Mobile Marketing Magazine sits down with Ben Gallagher, Co-Founder and Head of Social Media of luxury resale platform Luxe Collective to discuss the brand’s journey, innovative but “attention-seeking” marketing strategies and embracing controversy.

Strategically choosing platforms

Currently, Luxe Collective has 488k Instagram followers and 1.5M on TikTok, an impressive feat considering the brand’s origin on the Meta-owned platform.

Emphasising the pivotal role of social media, he highlights its affordability and its crucial function in attracting attention to its products.

“Instagram is used for conversations and engagement and TikTok is used more for brand reach and growth,” he says.

However, Gallagher admits the company’s dynamic approach aligns with the specific goals each platform serves in its overall strategy.

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Disruptive marketing post-social media

The luxury platforms’ disruptive marketing isn’t defined to the digital realm, Gallagher reveals.

This comes as, the team recently launched an unconventional marketing campaign involving a fake Anna Wintour, where the “Editor-In-Chief” of Vogue was spotted walking around Manchester in time of Chanel’s hotly anticipated Metiers d’Art show, emphasising the brand’s shift toward low-cost, high-impact campaigns.

“Dressing someone up as the fake Anna Wintour and walking around Manchester is very cheap to do and has a high impact,” he says.

However, Gallagher admits he didn’t reach the targets he set out for the campaign, as grocery giant Aldi, had a similar idea, instead, dressing a fake Kate Moss to promote its offering during the Chanel show.

He states: “If Aldi had the same campaign as us and they were the first mover on it, they’re always going to come out on top unless we continue to cause more disruption and get our name out there as disruptive marketers”.

Embracing controversy and cancel culture

“Being loud, controversial and going against the norms of what pre-loved luxury means is why we have seen immense growth,” Gallagher claims.

This is evident as the company grew 100,000 followers last month, by simply tweaking its strategy.

“If everyone is on the same path and you go odd on a different one, all eyes are going to be on you as curiosity will be peaked,” he continues.

“Every campaign we do is never going to be everyone’s taste, even within the company not everyone is going to be on board, but, to get to the 20% of the population who are our audience, we have to break down that 80% first.

“As long as your intentions behind the campaign are good, then respectfully, cancel culture, in the kindest way possible, can fuck off,” he jokes.

Future partnerships and expansion

Earlier this year, Luxe Collective opened up its first-ever pop-up store in London, footsteps away from luxury designers Louis Vuitton and Hermes, hosting a range of pre-loved designer items from the likes of Fendi, Chanel and Dior.

He reveals that when launching, Luxe Collective skipped traditional out-of-home marketing, relying solely on social platforms and emails.

The result? An 800-person queue, showcasing the “power of social media in driving real-world engagement.

Despite not having any plans for more pop-up stores in the near future, Gallagher hinted at potential partnerships with major department stores but emphasised the need for “nimbleness and speed” as a startup.

He says: “In the past, we might have perceived a partnership with a department store as an enormous achievement, however, in reality, such collaborations often impact our progress and serve as distractions.

“I can’t help but wonder if these larger companies are intentionally slowing us down, recognising that we’re moving at such a rapid pace,” he questions.

As a result, he expresses a desire to collaborate but asserts that Luxe Collective’s focus remains on its disruptive journey.

As Luxe Collective looks to the new year, the brand’s Co-Founder Head of Social Media envisions a future marked by disruptive marketing campaigns, a continued social media presence, and a steadfast commitment to its unique brand identity.