Balenciaga grew its earned media placements in April. Image credit: Balenciaga
Kering-owned Balenciaga saw its earned media value rise 38 percent year-over-year in April, thanks to mentions from recording artists including Nicki Minaj. Of the top 10 luxury brands in Tribe Dynamics’ monthly rankings of publicity value, Balenciaga was one of the only labels to see the dollar amount of its earned media rise. Under designer Demna Gvasalia's creative direction, Balenciaga has become one of the buzziest brands in fashion, helping the brand grow its media mentions (see story). Shout outs While Gucci placed first in the rankings with $50 million in earned media, it saw its publicity value drop 6 percent from April of last year. The rest of the top five, including Chanel, Saint Laurent, Dior and Louis Vuitton, also saw their earned media value fall or remain fairly flat. Only Saint Laurent recorded growth, with a slight 1 percent increase in publicity. Eighth and ninth place Balenciaga and Off-White were the only brands on the list to see significant lift in their publicity. Off-White more than doubled its EMV to $13 million. A significant portion of Balenciaga’s EMV in April came from musician shout outs. Singer Ozuna released the music video for his single “Balenciaga” that month, which drove a total $803,000 in EMV. Meanwhile, a post from rapper Nicki Minaj featuring Balenciaga boots in a “Barbie pink” color yielded $192,000 in earned media.
Balenciaga’s shoe designs helped boost its earned media value in February, according to earlier data released by Tribe Dynamics. Balenciaga saw a 93 percent year-over-year uptick in content production and mentions as streetwear fans and publications posted about its Triple S trainers or partnership with Crocs. Most of the top 10 luxury brands saw their EMV fall during the height of fashion month, with only Balenciaga and Tom Ford seeing growth (see story). Since March, Balenciaga has moved up two spots in Tribe Dynamics' rankings.