Article

DOI: 10.22167/2675-6528-2023123
E&S 2025, 6: e2023123

Sandra Rodrigues de Oliveira e Bethania Fernandes da Fonseca

With the rapid advancement of technology and the growing expectations of consumers in the digital environment, luxury brands have faced significant challenges in conveying their essence through digital channels and maintaining the quality, exclusivity, and personalized experience that characterize this market. It is increasingly important for luxury fashion brands to have an online presence, as this is where most of their customers are concentrated. According to Ferreira^[1], when a brand chooses to establish its presence in the digital space, it is necessary to take some precautions to ensure that its value is not compromised.

The main objective of this study was to describe the digital marketing strategies used by Brazilian luxury fashion brands. To this end, it sought to understand how these brands are navigating this challenging scenario, as well as to offer valuable insights to improve their digital strategies.

The research involved the analysis of the websites and social media presence of nine Brazilian luxury fashion brands, identified as A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, and I. Data were collected through visits to the brands’ websites and social media during February 2023. The methodology used was deductive, based on qualitative content analysis, with the aid of specific analysis grids: Hansen’s Analysis Grid, by Hansen and Bjørn-Andersen^[2]; Digital Visual Merchandising (MVD) Grid, by Teixeira and Machado[3], and Social Media Performance Analysis Grid for Facebook and Instagram, by Grassi and Marques^[4]. 

The analysis grids of Hansen and MVD were filled considering the binary process, in which 1 means present and 0, absent. According to Teixeira^[5], this method aims at fact research and ease of comparison between different cases. It was observed that all categories of the Hansen grid were used by Brazilian luxury fashion brands on their websites, with some being more worked on than others (Table 1).

Tabela 1. Grelha de Análise de Hansen

The first category of the grid, “Content”, was present in almost all brands in the survey, representing approximately 89% of the total analyzed. Hansen and Bjørn-Andersen^[2] define this category as a mix of offerings, which includes: “Product information”, “Special campaigns”, “Brand history” and “Corporate information”. All these four topics of the content category were developed by the surveyed companies.

Occurrences of items on “Product Information” were identified in eight brands; on “History”, in five; and on “Corporate Information” and “Special Promotions/Campaigns”, in three. According to Chen and Ye^[6], to avoid damage to brand value, it is necessary for luxury brands to monitor their sales volume and for promotional communications to convey the message that the product is scarce and has limited quantities.

According to Hansen and Bjørn-Andersen^[2], the “Community” category is characterized as being the brand’s own community, either on its own website or on external platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, where fans and connoisseurs can interact and discuss the brand. Regarding this category, only the topic “Community outside the website” was developed by all the brands studied. According to Dubois^[7], most luxury fashion brands are sustained by a culture, and cultures are transmitted by communities. For this reason, it is important for these brands to create online communities that foster love and loyalty to them, creating goals that unify their customers and encourage interaction among participants.

Hansen and Bjørn-Andersen^[2] describe the category “Communication” as the interaction between the website and the user by providing website visitors with the option to receive emails and newsletters on certain topics, in addition to allowing them to watch live broadcasts, videos, and interviews with personalities related to the brand directly on the website. Within this category, the topics “Email registration” and “About us/contact” were developed by all brands studied, while the topic “Interview videos” was not explored by any.

It should be noted that investing in the development of videos with interviews can benefit the brands in question, as such content is an excellent way to attract consumers through the human side of the brand. According to Kotler et al.^[8], the essence of a brand’s attractiveness lies in humanized marketing, in which the use of certain variables allows brands to present themselves as human beings, conveying honesty, authenticity, and revealing their imperfections, making them less intimidating.

The “Collaboration” category^[2] refers to the engagement of website users in the process of designing and developing fashion products, which includes providing feedback and comments on brand-related issues. The analysis of this category showed that all brands allow feedback and comments, but none foresee consumer collaboration in product design. According to Dubois^[7], consumers generate valuable information by using digital channels, providing an opportunity for luxury fashion brands to perceive new indications or trends of social status and incorporate innovations and knowledge into the brand. For Kotler et al.^[8], brands have evolved to a customer care stance, listening to and meeting consumer needs. This drives success, as customer collaboration in product development can increase sales.

In the opinion of Hansen and Bjørn-Andersen^[2], the category “Connection” encompasses links to external sites that use “Micro websites” or present content from external sites, including brand content distribution. Only the topic “Links to other websites” was explored by all brands in the “Connection” category. According to Kotler et al.^[9], the internet has facilitated product and service comparison by consumers, further intensifying commoditization. Because of this, companies need to innovate in experiences that go beyond basic offerings.

However, the most important aspect to consider is that consumers seek a genuine connection with brands. As a result, companies currently feel compelled to interact and engage with customers through the internet and other digital technologies, and these become more attractive when they facilitate and stimulate social interaction. Creating social media platforms is an important step, but it is not enough. Artificial intelligence allows companies to analyze these social interaction data, obtaining valuable insights. These understandings cover different aspects and are fundamental for strategic decision-making in organizations. They help companies identify which content generates the most engagement, better understand audience preferences and needs, and personalize communication strategies. Furthermore, they allow for detecting trends, anticipating demands, and reacting quickly to potential image crises, making the digital presence more relevant and assertive. This in-depth analysis leads to new ideas for improving communication and influencing user behavior on social networks. 

The “Commerce” category includes all e-commerce functionalities and features^[2], such as shopping assistants, virtual stores, shoppable videos, and social media commerce. In the surveyed universe, it was observed that the topics “Virtual store”, “Commercial transaction”, and “E-commerce assistant” were addressed by all brands, while the topics “Links to other e-commerce websites”, “Shoppable videos”, and “Social commerce” were not addressed by any brand. According to Corzine^[10], luxury fashion brands need to integrate their channels as quickly as possible, as digital activities affect both online and in-store purchases. According to Kotler et al.^[8], to create an omnichannel experience, it is essential for brands to use technology to bring the offline shopping experience into the online environment.

The penultimate category of the grid, “Context”, refers to the way the website is structured and displayed to the user^[2]. This includes features such as flash, videos, animations, augmented reality, and 3D or 360-degree product visualization. This category was very little explored by the analyzed brands. The topics “Videos” and “360° Visualization” appeared in only one brand, while the other topics were not addressed by anyone. 

For the online shopping experience to be similar to that which occurs in a physical store, it is essential to use technologies to recreate the physical environment in the digital medium. According to Kotler et al.^[9], the fusion of the digital and real worlds is a revolution for marketing, opening infinite possibilities for customer engagement through mixed reality. This allows companies to offer additional information and stories about their products in a fun way, enabling the customer to visualize themselves using the product before deciding to buy it.

The last category of the grid, “Customization”, deals with the personalization capacity of a website^[2], including user login and preference identification, as well as the option of product customization.

It was observed that this was also a little-explored category. The only topic presented, “User recognition,” appeared in only one tag. According to Kotler et al.^[9], marketing technologies are valuable not only for improving customer interaction but also for enhancing important products and services. Online shopping and personalization trends have driven the concepts of mass customization and co-creation.

Currently, there is a demand for personalized products with initials, favorite colors, and precise body measurements. Many companies are expanding their product lines to offer customization options. With the advent of technology and social media^[11], people have been able to express their individuality and personality through their luxury choices, creating a demand for personalized and exclusive products.

Through the analysis of the Hansen Grid, it was observed that brands A, B, D, F, and I revealed strengths and areas for improvement in their online strategies. These luxury brands can enhance their digital strategies by exploring unaddressed areas such as community, collaboration, e-commerce, and context features. This can strengthen customer connection and enrich their online experience, aligning them more robustly with the brands’ values and missions. In turn, for brands C, E, G, and H, the lack of key information, such as history and values, made a complete analysis of their performance impossible.

The results obtained through the application of the MVD Grid reveal that Brazilian luxury fashion brands have significant opportunities for improvement in their online stores.

Tabela 2. Grelha “Merchandising” Visual Digital – MVD

It was observed that many of the essential variables for the perception of luxury, such as “Automatic 3D rotation”, “Multiple zooms”, “Larger 2D or 3D views”, “Automatic color change” and “Fabric selection”, were absent or underutilized in the brands’ online stores. This limits customers’ ability to fully and immersively visualize product details and features.

Furthermore, the arrangement of products in flat models, with little diversification, does not allow customers to have a realistic understanding of how the pieces would fit their bodies. The lack of use of “Mannequins”, “Partial Mannequins”, “Catalog Style” or “Digital Models” also negatively impacts customers’ ability to assess the fit and aesthetics of the pieces.

The “Combination” variable, which offers suggestions for similar or complementary products, was underutilized by most brands. A more effective approach to this variable can improve the customer shopping experience and boost sales, as it encourages the purchase of additional products.

All Brazilian luxury fashion brands have the opportunity to substantially enhance their online stores by investing in the development of absent or underutilized variables in the MVD Grid. A more engaging, detailed, and realistic presentation of products through digital technologies will not only meet the expectations of consumers seeking luxury but also strengthen brand identity and trust in a competitive market. The pursuit of innovation and improvement of these variables will contribute to a more seductive interaction and a stronger connection between brands and their customers.

The performance evaluation of Brazilian luxury fashion brands on the social networks Facebook and Instagram revealed crucial information. The formula based on Metcalfe’s Law, which takes into account the number of followers, indicated that Instagram has the greatest potential to create communities and generate value for these brands. This law establishes that the more users a network has, the greater the number of possible connections, resulting in a greater network value^[12].

However, when analyzing the effective use of social media, it was observed that some brands prioritized Facebook in terms of publications. This occurred even when the network’s value on Instagram was significantly higher, suggesting that these brands could optimize their results by directing more efforts towards Instagram, the network with greater potential.

Furthermore, when analyzing the engagement rate of brands, which measures follower interaction with published content, it was possible to note that the average engagement on Instagram is considerably higher than on Facebook. This indicates that Instagram is a more effective platform for engaging the target audience.

Through the research conducted, some elements were identified that can be used by managers of Brazilian luxury fashion brands to improve their e-commerce strategies. Firstly, it is essential for managers to convey the more human side of the brand, which can be done by presenting the social cause the brand supports and by sharing interview videos with founders, designers, collaborators, and even customers. These interviews can be published on the brand’s official website, on its social media, or on video platforms like YouTube, providing different perspectives on the values and trajectory built over time.

Furthermore, it is important to involve current and potential customers in the collection development process by organizing in-person events, exclusive fashion shows, creative workshops, virtual meetings, interactive live sessions, public participation pre-launches, and collaborative actions for choosing prints or product names. These initiatives promote greater engagement and strengthen the bond between the brand and the consumer. Product customization is a highly effective e-commerce strategy when it aligns with the brand’s purpose, especially when the brand seeks to differentiate its products and share engaging stories associated with them.

Brands should focus on publishing attractive content, including videos, high-quality photos, and useful product information on their social media, such as Facebook and Instagram. Active interaction with followers is essential to increase engagement.

The study was conducted with the objective of analyzing the digital marketing strategies of Brazilian luxury fashion brands that offer products for sale online. Based on the sample analysis, it was concluded that the digital marketing strategies used by these brands can be better developed, aiming for greater effectiveness in the transition from the physical to the digital environment. There is great potential to improve the online shopping experience, both in product presentation and customer service.

E-commerce can be a way to expand the business of luxury fashion brands, and it is essential that they reproduce their commercial attributes in the online environment to reflect the excellence of physical stores. The study is relevant as it provides elements that managers of Brazilian luxury fashion brands can use to improve their digital marketing strategies. However, it is important to note that the study has limitations regarding the size and representativeness of the sample, and that it was not possible to interview the managers of the analyzed brands, which restricted a deeper understanding of their e-commerce strategies. For future research, it is recommended to conduct interviews with brand managers and a more in-depth study of the social networks and mobile applications developed by each brand.           

References

^[1]Ferreira, C.S.S.F. 2018/2019. Análise das Estratégias de e-commerce das Marcas/ designers de Moda de Luxo Portuguesas. Dissertação de Mestrado em Marketing Digital. Instituto Superior de Contabilidade e Administração do Porto Politécnico do Porto, Porto, Portugal. Disponível em: <https://recipp.ipp.pt/bitstream/10400.22/15971/1/catia_ferreira_MMD_2019.pdf>. 

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Como citar

Oliveira, S.R.; Fonseca, B.F. Estratégias de marketing digital das marcas brasileiras de moda de luxo. Revista E&S. 2025; 6: e2023123.

About the authors

Sandra Rodrigues de Oliveira – Master in Regional Development from the Postgraduate Program in Regional Development. Highway BR 364, Km 04, Industrial District, 69920-900, Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil
Bethania Fernandes da Fonseca – Supervising professor. Rua Cezira Giovanoni Moretti, 580, Santa Rosa, 13414-157, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil