Now, unless you stay under a rock, the word Gucci would be well-known by you. And why not? The marketing forces that have registered the brand in everyone’s mind, have done a brilliant job. Right from imprinting the iconic ‘G’ loop on every product, to shock advertising to meme marketing, Gucci, has done it all to stay relevant and likeable. Here’s taking a look at their marketing strategies over all these years.
Beginnings
Gucci was founded by Guccio Gucci in 1921. A bellhop at a high-end London hotel, Guccio, used to observe fashion and jewellery trends, and tastes of people from affluent families and backgrounds visiting the hotel. He began by importing leather goods, and then started producing handbags and loafers, that had its iconic green and red bands over every offering.
Acknowledgement from well-known figures in history like Jackie Kennedy and Princess Grace Kelly of Monaco further strengthened the Gucci brand image and the brand spread far and wide. However, after a slight plunge in demand in 1990s, the brand saw exponential growth after Tom Ford took over as the Creative Director. He established an image for Gucci that still continues to be its asset.
1. Shockvertising
The type of advertising that intentionally jolts and affronts a person, was one of the first strategies used by Tom Ford. His team of designers banked on the idea ‘sex sells’ which many find offensive, though the adage even today holds to be true in marketing. Gucci launched provocative products like a G -string, and even silver handcuffs. Their impeccable timing in launching this idea helped them gain tremendous popularity, as that time period saw the return of ‘sensual and seductive fashion’
2. Influencer Marketing
In the 1990s, Gucci implemented what is now known as Influencer marketing. Associating with celebrities to promote their brand, right from Britney Spears, the Beckham power couple, Serena Williams to now Rihanna and Kylie Jenner, Gucci has been a friend of many, and the right celebrities.
Noteworthy is the mention of a gender-neutral and bohemian revival of the brand, after Alessandro Michele joined as the Creative Director in 2015. The brand aimed to be more inclusive. Recently, one of its campaigns featured many celebrities being invited on “The Beloved Show by James Cordon’, like Harry Styles, Sienna Miller and Diane Keaton
3. Presenting brand image as wealthy
This strategy has helped boost the brands popularity. Their clientele is extremely exclusive, targeting mostly the upper class, urban shopper, though pinned for by all. The name resonates with an aura of prestige and status, so much so that it is also is used as an adjective, standing for fancy or very fashionable!
4. Meme Marketing
This strategy brought the millennial crowd to love Gucci. Gucci literally knows how to have fun while marketing itself and also believes in not taking itself too seriously, two line of thoughts that millennials swear by. In 2017, they launched a new collection of watches called Le Marché des Merveilles. To spread the word of the new collection, they used meme marketing. Here are some funny ones.
The Italian luxury brand has seen its fair share of ups and downs. But with every down they experienced, Gucci shot to higher success and still remains to be one of the most desirable brands in the world, even after a century of its inception.
