Gucci Bans Influencer Gifting, Here’s What They’re Doing Instead

In the luxury sector, a product being everywhere means it’s no longer exclusive. What’s Gucci going to do about it?

Gucci is banning influencer gift giving. Mr. Porter, Net-A-Porter, and Farfetch are now banned from giving Gucci products to bloggers or influencers.

Is Gucci seeking more control of their image, or is there something else happening?

In 2017, over 50% of Gucci’s sales came from millennials, a generation that has been particularly troubling for luxury brands. Millennials have an appetite for new things and they are driven by content, emotions and personal connections.

Influencer marketing isn’t a new thing, but what we classify as ‘an influencer’ is. Fashion brands have long used fashion magazines, editorial hype and strategic public relations gifting to celebrities, experts, and publications as a way to get their products in front of consumers.

In the luxury segment, creating buzz in the market, high visibility and developing a reputation is necessary in order to build a distinctive brand in the mind of the consumers.

But today, a new trustworthy source has appeared: digital influencers. Consumers are in control of how they interact with brands; and they show a preference for the opinion of…