Fashion and luxury: when brands bet on podcasts

Cartier, Dior, Gucci, Guerlain... the luxury houses seem to have spread the word. After cafés and restaurants, exhibitions and signature books, many brands are now opting for podcasts, the ideal marketing tool for unveiling their storytelling. Between emotion, search for authenticity and intimacy, let's zoom in on a phenomenon that is still in its early beginnings...

A new era for communication 

It is one of the latest to date, the Dior Talk. As its name suggests, this new podcast highlights the French fashion house through a podcast focused on feminism where creative personalities express themselves, via a galvanizing scenario, on their personal commitments. Art historian, art director, filmmaker... far from being a stereotype, this series is a tribute to femininity and a collection of inspiration made available by Dior. Another example: in its podcast, Cartier invites listeners into an intimate conversation about the emotional power of scent, with Mathilde Laurent, the in-house perfumer, but also friends of the brand, artists and olfaction specialists. An original immersion and a beautiful way to evoke a product that is difficult to put into words. But fashion and beauty are not the only sectors to rely on this tool. The proof is in the higher education sector, which is also opting for this innovative distribution. One example is the Sup de Luxe school, which offers an audio series called "Luxe en Lumière". This podcast, available on Spotify, is a new way of talking about today's luxury and tomorrow's trends for both enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts who want to learn about this unique world and become the new players in a rapidly changing sector. Another fertile field is that of the luxury hotel industry. The Four Seasons hotel group illustrates this by sharing the approaches and relationships to travel of personalities and experts in the hospitality industry. This podcast is also linked to a study conducted by the group on the desires and habits of travellers. The circle is complete.

A place to explore and a creativity to develop

And yet, this success has been slow to emerge. Indeed, considered at the beginning and by many as counter-intuitive, the podcast was slow to be set up and to become the lever that it is today for luxury. Not explicit enough, not demonstrative enough, it was preferred to methods such as costly advertising campaigns and posters displayed in the four corners of the world. However, luxury is constantly seeking to connect with its target and its customers. As Thibault de La Rivière, founder and director of Sup de Luxe, explains, "The podcast allows for unprecedented knowledge and erudition about a brand. It is a novelty to be able to penetrate a universe through this prism. It has the power to crystallise the values of a house and to convey them in a more direct and intimate way."

Like retrospective exhibitions or exclusive galas, this communication tool allows you to develop your own discourse without intermediaries. However, there is no question of resting on one's laurels and it is necessary to continue to offer ever more immersive, original and captivating content. Another important point is that podcasts are regularly adapted in the form of videos and content for social networks. A plural and strategic distribution that will never cease to renew its creativity to seduce.