What Did Fashion Brand Burberry Do to Revolutionize How Marketers Use Social Media?

Burberry, the British luxury fashion house founded in 1856, transformed social media marketing by pioneering strategies that turned digital platforms into immersive, inclusive brand experiences. I’ve been captivated by how Burberry, once a traditional brand, embraced social media’s potential to engage younger audiences, setting a benchmark for luxury marketing. To address what did fashion brand Burberry do to revolutionize how marketers use social media, I’ll highlight five key strategies they employed, based on my research into their campaigns and industry impact as of May 2025. These tactics reshaped how brands connect with consumers online. Let’s dive into how Burberry redefined digital engagement and why their approach remains influential.

Ever wondered how a 160-year-old fashion brand became a social media trailblazer? Burberry’s bold moves changed the game for marketers. Ready to explore five ways they revolutionized social media?

From trench coats to TikTok, Burberry cracked the code on digital marketing. I’ve traced their journey from 2009 to today. Let’s uncover what Burberry did to transform social media marketing.

1. Pioneering User-Generated Content with “Art of the Trench”

Burberry launched the “Art of the Trench” microsite in 2009, inviting fans to upload photos of themselves in Burberry trench coats, creating a global community around its iconic product. This user-generated content (UGC) campaign was groundbreaking. I’ve been struck by how it empowered customers to become brand ambassadors.

• Impact: Grew Burberry’s Facebook fanbase to 1M+ in a year, the largest in luxury at the time; 7.5M site views from 150 countries, per 2010 company data. E-commerce sales rose 50% year-over-year, per Digital Training Academy.
• Execution: Partnered with photographer Scott Schuman (The Sartorialist) for street-style shots; users could comment, like, and share, driving engagement, per BusinessToday.
• Why Revolutionary?: UGC fostered authenticity, with 80% of consumers trusting peer content over ads, per 2024 Statista. Set a precedent for participatory marketing.

Why it matters? Turned customers into storytellers, amplifying brand reach organically.

2. Introducing Live Streaming of Fashion Shows

In 2010, Burberry became one of the first luxury brands to live-stream its fashion shows on platforms like Facebook and Instagram, making exclusive events accessible globally. This live-streaming strategy democratized fashion. I’ve seen how it created real-time buzz.

• Impact: Spring/Summer 2016 show garnered 100M Snapchat impressions; 2014 Twitter Buy Button integration drove instant sales, per Digiday.
• Execution: Broadcasts via Instagram Stories and Facebook Live allowed viewer comments, boosting interaction; 70% of 18–29-year-olds prefer live content, per 2024 Pew Research.
• Why Revolutionary?: Shifted fashion shows from elite to inclusive, with live streams increasing brand visibility by 40%, per 2025 Marketing Dive.

Why it works? Real-time engagement made fans feel part of the brand’s world.

3. Embracing Influencer Marketing Early

Burberry was among the first luxury brands to leverage influencer marketing in the late 2000s, collaborating with celebrities and fashion bloggers to showcase products authentically. This influencer strategy expanded their reach. I’ve been impressed by their foresight.

• Examples: Partnered with influencers like Shygirl and Skepta for 2023 campaigns; earlier collaborations included bloggers like Scott Schuman, per Marketing-Interactive and Brainly.
• Impact: Influencer posts reached 30% more 18–24-year-olds than traditional ads, per 2024 Statista; 2016 chatbot campaign via Facebook Messenger boosted show engagement, per Burberryplc.
• Why Revolutionary?: Built trust, as 70% of Gen Z trust influencers over brands, per 2025 Forbes, setting a trend for organic promotion.

Why it’s key? Influencers bridged Burberry to younger, digital-native audiences.

4. Integrating Social Commerce and Seamless Shopping

Burberry pioneered social commerce by enabling direct purchases on platforms like Instagram and WeChat, streamlining the path from inspiration to purchase. This social commerce innovation redefined retail. I’ve noticed how it caters to instant gratification.

• Examples: 2019 Instagram Checkout launch sold out B Series drops in hours; WeChat mini-program connected online/offline shopping, per Burberryplc.
• Impact: Social commerce drove 20% of 2024 U.S. sales, per company reports; 50M+ followers across 20 platforms, per CapitalOneShopping.
• Why Revolutionary?: 25% of Gen Z shop via social media, per 2025 Shopify, making Burberry’s integration a model for luxury retail.

Why it matters? Turned browsing into buying, boosting sales and engagement.

5. Leveraging Immersive Technologies (AR/VR)

Burberry integrated augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) into social campaigns, offering interactive experiences like virtual try-ons and fashion show tours. This tech-driven storytelling set them apart. I’ve been amazed by their immersive creativity.

• Examples: 2011 AR app for virtual try-ons; VR fashion shows in 2020 reached 10M+ viewers, per Medium and SDA Bocconi.
• Impact: AR campaigns increased engagement by 30%, per 2024 Marketing Week; 2023 campaign with new logo saw 5M+ Instagram interactions, per Marketing-Interactive.
• Why Revolutionary?: Immersive tech appeals to 60% of 18–29-year-olds seeking experiential content, per 2025 HubSpot, redefining luxury engagement.

Why it’s significant? Made brand interactions memorable and shareable.

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What’s Next for You

Understanding what did fashion brand Burberry do to revolutionize how marketers use social media is like decoding the playbook for digital success. I’ve been inspired by how Burberry’s five strategies—UGC, live streaming, influencer marketing, social commerce, and AR/VR—grew their social following to 50M+ and drove $95B in 2024 luxury market share, per Statista and Burberry reports. Their innovations, starting with “Art of the Trench” in 2009, set trends that 80% of luxury brands now follow, per 2025 Forbes. Ignoring these tactics risks falling behind; adopting them can elevate your brand. Will you stick to old-school marketing, or embrace Burberry’s digital playbook?

Here’s how to act:

• Launch UGC campaigns. Encourage fans to share brand stories, like Burberry’s trench photos, to boost trust (80% prefer peer content, per Statista).
• Try live streaming. Use Instagram Live for events, mimicking Burberry’s shows, to engage 70% of Gen Z, per Pew Research.
• Stay informed. Follow Marketing Dive or HubSpot for social media trends, like AR’s 30% engagement lift, per Marketing Week.

Burberry turned social media into a luxury stage. Why it matters is about connection and innovation. Start today to rethink your marketing with their strategies.