That said, public clubs are a magnet for influencers, allowing for long-term promotion and content creation throughout the summer, Baer says. For example, Alberta Ferretti saw social media success with a pop-up at the Hotel de Mar Gran Meliá in Mallorca. While the EMV from this partnership was $2.49 million, well below Balmain, Baer says the engagement rate was 3.18%, well above the average engagement of the influencers who participated. The influencers who generated the highest engagement were Spanish influencer Maria Pombo, Italian actress Elisabetta Canalis, and British actor Amy Jackson. “Italian and Spanish audiences responded best to the campaign,” she adds. “This is because Alberta Ferretti strategically cast influencers who have large followings among these audiences and who, in terms of distance, are more likely to travel to Mallorca and stay at the Gran Meliá.”
After all, consumers care about where their favorite celebrities and creators are spending their time. Lefty's Hospitality Report also found that athletes who posted content about their hotel vacations instead of the usual partnership posts had 27% higher EMV. “This shows that audiences are curious about what their favorite influencers do on their vacations,” Baer says. Brands can capitalize on this attention by offering branded sunbeds where these creators can lounge and post on.
It's just the beginning
But as more brands get on board, will the concept become tired?
Already, some brands are finding new ways to make the most of summer travel and stand out among the sea of beach and pool club partnerships, including MyTheresa. “We've partnered with beach clubs a lot over the past few seasons, including celebrating with Valentino at the St. Tropez beach club two years ago,” Krieger said. “This time, we wanted to capture the luxury summer experience in a new, even more luxurious setting.”
But that doesn't mean all brands are backing away. Experts believe the summer strategy is here to stay. “As the personal luxury market recovers and consumers continue to seek different experiences in travel, leisure and dining, luxury brands are diversifying to meet changing expectations,” Harkin says. “There's a sense of temporary exclusivity as resort destinations and seasonal tourism drive the luxury experience economy.” She predicts consumers will continue to pay a premium for this.
But Solca cautions that luxury fashion brands won't be the only, or even the most important, player. He expects luxury hotel groups to play a bigger role, though it's entirely possible that the consolidation could bring these brands together, given the hospitality focus of companies like LVMH. Plus, the more luxury beach clubs there are, the more opportunities there will be for luxury brands to partner.
“What we've seen so far is just the beginning of a luxury beach club revolution,” Solca says.
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