The Brands and Streaming Services Edition

Colin here. Travel and fashion are two industries that invest countless amounts of money in advertising, branding, and positioning. Crack open an issue of Town and Country, Departures, or Conde Nast Traveller, and you’ll see the glossy, manicured framings of luxury properties and expensive, iconic brands on the printed page. But it is interesting to understand and observe where other areas of influence sit in the mind of consumers: and right now, it is unquestionably streaming services that seem to be driving the cultural conversation.

Case in point with travel: the success of both seasons of The White Lotus drove measurable and sustained interest in both the Four Seasons properties (in the form of things like direct bookings), as well as its travel to its filmed locations in Maui and Sicily. It’s not just a recent trend: Game of Thrones drove a surge in interest in Croatia (based on its fictional locale, Westeros) during the years it aired between 2013 and 2018. 

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According to a American Express Global Travel Trends Report, 64 percent of travelers said they made travel plans or were inspired to visit a specific country or destination after it was featured on a TV show, news source, or film. The Gen Z and Millennial effect was even more acute, with “70 percent of respondents in those age brackets said they were inspired to visit a location after seeing it in a television show or movie.” 

It’s not just travel. Each episode of Succession is combed through and discussed endlessly for its sartorial selections (and even the style progression of characters, like Tom, throughout the show). The series has catalyzed interest in so-called “stealth wealth” dressing, with consumers opting for low-key hyper luxury labels that don’t shout, rather than overt, bling bling displays of ostentation—boosting brands like the Row and Loro Piana, which hints much more at a “if you know, you know” type of style. According to an AP piece, “The stealth fashion world is perfectly tailored dark suits, often bespoke; bare baseball caps with perfectly rounded rims; and neutral power pieces worn by the only female Roy sibling, Shiv.” 

Why is this interesting? 

This is interesting on media, advertising, and cultural levels. First, we have a tendency to overemphasize the power of social media in culture. TV still moves the needle, especially with cult shows that drive endless critique and conversation. 

Second, it is interesting to see how luxury brands are playing ball: Four Seasons is associating the brand with a show that might not meet all of their brand standards or portray the properties perfectly, but it is taking a place in the cultural conversation (and driving a ton of business as a result). Traditional approaches to brand management might not opt for these types of integrations, but though you cede some control, you make up for it in business impact. The same goes with fashion: some brands might not want to be seen adorned by unsavory, miserable rich characters who are backstabbing by the minute. But it gives them a place in the cultural dialogue and among an aspirational audience. The trade-offs are interesting indeed. (CJN) 

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Thanks for reading,

Noah (NRB) & Colin (CJN)

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