How Jacquemus Has Built Brand Value Through Surrealist Marketing
In 2024, creating brand experiences and viral moments that captivate audiences across the world is no easy feat. The attention economy has never been more valuable with $853 billion in global net advertising revenue generated in 2023 alone.
Despite this, luxury brand Jacquemus continues to capture worldwide attention with their unique approach to marketing.
Jacquemus is a fashion label created in 2009 by French designer Simon Porte Jacquemus at the age of 19. The brand has gained increasing popularity over the years, turning over a whopping 280 million euro in 2023 with its deconstructed, surrealist, boundary-pushing fashion breathing new life into the French fashion scene. From artist collaborations and celebrity endorsements to partnerships with iconic brands like Nike and viral marketing campaigns, Jacquemus has redefined what it means to be a successful fashion brand in the age of digital media.
Their approach to marketing is unlike any other brand in their space, well probably any other brand on the planet. They capture attention through surreal and vibrant campaigns…Cue giant moving handbags, skiing christmas trees, runways in lavender fields and retail stores in the shape of a purse. Jacquemus captivates new and existing audiences worldwide with their brand storytelling. Creating larger than life, creative, imaginative content leveraging social media and driving likes, shares and engagement to their brand long after the campaign has been launched.
One of the ways that they create distinctive and shareable moments is through the locations that they choose for their events. These unique and carefully considered locations have elevated the brand, putting them on an even playing field with other iconic and more established luxury brands. Not only are the physical experiences to these invite only events visually pleasing but the events create a media buzz that provides valuable user generated content from around the world. Jacquemus’ innovative runway locations have inspired other brands to the same, further identifying the french label as the contemporary trailblazer of the fashion industry.
Although it’s incredibly costly to keep up with innovative new marketing concepts, the fashion forward brand uses this type of advertising to generate interest and attention in their offerings whilst adding value to their brand in the long term. Their clever and creative marketing campaigns cut through the clutter in an overly saturated market, and making “viral” instagrammable moments has now become synonymous with the brand, increasing their appeal to Millennials and Gen Zers, particularly women aged between 16 and 25.
Their ability to make visions come to life creates an element of escapism and wonder, positioning the label as an aspirational brand. The independent nature of the brand is a big part of the reason it can be so playful - unlike other major luxury brands like Gucci or Prada, it isn’t owned by one of the major luxury brand houses. This independence allows the brand to take risks and push the boundaries more than a label that’s under pressure to hit sales targets.
The marketing is also authentic to their product offering - playful and innovative yet uncomplicated - and their price point is more affordable than other luxury brands on the market. It’s easy to see why the brand is so successful - every marketing campaign is more than a viral moment, in fact, every viral moment tells a story about the brand and creates a dreamy experience for its consumer base.
Understanding the importance of viral moments and how you can align them with your brand will improve your positioning now and well into the future. Although we don’t all have the Jacquemus budget to work with, if we can learn anything from the French fashion brand, it’s to think outside the box and bring big ideas to life to leverage social media.