Selling fashion through entertainment, the importance of native marketing (with a Motorsport twist)
Fashion is no longer about accessorizing - it’s shaping the story. From subtle product placements to full narrative control, brands are accelerating into entertainment’s fast lane (pun intended)
Native marketing is a type of advertising that blends seamlessly into the content around it, so it feels natural rather than disruptive. Instead of standing out like a traditional ad, it matches the style, tone, and format of the platform it's on—like a sponsored article that reads like news, or a brand appearing naturally within a film or TV show's storyline.
First of all, native marketing has always been the GOAT of marketing techniques. Why, you ask? Consumers crave authenticity so when brands are embedded in the story it feels more organic and emotionally resonant. These integrations (whether through a product placement or an entire plot based around a brand) feel less like advertising, more like immersion. And if done correctly, the brand can be associated with the aura from the medium used and can further strengthen their brand identity. For example, if you are looking to assert your position as a luxury brand you’d want to secure a product placement in the White Lotus, but if you want to appeal to Gen-Z and people who view fashion as a mean of self expression you’d go for Euphoria.
In the last few years we saw a new era for native marketing, going out of traditional media like blogs and magazines to reach entertainment at large, whether in cinemas, TV, concerts or “influencers”-led media. We are spending more and more time in front of our screens watching this entertainment, and it has a huge impact on product and brand desirability. I have a few examples in mind:
Popular TV shows have had a big impact on fashion trends - for example Squid Game boosted the sales of the slip-on Vans, preppy style gained popularity thanks to the reboot of Gossip Girl, Bridgerton created “regencycore” both for fashion and home decor and I won’t even mention the global phenomenon that the Barbie movie created.
Major celebrities like Taylor Swift or Beyoncé worked with designers and brands to create custom looks for their tours, allowing these brands to gain huge visibility and engagement on social media.
And more recently:
The Kendrick Lamar Super Bowl halftime performance (which is now the most-watched of All Time with 133.5 million viewers according to Billboard1) sparked interest not only in the music but the clothes Kendrick Lamar wore. The Google search for the Celine jeans he wore rose 3600%2 and the sales of the Nike Air DT Max 96 jumped 431% on StockX following the performance.3
The Jacquemus pink swimsuit as seen on Chloé from the White Lotus season 3 episode 4 has been sold out a few days after the episode, following a wave of media coverage on the iconic look.
Having your product shown at the right place, at the right time to the right audience is THE goal for any marketer and communication agency, and if you manage to become viral, you’re golden.
From product placement to full integration
Product placement has been the “easiest” way into native marketing, but now brands are not only advertising their clothes through a TV show or a movie but they are controlling the narrative entirely. For example, we’ve recently seen many mini-series and movies about specific designers: The New Look about Christian Dior (2024), Cristobal Balenciaga (2024) or Becoming Karl Lagerfeld (2024).
LVMH didn’t wait until 2024 to understand that entertainment was the next big thing. In 2022 they launched Inside The Dream, a behind-the-scenes series on its brands. Broadcast on Canal+ and Prime Video, a blockbuster first episode showcased behind the scenes of Bulgari Haute Joaillerie. The second episode, focused on Francis Kurkdjian's work for Dior perfumes.
Strong from that experience, in February 2024 LVMH decided to create 22 Montaigne, an entertainment company created to develop its own film, TV and audio formats around its portfolio of Maisons to “formalize an approach to promoting (its) brands through entertainment formats” in the words of Anish Melwani, Chairman and CEO, LVMH North America.4 When you think about it, it’s a dream for brands because you get to control the storytelling but also how you want to present and position your brand through appealing (and brand approved!) visuals.
A focus on Motorsports
Yes I know, you were waiting for me to come to the F1 or Motorsport section of this article, I know.
Take the F1 movie coming out this summer, it’s partly sponsored by Tommy Hilfiger. They basically bought their sponsorship of the fictional team APXGP. Their logo will be visible on the car’s halo, front wing and side as well the driver’s kit and team uniforms. It’s a simple way for Tommy to be seamlessly blended into the story but always present and a genius move to continue to affirm its position within the Motorsport industry and appeal to the demographics interested in the sport.5
Another great example of native marketing, even if less subtle was McLaren in Emily in Paris (Season 3, Episode 6). Emily conveniently works in a marketing agency in Paris so her “clients” are actual brands like Ami or McLaren looking for help to promote their newest product, create their latest campaign or event.
The movie Gran Turismo was another brilliant example on how to subtly include your brand in the narrative of the movie, Nissan, Sony and PlayStation all play a central role without overtaking on the plot of the movie.
What could be next?
I do believe we will see more and more brand-funded entertainment (or at the very least brand-backed entertainment) like The New Look or Mrs Harris Goes to Paris in the future. We already started to see it happen more and more with the rise of mini-series, films or mini-documentaries, which means that in the future brands might move from passive stakeholders in the background to being active producers and cultural, patrimonial and historical curators (yey new job opportunities!).
That being said, just like I mentioned in my article about why F1 drivers are the hottest brand ambassadors to sign right now, the most important ingredient for success here is a seamless integration to the point of immersion. You want the plot and the brand to align perfectly where viewers don’t see where the plot ends and the product placement begins. Great matches are difficult to find but are marketing goldmines.
I can only hope that LMVH will take advantage of their major partnership with F1 to make create more Motorsport-related entertainment in the likes of Senna. I can picture very easily a mini-series about the genesis of one of their brand’s partnership with Formula 1 - for example, a mini-series following an executive at Hublot or Tag Heuer trying to convince their boss to get into the world of Formula 1. (Although to be honest I would love to see a version with Tissot in the 80s).
Or a movie about Catherine Bond Muir and her journey to create the W series. (That would AWESOME to have a Motorsport movie about a woman for a change).
I could also see them sponsoring a Lewis Hamilton biopic (he’s a Dior ambassador after all).
Or maybe they can create their own behind-the-scene show about the F1? With a fashion, luxury and glamorous twist of course. If they are taking suggestions, I’d recommend calling it Carbon & Couture, House of Speed or Chic-ane (ok maybe not this one…).
I can’t wait to see what LVMH and 22 Montaigne and many other brands will create in the future. There’s so many opportunities, I’m getting the popcorn ready…
https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/kendrick-lamar-2025-super-bowl-halftime-show-most-watched-all-time-1235899552/#:~:text=Kendrick%20Lamar's%202025%20Super%20Bowl,than%20the%20Super%20Bowl%20itself.
https://www.threads.net/@misfihtss/post/DGCPMTDObL7?hl=fr
https://www.harpersbazaar.fr/mode/lvmh-se-met-au-cinema-avec-sa-societe-22-montaigne-entertainment_2047
https://wwd.com/fashion-news/fashion-scoops/tommy-hilfiger-new-movie-f1-official-fashion-sponsor-films-fictional-team-1237045377/