for the study on Instagram…………. 26 Figure 13: The North Face x Gucci collection posts on the Instagram account………..30 Figure 14: The North Face x Gucci collection post on the Instagram account……….. 30 Figure 15: Post of The North Face x Gucci 2021 Collection………32
Figure 16: The North Face x Gucci collection post on the Instagram
account………..32
Figure 17: Post with singer Kai………...33
Figure 18: Kai's Instagram profile………...33
Figure 19: Post with singer Harry Styles ………...34
Figure 20: Harry's Instagram profile ………..34
Figure 21: Three March 2021 publications………36
Figure 22: Three February 2021 publications………...36
Tables Table 1. Gucci’s brand identity………13
Table 2. Volume of publication period……….………...28
Table 3. Average of likes on publications……….……….29
Table 4. Average of comments on publications………..………..31
Table 5. Product category per post……….………36
1.Introduction
1.1. Relevance and relation with the field of studies
The fashion world is a clear example of the evolution of our tastes and trends in our society over the years. It is quite evident due to the continuous renewal in fashion offers and the way they are reaching the new generations.
Therefore, it is important to see digitalization as one of the major phenomena that are currently transforming the reality in which we live; affecting all aspects of modern life, from communication to the economy, including all industries.
In particular, the luxury sector has faced a huge challenge in responding to a series of changes that they have never faced before and adapt to social media because its prominent role in the communication of fashion brands in a record time says Estévez-Martin (2019).
That’s the reason why some studies such as those by González (2021), Pérez- Curiel & Sanz-Marcos (2019), and Valades (2021) state that the digital environment has meant that social networks are presented as alternative communication tools that support the relationships and activities of the user public, resulting in turn in suitable platforms to promote brands and stimulate purchasing decisions in order to reach different consumer profiles, distinct from those who have been with the brands from the beginning. Thus, the most desirable social media platform is Instagram because of its visual aspect and potential for encouraging engagement among users explain Oliveira and Fernandes (2020).
Among all the fashion brands with a presence on Instagram, Gucci has been selected for this study because of its popularity and differentiating feature in digital communication with regard to new audiences according to Sanz-Marcos &
Pérez-Curiel (2019).
After performing an analysis of the publications obtained from the database “Web of Science” using a wide selection of keywords related to the object of study, it is seen an increase over the years of related publications.
Figure 1: Number of publications per year.
Source: Web of Science (2021)
Figure 2: Number of publications per country.
Source: Web of Science (2021)
1.2. Personal motivation
The reasons for choosing Gucci and Instagram as a case study responds to a series of arguments related to the previously one described.
- The high growth rate of its audience on Instagram.
- Instagram has become the benchmark platform for millennials, a generation that has changed its consumption habits and lifestyle compared to other generations.
- Gucci is one of the most popular brands in 2020 according to a study carried out by The Lyst Index (2020).
- Gucci was the luxury brand with the most followers on Instagram in 2021.
2.Theoretical framework
2.1. Introducing luxury brands in the digital era
Almost every industry has been shaped by the digital era in one way or another.
From new methods of advertising to new opportunities to reach unexplored markets. That’s why so many brands are taking advantage of the opportunities offered by the evolution of digital marketing, according to Alonso & Arébalos (2020).
The luxury industry has probably moved at a slower speed when it comes to adopting a business redesign in favor of digital transformation, slowly getting into the swing of things as time went on, it’s because they were initially reluctant to use social media due to its inclusive, and accessible nature, which is quite the opposite of the concept of luxury says Park (2018).
However, the truth is that the sector is plunging headlong into this trend, as traditional brands have had to rethink their communication and design strategies to satisfy the increasingly demanding 21st-century customer and due to the COVID-19 pandemic which are factors that have accelerated the introduction of previous technological advances in the luxury sector to compensate for store closures and the consequent decrease in customer touchpoints, according to Deloitte’s publication (2020).
This has been reflected today through our mobile devices, we can observe the shop windows and even purchase from home, these have been some of the advances that have occurred as exposed by Deacetis (2021) in its publication.
In this regard, it is worth highlighting that the fashion industry increased its investment in social media by 52% during the first quarter of 2021 compared to the same period in 2020 according to the article published by Socialbakers (2020).
2.2. Gucci’s role in social media
Regarding Gucci, the Italian fashion brand was recognized in 2018 for the success of its digital influence strategy by the Kering Financial Document, as a brand that has as its main objective a communication and marketing model that maximizes visibility and profit on sales portals due to the fact that has always been considered popular and differentiating features with regard to new audiences says Pérez-Curiel & Sanz-Marcos (2019).
In this way, the establishment of social networks has transformed the marketing panorama, affected not only the commercial sphere, but even transcended cultural aspects such as personal relationships.
This change in the digital environment has meant that social networks are presented as alternative communication tools that support the relationships and activities of the user public, resulting in turn in suitable platforms to feed brands and stimulate purchasing decisions.
2.2.1. Key points of the communication strategy
Gucci has been among the top-rated luxury brand for twenty consecutive years.
According to GQ magazine and many other authors, the Italian brand has been able to redesign its lines of action to continue to attract the usual customers as well as the new generations (Girela, 2021).
Due to the change in Gucci’s creative direction, replacing Frida Giannini by Alessandro Michele, the firm achieved a 44.5% growth, according to Forbes, and represented 40% of Kering’s corporate revenues (Gucci’s parent company).
The growth and success of the brand coincides with the incorporation of Alessandro Michele as Gucci’s creative director in 2015. The arrival of the designer has been a revolution for the Italian firm:
With the new vision of creative director Alessandro Michele, the firm has redefined luxury for the 21st century, further reinforcing its position as one of the
most desired fashion houses worldwide. Eclectic, contemporary, and romantic, Gucci products represent the pinnacle of Italian craftsmanship and are unsurpassed for their quality and attention to detail (Gucci, n.d.).
Alessandro Michele’s eclecticism is reflected in the introduction of new icons such as snakes, tigers, and floral elements that share the limelight with the classic two- tone-stripe. However, the designer has recovered some symbols form the past that has fallen into disuse, such as the Double G monogram in honor of the brand’s founder, Guccio Gucci.
Below are the different works of the brand’s creative directors, the first collection designed by Frida Giannini shown in the Figure 3, and the Figure 4, a line by Alessandro Michele, where it can be seen the attributes that will be describe ed below to understand the identity of the brand in a more vivid collection by the designer Alessandro Michele.
Figure 3: Frida Giannini betting on the transition from the 60’s to the 70’s. A strategy that aimed to keep loyal consumers active in the brand.
Source: VOGUE (2019)
Figure 4: Alessandro Michele, has become the most influential fashion designer today.
Betting on a nerdy trend, colorful and maximalist aesthetic that was the cause of new current of image.
Source: Gestión (2017)
This is not only due to the aesthetic vision provided by Alessandro Michele, but also to the brand’s use of social media as a digital marketing tool to maintain the attributes that Gucci communicates explicitly. In order to facilitate understanding, three categories of attributes have been group following a time period criterion, which is shown in Table 1.
Table 1. Gucci's brand identity
Past Present Future
Romantic High quality Italian Craftsmanship
Modern Eclectic Exclusive
Influential Innovative Progressive
Source: Table extracted from The communication of Gucci’s brand identity on its Instagram profile.
As previously mentioned, Alessandro Michele was in responsible for redesigning the entire aesthetic of the brand, highlighting the timeless gender and vintage icons characteristic of the brand. Another of Gucci’s most effective marketing campaigns, according to (Valades, Blucactus Marketing, 2021) was the inclusion of archetypes detailing race, age, gender and orientation, all very common elements in today’s society.
Maintaining elements that were important to the brand identity:
- The vintage style.
- The return of the characteristic logo with the interlocking G.
- The integration of the icons that made the brand popular.
The prestigious brand has focused for several years on using marketing strategies to maintain its position as a distinguished fashion house. Likewise, two marketing strategies stand out:
- Add value to the brand.
- Making use of the Internet and celebrities.
Gucci appeals to a younger audience by partnering with contemporary icons such as the singer, Harry Styles – considered the most influential person in fashion in 2020.
Figure 5: Harry Styles in the Met Gala 2019 wearing the most beautiful look according to Vogue.
Source: Vogue (2019)
Due to the evolution of its digital approach over the years, Gucci decided to enter the Metaverse in a new and fascinating way, having tried it before.
The Gucci Garden experience at Roblox, shown in the following Figure number 6, it is divided into themed rooms; in each, visitors can immerse themselves in Michele’s creative vision and multiple inspirations, as well as share this captivating experience with their friends (Roblox, 2021).
Figure 6: An example of the Gucci Garden collaboration from Gucci and Roblox.
Figure 7: The exhibition space that shows the vision and legacy of the brand in Florence.
As can be seen in the Figures 6 & 7, previously shown, both are an example of how Alessandro Michele manages to make the brand live an eternal youth. It identifies an ambitious and ephemeral strategy, an initiative that dives deep into the heart of the Italian house, where the aim is to explore the creativity of the brand from its Florentine origins in 1921 to its most recent works.
The latest trend in the market is the NFT, Non-Fungible Goods, those that in our legal system are not replaceable. In order to understand more clearly what is an example of a non-fungible good we can highlight a work of art, since it is not consumed when it is used and it cannot be substituted by another painting.
The purpose is to understand that in this case, a work of art is not equivalent to another, and therefore, they cannot be simply exchanged as happens with a 20- euro bill.
In this case, the acronym NFT stands for Non - Fungible Token, that is, units of value that are assigned to a business model, such as cryptocurrencies. The definition according to Fernández is that NFTs are unique assets that cannot be modified or exchanged for another that has the same value, since no two NFTs are equivalent.
The interest arises because consumers say that if they buy an NFT for 100.000 euros, they can resell it for more money in the future. It is a unique asset, which in theory should give it a higher value as there is no other like it.
As for Gucci, where a person sees an intangible asset, they saw an opportunity to improve their positioning and support augmented reality. The luxury brand strategically launched its own NFT: virtual sneakers that you can wear as if they were an Instagram filter, worth between 9 and 12 million dollars, as reported by Nanda (2021).
Figure 8: Gucci’s newest sneaker collaboration with Wanna Kicks App.
Source: Business of Fashion (2021)
Gucci has also decided to launch a new NFT collection with SUPERPLASTICS,
Figure 9: Gucci’s NFT Collection with SUPERPLASTICS.
Source: Business of Fashion (2021)
2.3. History and evolution of the new generations
To define the two generations, it is based entirely on dates – in this case, years.
A Millennial is anyone born between 1980 and 1995, where, on the other hand, a member of Gen Z is anyone born between 1996 and the early-mid 2000s.
In other words, these generations of social networkers who ideally belong to the school-to-college student segment or comparatively newly as a workforce in organizations are often labeled as technically innate and very much aware of the style of all previous generations according to Adecco (2019).
The need to engage and inform themselves with other people is the main reason for Generation Z’s use of online socializing. These 16-26-year-old are more like to prefer online social sites to communicate and interact with people they know than other generations and are and feel vital to provide active opinions and feedback on brands/services/issues they use.
Based on the IAB Spain report “Estudio de Redes Sociales 2021”, Generation Z is the generation that uses social networks the most.
Thanks to this survey of men and women between 16 and 70 years old, they found that 93% of the population accesses the Internet. Of these, 85% are users of social networks. The gender distribution is 51% of female users, compared to 49% of men. Facebook is the network that leads in spontaneous knowledge among social network users in Spain, with 91%. It is followed by Instagram (74%), Twitter (64%) and WhatsApp (36%). Mentions of TikTok have increased significantly, rising from 13% in 2020 to 30% in 2021. And lastly, YouTube (19%), all the previous data was related to the studies from Kar (2018).
2.3.1 Relation between the Millennials and social networks
According to 99 firm (2021), 60% of Gucci’s sales come from Millennials, and its fastest growing audience is Generation Z which is a key point to bear in mind.
There are studies on the growing use of social media by Generation Z, but more research needs to be done on their social media activities and their impact on behavior.
Changes in the global economy and advances in communication technology have led to major transformations in the demands and consumption habits of the new generation of luxury fashion consumers. This new consumer is now used to
“explore, compare, share and buy online the brands they are attracted to” says Pérez-Curiel & Sanz-Marcos (2019). To achieve this, it is necessary to work on communication strategies that are less intrusive than traditional advertising, says Liberos.
Now the biggest group in the workforce, their spending power is growing. And, as social media also grows in commercial importance, it’s vital to know what consumers are doing on platforms (and why).
It is important to explore the awareness of how the present Generation Z is using the social media as well as to review its repercussion on them as an individual’s, organization and society as a system.
This generation is a strong contributor, a heavy consumer of social media, online content, creative and mash-up savvy; they have a strong gravitational link to online communication and prefer to engage and stay connected through the technology available at their fingertips.
Based on the article previously mentioned, Generation Z has a more intensive use compared with the Millennials, with an average of 1:42 hours per day, compared to an average of 1:16 hours for millennials.
The overall average usage is 1 hour and 21 minutes per day. The objectives of these two generations when using social networks are to entertain, interact and inform themselves.
As a distinctive feature, Generation Z also uses them to follow trends (50%), compared to 28% of millennials. They also use them to meet people: 52% of Generation Z versus 22% of millennials.
Regarding influencers, 48% of social network users follow influencers, although penetration is down 8 percentage points this year. Young users are the ones who follow them the most. 7 out of 10 Generation Z users follow an influencer. Mostly on Instagram and Youtube, followed by TikTok, Twitch, Facebook and Spotify.
2.4. Theoretical framework conclusions
It is important to highlight the suitability of Instagram to generate engagement compared to other platforms. According to Dessart, engagement consist of establishing interactive relationships between consumers and brands. In the case of Instagram, interaction is measured by adding together the likes and comments that a profile receives from his or her posts.
Another of Instagram’s advantages is the growth potential of its audience, currently estimated at 1,075,000,000 active monthly users worldwide according to the data obtained from Statista.
Regarding the user profile of the platform, Instagram has a higher level of popularity among women (51,4%) than among men (48,6%) according to Statista, and the highest rate of use can be found among the 25-to-34-year age group, which stands at 32,1%. Moreover, slightly more than two thirds of Instagram users are under 35 years of age. These data offer an incentive for luxury brands, whose survival is necessarily linked to focusing on younger audiences says Pérez-Curiel & Sanz-Marcos (2019).
3.Research question
Following the theoretical framework conclusions, this research objective is to analyse which were the main communication tools and strategies that Gucci has been using to attract new generations and keep the loyal ones during a crisis that has affected the whole population and its consumption habits.
¿Which has been the Gucci’s communication strategy on Instagram during the pandemic year in order to maintain its strong positioning on the platform?
3.1. Objectives
The objectives of this study are established as follows:
- To better understand which are the main players of Gucci’s actions on Instagram.
- To analyse the millennial audience, their activity on Instagram, and their connection with the brand considering a timeline of one year and the pandemic crisis.
To achieve this has been analysed the interaction of Gucci with their followers on Instagram through a timeline of two post per month during one year.
3.2. Hypothesis
According to the objectives, and based on the literature review, the following research hypotheses are proposed:
H1.- Gucci’s communication and digital marketing strategy is conditioned by the perception of Millennials and Gen Z and the creative director’s approach.
H2.- The interaction with celebrities are factors that increase the popularity and boost the image of the company.
H3.- Instagram is the main digital platform that contributes to the diffusion of the Gucci product.
H4.- Gucci’s target audience has been adapted in order to establish a renewed brand image and to obtain better results.
4.Methodological framework
4.1. Data collection
To test the hypotheses established in the study of Gucci’s communication strategy, primary and secondary data will be used. Specifically, on the one hand, data provided by several studies related to the current research will be used, following a data gathering, processing and analysis methodology that will be explained later. On the other hand, we will also use data provided by the brand itself from its Instagram profile from a sample of 39 posts, consisting of 3 posts per month of the total analyzed.
The period selected for the study is from March 2020 to March 2021, exactly one year from the beginning of the global impact of COVID-19.
The analysis attempts to observe evidence at a specific period in time on how Gucci has been able to survive during the global crisis and how has manage their communication tools to maintain the interest of their consumers, once the relationship between millennials’ behavior and the brand’s performance has been empirically justified.
As previously mentioned, data will be obtained from a review of the selected bibliography that has been executed, mainly composed of studies carried out by different entities and authors, as well as articles from magazines, specialized publications, and chapters of books dedicated to the subject and focused on the luxury sector due to the increase of articles in recent years, the process followed is shown in the Figure 10.
The databases used to obtain this bibliography are Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Scopus; using the keywords “digitalization”, “luxury”, “brand”,
“luxury brand”, “perceptions”, “social media”, “engagement”, “Instagram”,
“strategies”, “purchase intention”, “consumer-behavior”, “luxury marketing”,
Figure 11 shows the connection that has been found as a result of the different keywords selected in order to simplify the research and identify which are the most important ones for the study.
Keywords such as “social media”, “luxury brand”, “luxury brands”, “behavior”,
“purchase intention” and “perceptions” play a major part in the study, since they are the ones that can be more generic in the majority of studies, so it is important to know which are the others than can be useful in the research.
Figure 10: Process to follow for literature review data gathering, processing and analysis.
Source: Self-elaboration by the author
Figure 11: Visualization of the bibliometric network based on selected keywords.
Source: Own creation
Finally, once the data is obtained, the analysis of the same will contribute to add more knowledge to the field of study; the main features of the digitalization phenomenon in the industry and an analysis of the behavior of the groups in question, the Millennials, and the luxury brand, Gucci.
Since the objective of the research is to analyse the communication model of Gucci, the analysis of the external personal accounts of influencers will be excluded and will focus only on the content and interaction of the brand’s posts.
The research will be based on a quantitative analysis methodology with a triple approach (brand-strategy-consumer) that measures on the Instagram digital platform the influence and response capacity of the individuals (who), the subject matter (what), and the communication strategies and action (how) with the objectives of positioning, visualization, and projection of the brand’s product and engagement.
To structure the research, three blocks will be carried out.
The first block is the one that has been previously described and has tried to justify the choice of the topic where will be more focus on the relevance of the topic to be researched, an initial background theoretical framework, establish the main objectives and hypothesis, and define the work timeline.
The second block will be in charge of the diffusion to collect the maximum number of responses to surveys and to identify different variables. This will be from January 2022 to March 2022. Also, establish a more written report in order to justify all the previous tasks from the first block.
And finally, in this one, will be an analysis from all the data, where will be firstly classify in different variables, and look for an answer to the research question this case, it will take from April 2022 to June 2022.
4.2. Data analysis
In order to study the influence of the variables that affect Gucci’s communication strategy through Instagram, an analysis will be made based on Gucci’s interaction with user comments and likes on its publications. This analysis will allow to analyze the relationship between the different variables that can have an impact on the brand.
To perform the analysis, another process has been followed, which can be seen in Figure 12, allowing to see how Instagram data have been obtained for analysis.
First, a baseline of three posts per month during the study period will be used, which consist of images only, referring to the beginning of the month, in the middle of the month, and at the end of the month.
What will be analyzed will be the average number of likes, comments, and the total number of publications made during the month. Besides identifying external elements to the brand such as celebrities in the publication, collaborations with other brands, or even seasonality.
A verification will also be performed in Ads Library to corroborate the impact of the analyzed posts, in order to be able to verify if the engagement is actually due to a paid ad or organic.
Figure 12: Process for obtaining the data for the study on Instagram.
Source: Self-elaboration by the autor
5.Results
In this section, the results of the study will be shown, applying the methodology established in the previous section. The aim is to validate the hypotheses proposed with the intention of analyzing the communication strategy and the key points that Gucci used during the period of time selected (March 2020 to March 2021) where it was counted a total of 36 posts on the Official Gucci Instagram account. In this section, the results obtained are presented from the analysis of all the publications.
5.1. Features of the publications
As shown in Table 2, November was the month with the highest percentage of publications (13,85%). Followed by July (9,72%) and May (9,49%), where the volume of publications decreased, but not significantly compared to other months. August (4,69%) and February (5,02%) were the months with the lowest frequency of publication.
One of the main reasons why in November, Gucci increased the number of publications was mainly due to the launch of the Gucci Sneaker Garage, the first virtual sneakers designed by Alessandro Michele.
Moreover, the launch of the mini-series “Ouverture Of Something That Never Ended” composed of 7 episodes where the creative director, Alessandro Michelle, presented the new collection and starring world-renowned artist such as Harry Styles and Billie Eilish, celebrities acclaimed by a young and social media savvy audience which generates an impact on the engagement measured by likes as shown in Table 3 below.
Table 2. Volume of publication period
Month of publication Number of posts Percentage
March 2020 56 6,25%
April 2020 66 7,37%
May 2020 85 9,49%
June 2020 57 6,36%
July 2020 87 9,72%
August 2020 42 4,69%
September 2020 72 8,04%
October 2020 77 8,60%
November 2020 124 13,85%
December 2020 62 6,92%
January 2021 57 6,36%
February 2021 45 5,02%
March 2021 65 7,26%
Total 895 100%
Source: prepared by the author
Nearly 90% of the publications are related to campaigns, Gucci products, and celebrities wearing Gucci clothes. Only a 3% of the publications during the analysis period are related to the global health crisis, the COVID-19. And all the rest, with social causes, such as, for example, support for the feminist struggle, fight against race discrimination, and human rights for the LGBT+ community.
Table 3. Average of likes on publications
Month of publication Average of likes Percentage
March 2020 84k 4,75%
April 2020 78k 4,41%
May 2020 94k 5,32%
June 2020 111k 6,28%
July 2020 224k 12,68%
August 2020 84k 4,75%
September 2020 208k 11,77%
October 2020 130k 7,36%
November 2020 104,5k 5,91%
December 2020 61k 3,45%
January 2021 309,3k 17,51%
February 2021 171,5k 9,72%
March 2021 106,9k 6,08%
Total 1.766,2M 100%
Source: prepared by the author
Another point of analysis is to know when Gucci has more interaction with the user and why, in this case, in Table 3 we can see that the month with the highest percentage of likes in the publications averaging the three publications randomly chosen throughout the month is January (17,51%). By analyzing the content published by Gucci, we can highlight in Figure 13 and Figure 14, the The North Face x Gucci collaboration.
Out of the total number of publications in January, 35% are from the collaboration with The North Face, which allows us to see how Gucci prioritizes almost half of its monthly publications to publish content from the campaign.
Looking at the result obtained in Table 3 on the average number of likes from January with Figure 14, the result is in line with the data obtained from Instagram.
Figure 13. The North Face x Gucci collection posts on the Instagram account
Source: Official Gucci account (2022)
Figure 14. The North Face x Gucci collection post on the Instagram account
Source: Official Gucci account (2022)
Table 4. Average of comments on publications
Month of publication Average of likes Percentage
March 2020 259 3,16%
April 2020 232 2,83%
May 2020 615 7,51%
June 2020 600 7,33%
July 2020 1200k 14,67%
August 2020 237 2,90%
September 2020 1110k 13,56%
October 2020 414 5,06%
November 2020 242 2,95%
December 2020 250 3,05%
January 2021 1380k 16,86%
February 2021 1240k 15,16%
March 2021 402 4,96%
Total 8.181k 100%
Source: prepared by the author
With regard to the interaction measured in number of comments, we can note that January is again the month with the highest average number of comments, as shown in Table 4.
The main reason is again the collaboration with The North Face. Some examples of the response of Gucci’s followers are reflected in the Figure 15 and Figure 16 that belong to comments coming from the same publications shown in Figure 14.
The impact is totally related to the large number of positive comments, since first we see how the same users tag other profiles which leads to more engagement in the publication, and finally, out of every 5 comments, 3 are emojis that express their liking for the content.
Figure 15. Post of The North Face x Gucci 2021 Collection
Source: Official Gucci account (2022)
Figure 16. The North Face x Gucci collection post on the Instagram account
Another useful analysis to answer the hypotheses is the association of publications with celebrities from different fields, such as actors, influencers, models, and singers. To be able to verify the linkage between the theoretical conclusions that emphasize the use of influential people to promote the brand image is a key factor that contributes to increase the popularity and boost the image of the company.
In the following Figure 17 and Figure 18 it can be seen how there is content exclusively from the celebrity that has a great link with a younger and modern audience, taking into account that Kai (Figure 17), regarded as the best singer and dancer in South Korea has 14M followers, and Harry Styles (Figure 19), an ex-singer of one of the most followed boybands called “One Direction”, and now a solo artist has 45M followers.
Figure 17. Post with singer Kai
Source: Official Gucci account (2022)
Figure 18. Kai’s Instagram profile
Source: Official Gucci account (2022)
Figure 19. Post with singer Harry Styles
Source: Official Gucci account (2022)
Figure 20. Harry’s Instagram profile
Source: Official Gucci account (2022)
So, from a person brand perspective between Gucci and certain celebrities on its Instagram profile we can conclude that a least 45% of celebrities are featured in Gucci publications. The understanding of a celebrity is that of a famous person with high social standing who was not playing a role as model at the time of publication. An example is shown in the previous figures.
Most of these celebrities are actors and musicians. An example, the two
5.2. Results analysis
The first hypothesis (H1) proposed the relationship of Gucci’s communication strategy with the perception of a Millennial public and the creative director’s approach. Throughout the different analysis, the results can be interpreted as clear evidence on the relationship of the study variables, and that this work is aligned with Perez-Curiel & Sanz-Marcos (2019) suggestions, given that, reaffirms that this new consumer is now used to explore, compare, share and buy online the brands they are attracted to. Apart from the fact that in order to achieve this, it is necessary to work on communication strategies that are less intrusive than traditional advertising. As those authors had previously stated, with positive and significant relations between the Gucci’s communication strategy and the perception of a new public, the first hypothesis (H1) can be accepted.
Regarding hypothesis 2 (H2), which focused on the connection between the use of celebrities and the increase in brand popularity has been examined how it is related on the increase of likes and comments of publications where a celebrity appears. The result obtained is that there is a higher engagement when there is a celebrity in a publication, but the truth is that not any kind of celebrity generates a great impact, in general the artis/actors are those that cause more impact. Thus, although it is possible to conclude, based on the results from the Table 5, that there is an interrelated relationship among celebrities and the popularity of the company, it is not possible to full accept H2 as true, because not all celebrities make a big impact.
In relation to the third hypothesis (H3), the research that Instagram is the digital platform that contributes to the diffusion of Gucci’s products. As shown in Table 5, branded products appear in 87,17% of the post analysed. These results confirm the prominence that Gucci gives to the product in its communication strategy on Instagram (Pérez-Curiel & Sanz-Marcos, 2019).
We can see the predominance of clothing (56,41%), followed by accessories (15,38%), and then footwear (10,26%). The scarce presence of cosmetics (5,12%) may be due to the fact that the firm has a specific account for the beauty sector. It can also be visualized in Figure 21 and Figure 22.
Table 5. Product category per post
Category Total Percentage
Clothing 22 56,41%
Accessories 6 15,38%
Cosmetics 2 5,12%
Footwear 4 10,26%
Other 5 12,83%
Total 39 100%
Source: prepared by the author
Figure 21. Three March 2021 publications
Source: prepared by the author
Figure 22. Three February 2021 publications
Finally, the fourth hypothesis (H4) of the study is checked. It states that Gucci’s target has been adapted to offer a new brand image and to obtain better results.
For that purpose, following Park (2018), the Italian luxury brand has had to adapt to new trends where we clearly see that it has had to meet the new trends created by a new public and their consumption habits.
This does not mean that the brand has lost the old consumers, but that it has had to deal with a two-way communication strategy to create new needs in a group that is both new and potential in today’s times, and to keep those who have been loyal customers for a long time without losing the brand identity and elements that characterize the brand.
In order to reject or not the hypothesis, the selected sample is analysed and to discover which elements appear on the brand identity, with the assistance of the Table 1.
Table 1. Gucci's brand identity
Past Present Future
Romantic High quality Italian Craftsmanship
Modern Eclectic Exclusive
Influential Innovative Progressive
Source: Table extracted from The communication of Gucci’s brand identity on its Instagram profile.
6.Conclusions
6.1. General conclusions
The visual and interactive nature of Instagram, along with the many features built into the app, have enabled fashion brands to generate a high level of engagement with users. This offers the opportunity for firms to strengthen their relationship with new generations of consumers. However, it also presents a challenge for luxury brands, as they are forced to adapt their communication strategy to the digital environment while keeping intact the perception of exclusivity as the vast majority of people have access to the platform.
The present study shows how Gucci has adapted its communication strategy to Instagram while remaining loyal to its identity and the adversities that arose during the time of study.
Celebrities in Gucci publications play an important role as they are present in 1 out of 3 publications. This allows to link different important elements of Gucci, such as its products, with influential people at an international level.
Two examples could be Harry Styles and Kai, two celebrities who have been and continue to be influential and belong to the category of singers, one of the most impactful on the Instagram account. Gucci does not tend to use figures that are defined as influencers, as it has been observed that the impact, they generate in terms of engagement based on likes and comments is not as great.
It is certain that the link that all the publications have and that has not been mentioned previously but it appears in all the posts is that of the creative director, Alessandro Michele. His figure is mentioned in almost all the posts.
These findings demonstrate the validity of the first hypothesis since the relationship between the communication strategy, the figure of Alessandro Michele, and the Millennial public. On the other hand, regarding the second hypothesis, it cannot be accepted since, as previously mentioned, not all
By viewing and analyzing the data from different perspectives, from a like side analysis to a product side analysis of the posts, it allows to assess and evaluate the following hypothesis that can be confirmed:
- Instagram is the main digital platform that contributes to the diffusion of the Gucci product.
- Gucci’s target audience has been adapted in order to establish a renewed brand image and to obtain better results.
During the period analyzed, which includes the entire period of the health crisis, Gucci only uploaded pandemic content for its users for two months where it shared WHO security measures.
6.2. Recommendations and future research lines
For future research lines it would be interesting to add more variables that would allow us to categorize in more detail the celebrities that appear in the publications and to observe how the response of the followers is based on their gender and ethnicity. Another line of research could be focused on studying the influence and impact of a research study only with videos and leaving aside the images.
It would also be interesting to measure engagement over a much longer period of time and be able to compare at least three years. And finally, it would also be interesting to compare the same variables on other platforms such as Twitter or TikTok.
Also, a finding could be to develop the effect that the use of celebrities has on publications in the long term. And to conclude, the presented study has limitations such as some variables that cannot be controlled and therefore may alter the results, and also the small sample.
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