Luxury retailer Bergdorf Goodman has become one of the first department store brands to add Google+ to its list of social media outlets, which include Facebook, Twitter and a blog. The store’s rrationale for using the channel is to provide “exclusive holiday marketing sneak-peaks and content,” according to LuxuryDaily.com,
“There’s only one Bergdorf Goodman. And consider this your holiday update hub – from exclusive interviews to sneak peeks of ways to deck your halls & trim your tree. After that, we’ll be your insider access to the store, the windows, the fashion, the events and much more,” states BG’s Google+ page.
At first glance, the content appears to be a mix of news items, announcements and product promotions. At least some of it comes from the store’s blog, called 5th/58th, which is a reference to its upper east side location. Also, a majority of the posts include a number of photos.
To date, the Google+ crowd tends to be tech-savvy and male dominated (70% as of August 2011). Students are a fast-growing population, as well. How this compares to the typical Bergdorf Goodman customer, I don’t know, but I suspect its antithetical. (A quick check of the 159 G+ users who include Bergdorf Goodman in their circles reveals that it consists mainly of women, however.)
Notwithstanding, one blogger I read, referencing the brand’s digital relevance, says the company has its “finger on the pulse of today’s culture.” Bergdorf Goodman’s social media manager, Cannon Hodge, asserts that content is customized to speak specifically to the channel, according to LuxuryDaily.
It’s worth mentioning that another retailer attempting to harness the yet to be discovered benefits of Google+ is Burberry, which, according to LuxuryDaily, pioneered the entrance of luxury retail into the space.
