Celebrity flash mob centers Hugo Boss’ latest campaign

January 27, 2023

Newly-inducted American model Gigi Hadid lends her likeness to the brand for the spring/summer 2023 effort. Image credit: Hugo Boss

By Amirah Keaton

German fashion house Hugo Boss seems to be sealing the deal on its spring/summer 2023 collection with a celebrity flash mob of sorts.

An inspirational tagline centers the digital amplification strategy involving a group of posts in which famous faces are featured conjunct their childhood photos. In light of the brand’s new spring/summer 2023 collection, the “then and now” exercise serves as a visual marker of how far both the brand, and its partners, have come.

“The campaign succeeds by reminding viewers that there is, at some point, an equal opportunity for all,”

Motivation by the minute
A new Hugo Boss campaign sees celebrities lifting the luxury company’s reach.

The brand brings guerrilla marketing into the modern day, executing in droves digitally as model Gigi Hadid, model Naomi Campbell, musician Maluma, actor Lee Minho and athlete Matteo Berrettini appear front and center in campaign imagery and assets.

More than two dozen additional celebrities join in, enhancing the effort with their own user-generated content (UGC). Posts from socialite Paris Hilton, artist DJ Khaled, models Jourdan Dunn and Candice Swanepoel, boxer Anthony Joshua are among this lineup.

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A post shared by BOSS (@boss)

Whereas are up first, contracted talent marks the second component of Hugo Boss’ campaign strategy. Together and powered by notable figures, the tactic of widespread digital drops with close live timing further amplifies the brand’s next value proposition.

Opting for motivational messaging as the root of its release, Hugo Boss places its campaign tagline prominently across all copy. Personalized for an authentic feel, “BOSSes aren’t born. They’re made.” is integrated into captions across the board, in some form.

In fact, Hugo Boss’ optimistic opine frames the campaign in its entirety.

Each of our leading talents #NaomiCampbell, #Maluma, #GigiHadid, #LeeMinho, #KhabyLame and #MatteoBerrettini — personifies the BOSS spirit, showing how BOSSes aren’t born, they’re made. Here’s all you need to know about BOSS’s Spring/Summer 2023 campaign: https://t.co/FiyMXltjQI pic.twitter.com/joEyBjqIHI
— HUGO BOSS Corporate (@HUGOBOSS) January 26, 2023

In a campaign video, all five stars are shown as kids. Baby faces abound, the spot’s message seeks to normalize these public personalities, insinuating that all individuals start somewhere, a move that makes the journey to greatness just a tad bit more relatable to the masses.

Having just announced the induction of the star into its multiyear ambassador initiative per a WWD exclusive, the Gen Z-obsessed brand includes Ms. Hadid in spring/summer 2023 season imagery and other assets, lifting visibility.

A top-caliber celebrity lineup, alongside a wide breadth of content, topped with focused messaging, allows Hugo Boss to showcase brand values — ones commensurate to the target consumer — authentically, through the use of familiar faces.

“Luxury marketing is not about products or objects. Instead, it manifests emotion and desire for the brand,” Mr. Ramey said.

“The ‘stars’ of the campaign are intangible; achievement, perseverance, focus, and success to be a BOSS,” he said. “The athletes and actors are merely players who have achieved.”

Peer-to-peer marketing
One partnership, in particular, makes for an interesting use case here — a peer luxury brand serves as the influencer for the brand’s newest initiative.

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A post shared by Porsche (@porsche)

German luxury automaker Porsche boosted the #BeYourOwnBoss (see story) sub-initiative with a gallery post of its own. Therein, a company car (see story) is shown with a black-and-white wrap reading Hugo Boss.

The kicker comes in the form of a tike-sized companion, which rests at the larger model's side, emblematic of the childhood juxtaposition presented on behalf of Boss.

“The campaign inspires and gives hope that anyone can become something special,” Mr. Ramey said.

“And that the ultimate award is Boss.”

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