Can you be the next Jacquemus on Instagram?

Imagine this: You post something new and people just turn up on your Instagram page.

How wonderful is that?

Such occurrences, or what is often known as organic interactions, are to die for but often leave brand owners and social media managers wondering how to nab this elusive connection.

Even established, coveted brands struggle with this. Take a quick look at the top 10 brands that made the list of most organic post interactions in Q1 2022*, only one lone luxury fashion brand — Jacquemus, made the list.

How is it that, despite all the new releases, fashion weeks, award ceremonies, and star power of celebrities and endorsements, luxury brands with large and die-hard followings (Chanel and Hermes stand at 49.9 million Instagram followers each, Gucci at 48 million, Louis Vuitton, 47.7 million and Dior at 40.2 million) did not make it to Top 10 list?

Looking at these numbers makes one wonder — what exactly does Jacquemus get right?

There could be just a few nuggets to consider how he does it.

1. He lets you into his creative processes (and more)

If cash is king in our capitalistic world, content will be the currency social media trades in.

Interactions do not happen without content. But finding what resonates is tricky and involves more experimentation than expected.

In the case of Jacquemus, it is often an inspiration board building in real-time. These pieces of information lay the foundation for his eventual collections, and undeniably, the DNA of his brand. He is showing his hometown (Marseilles), photographing his grandmother in his creations (endearing and beautiful, driving the narrative that his clothes are for women of all ages), and bringing you along his daily life (which undoubtedly feels immersive, a sort-of through-his-eyes).

Top to Bottom: Marseille Guide by Jacquemus, Jacquemus’ grandmother in Jacquemus, Jacquemus during a photoshoot

(Source: Jacquemus / Instagram)

He provides his audience with a backstage pass to his creative process through his content on Instagram.

Consider then: What type of content, beyond the general categories and trend jacking, will appeal to your audience while highlighting the value of the brand you are managing online? It will no doubt require you to dig deep. Ask away: To yourself, to your brand managers and to your audience — Don’t shy away from understanding what you are selling, knowing what your audience wants and which creative processes you can tap into.

2. He is the face of his brand

Not everyone behind the social media presence of a brand is the owner but there is always a face to every brand. It could be the person your audience connects with, aspires to be, or wants to speak to.

For Jacquemus, it is evident that he is his own content creator and one of the faces of his brand —

Top to Bottom: Jacquemus with Le Bambino, Jacquemus modeling Menswear, Tou Tou in Jacquemus’ Studio

(Source: Jacquemus / Instagram)

He is sometimes spotted wearing early iterations of his own designs, giving sneak peeks of upcoming collections, and even his beloved hound, Tou Tou, is part of the brand. This leverage provides him with unprecedented control over how the brand takes shape.

If you are a brand owner, consider:

Would you want to be the face of your brand, and what would that look like?

I previously shared with a friend who owns her business to give glimpses of who she is on her Instagram. It was easy for me to suggest that — I know her and how passionate she is about her craft. That was what made me interested in what she does.

The level of exposure is entirely up to you to define — Are you comfortable with showing your face or could you appear in more creative ways?

If you are not the brand owner, explore:

How could your interactions with your audience reflect a personality, rather than just a faceless person behind a keyboard? Consider your speech: through your copywriting to replies on social media, these tiny details present glimpses of who your brand is.

Having a face for a brand goes beyond a mere influencer/brand ambassador tactic, it allows for humanization, and it allows for community building. People relate better knowing there’s a person behind a brand.

3. He knows how to hype a launch

A series of physical Jacquemus pop-ups named 24/24 was launched recently in Paris, Milan, and Selfridges London. Jacquemus was seen videoing himself, spying on the pop-up from across the street, interacting with visitors, and doing video tours of the pop-ups. He even took to answering the questions posed online himself.

Top to Bottom: Jacquemus 24/24 Store in Paris, Inside Jacquemus 24/24 Store in Selfridges, Inside Jacquemus 24/24 Store in Milan

(Source: Jacquemus / Instagram)

Instead of shying away, he addressed a DM as an Instagram post. In today’s interactions where most can feel contrived and mangled by multiple overzealous communications managers, this is something noteworthy to wonder about how brands speak.

Consider: How would you go about getting people excited about a launch, physical or otherwise?

ONE. Be prepared to answer questions people might have.

This could be in the comments or DMs. Naturally, you will hope that communications are smooth, but there is always room for questions. Don’t be afraid of them (like I used to) but embrace them. Questions from your audience signify interest, and they are taking the step to find out more.

You could also address potential questions in a more proactive, potentially fun way with an AMA (Ask Me Anything) session in Instagram stories. This affords you control, answering the questions that are repeatedly asked and meaningful to your launch. This also creates a channel for interaction.

TWO. Allow sufficient time to tease.

Launches almost always feel like a race against time. There seem to always be not enough time to finish preparing the collaterals, copywriting, and every nitty-gritty detail before launch. What’s worse — A haphazard launch leaves your audience confused, or even missing out on it if it’s a time-sensitive launch. Whenever possible, give it time to build up and react accordingly.

BONUS. Let people feel like they are missing out, in a good way.

Was there a launch or event you’ve missed before and simply felt gutted?

That’s what you hope to be working towards. It’s not about making them feel bad, it’s about creating that sense of “wish I was there”. Tap into the sense of FOMO: Appeal to that. If not only to make them more compelled to participate in a current launch, it hopefully will make them more attune to your next.

And the next time another launch comes along, you will be working with more arsenal for your disposal.

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Questions + more?

Drop an email at hello.maviskam@gmail.com