Burberry Entrenching in Social Media

by Rachelle Robinett

Artofthetrench

Burberry’s new social networking site Art of the Trench is “a living document of the trench coat and the people who wear it.” And, grandly: “A collaboration between Burberry and the world’s leading image makers with participation from the global creative community.”

Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts says, “It’s our differentiator. We come from a coat. It’s our job to keep that category hot and cool and relevant for all ages.” The ages to talk to, according to consulting firm Bain & Company, are “younger consumers and working women [who will] replace retiring baby boomers as the dominant consumer group,” as a result, we delight: “the $226 billion global market for luxury goods is expected to grow again next year.”

Ahrendts, exemplary of that demographic, credits much of her inspiration to her children and their internet (browsing and shopping) habits.

Art of the Trench does feel human. Scott Schuman’s photos are characteristically warm and the filters are positive (popularity’s options are most liked or most commented), and playful (filter by weather, or styling: belted or un-). Images checker the single-layer platform, a soundtrack auto-starts but fades to street sounds when zooming into a photo where details and comments live. It is intuitive and straightforward. Though, is it too simple? We recognize the popularity of sites like, well, The Sartorialist, but with Ahrendts appropriately focused on “how can we continue to evolve this organization in order to stay ahead of the curve” and her responsibility to “always look two to three years ahead and look round the corner and see what’s coming,” we can’t help but feel like this is an old idea.

Granted it’s newborn, and living, so expected to have some growing to do.

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