Burberry are a British luxury brand and the 98th most valuable brand in the world. They are one of the most advanced companies when it comes to social business – but how do they do it? In this case study we explore the core areas of Burberry's brand that have made the company the well-rounded social business that it is today.

1. SOCIAL BUSINESS CASE STUDY
Burberry
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2. • British luxury brand covering clothing,
accessories and perfumes
• 98th most valuable brand in the world
• Founded in 1856
• Currently employing over 9,000 employees
• First luxury brand to achieve 1 million Facebook
likes
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3. Burberry’s social business aims
What does Burberry want to achieve?
Keep traditional and
Customers have total Consistent feeling of
heritage of the
access to Burberry the brand and culture
company at the
anytime, anywhere throughout digital and
forefront of the digital
across any device stores
branding
Total integration
among the company,
Become fully digital
its employees, its
end to end.
customers, and the
all-important brand.
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4. Social business programmes
How are departments across the organisation involved in the programme?
MARKETING
Burberry World
• Burberry World is a suite
of apps by Salesforce that HR SALES
allows sales, service staff
and customers to interact
as one community
• Chatter app allows sales
and service staff to access
traditional CRM data
alongside social customer PRODUCT
B2B SALES
data and facilitates PLANNING
customer engagement in
social media
CUSTOMER
SERVICE
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5. Social business programmes
How are departments across the organisation involved in the programme?
Burberry World MARKETING
• The Burberry World
website allows customers
HR SALES
to connect with all aspects
of the business such as its
heritage, music, video and
product offers
• It offers social shopping
with the option to instant
chat with customer service
PRODUCT
representatives B2B SALES
PLANNING
• Customer service staff
trained in social media
engagement CUSTOMER
SERVICE
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6. Social business programmes
How are departments across the organisation involved in the programme?
Customers lead the way MARKETING
• Customers can remotely
participate in fashion
HR SALES
shows and order items
directly off the runway
• Customers can suggest
designs for the next iconic
trench coat
• Burberry pre-tests aspects
of marketing and
PRODUCT
communication content B2B SALES
PLANNING
through Buddy Media, co-
developed with the
community CUSTOMER
SERVICE
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7. Social business programmes
How are departments across the organisation involved in the programme?
“The Art of the Trench” MARKETING
• Leverage existing Burberry
customers to generate
HR SALES
content and inspire their
peers
• Users add and interact
with photos of people
wearing the famous trench
• Standalone social media
platform for brand control
PRODUCT
over look and feel B2B SALES
PLANNING
• Allows interaction via
Facebook, email, Twitter,
or Delicious CUSTOMER
SERVICE
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8. Organisational culture and approach
What values and approach did Burberry need to adopt to make it happen?
Be everywhere
• Approached social media to be everywhere the consumer is
Total integration
• All social and digital platforms connected for seamless integration
Co-creation
• Networked communities working together to innovate
One brand voice
• Strong sense of brand identity across all online communications platforms
Cross organisational mobilisation
• All employees and departments empowered to collaborate with each other and with customers
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9. “Everyone now can come into Burberry World and see
the journey and mission that Burberry is on. And for
any CEO that is skeptical at all: You have to create a
social enterprise today. You have to be totally
connected with everyone that touches your brand. If
you don't do that, I don't know what your business
model is in five years.”
Angela Ahrendts, Burberry CEO
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10. References
" Harvard Business Review
Co-Creation: The Real Social-Media Revolution
" Salesforce
Burberry case study
" Business Today
Entrenched in the Digital World
" Laputa Tech
Burberry builds deeper customer connections, from the
runway to the retail store
" ZDNet
Social business success: Burberry
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