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While 2022 was defined by spectacle, 2023 was defined by culture. Louis Vuitton spearheaded the shift in February, declaring its ambition to transform into a ‘cultural brand’. The appointment of Pharrell Williams as Menswear creative director not only embodied this vision but also set a new industry standard — one where celebrity, art, design, music, fashion, film, food and travel play into a cohesive, creative narrative.

The ensuing months witnessed brands strategically embedding themselves in cultural moments and fostering collaborations with cross-industry creatives. Versace, for instance, harnessed the influence of the Cannes Film Festival to unveil its collection co-designed by Dua Lipa. Simultaneously, jewellery brands embraced the celebrity showcase model, a tactic borrowed from the fashion realm, as a cornerstone of their strategy.

The landscape of influence continued to evolve throughout the year. TikTok showcased its role as a catapult for everyday individuals into stardom with just a few scrolls. Notably, in Thailand, celebrities began to eclipse K-Pop stars in terms of cultural impact — a trend anticipated to further unfold in 2024.

Lefty and Karla Otto’s Year in Data is a culmination of our collaborative efforts, fusing proprietary data with creative insights to craft a distinctive and analytical narrative that can guide brand marketing into the future. Dive in to discover the data-defined top 10 moments of 2023.

Cannes Film Festival returned to its pre-pandemic glory, bursting with A-List stars and blockbuster previews. Its lucrative EMV of $413M, due to an increased social media presence, means brands are not only designing for the screen, but cashing in on the cultural cache of Cannes.

This season, India was the audience most impacted by Cannes Film Festival thanks to the digitisation of the region at large. Showcasing India’s significant rise in star power, actress Anushka Sharma summoned $17.9M EMV, boosting the visibility of brands such as Chopard, Cartier, Richard Quinn, Prada and L’Oréal.

As luxury brands looked for innovative ways to drive media value, a brand activation that stood out was Bulgari’s Mediterranea High Jewellery event in May. Held in Venice’s iconic Palazzo Ducale, the Roman house staged a runway show followed by a Michelin Star dinner, leveraging its global brand ambassadors Anne Hathaway, Zendaya Priyanka Chopra and more, all contributing to an overall EMV of $36.9M. An impressive engagement rate of 8.9% was mainly led by Blackpink’s Lisa, proving the global impact of K-Pop stars.

A hotly anticipated debut for the year, Peter Hawkings proves his vision for Tom Ford resonated with fans of the brand, generating an overall EMV of $2.9 million — an impressive 82% growth season on season.

In spite of having no social media presence, Bottega Veneta exemplifies the power of a strong brand community. The fan account @newbottega now serves as default for the Milanese house, whereby fans lead the conversation, with or without an official account.

Ottolinger saw stellar growth this year, with its EMV growing 1450.5% season on season. The brand refined it’s talent strategy to tap into the power of K-Pop, inviting Giselle of band Aespa to its SS24 show, alongside American rapper Tyga.

Pre and Cruise destination shows continue to see success throughout 2023. Louis Vuitton and Gucci leveraged the power of Seoul and its powerhouse of influence, seeing almost double the earned media value compared to their on-schedule shows. Versace’s La Vacanza, co-designed with Dua Lipa, tapped into the wider cultural conversations surrounding the Cannes Film Festival while harnessing the hype of one of pop culture's biggest stars. The formula to off-schedule and mid-season shows is clear: removing yourself from the noise puts your brand in centre stage.

Hailed as fashion’s pop culture moment of the year, Pharrell Williams’ hotly anticipated premiere at Louis Vuitton coincided with its mission of becoming a ‘cultural brand’. With a star-studded guestlist, spectacular location and post-show concert, the event burst through the noise to first place, beating any womenswear designer, generating $49.2M in EMV. This historic moment marked a new era for not just fashion but for the whole creative sector, where culture is no longer just peripheral; it’s a core component to building a brand today and surviving tomorrow.

Dior’s well-rounded celebrity strategy helped propel it to the top, generating $46.2M in EMV. From A-listers Charlize Theron, Jennifer Lawrence, Jenna Ortega and more, to rising Thai actors Nattawin Wattanagitiphat and Mile Phakphum Romsaithong, this media impact was driven by a global and diverse range of talent. Paired with Maria Grazia Chiuri’s mission to challenge female stereotypes – something that resonates in this modern landscape – this show was a masterclass in showing how strong marketing strategies can broaden the reach of the message.

Due to the nature of TikTok’s community-based content — and thus with higher engagement rates — beauty thrives on the platform. Both CeraVe and L’Oréal’s EMV on TikTok is significantly higher than on Instagram. In fact, brands that are partnering with TikTok creators and that lean into the app’s tone of voice see their visibility heavily increased. CeraVe is currently the fastest-growing skincare brand, with the highest EMV across both TikTok and Instagram — 85% of which is due to its strong TikTok strategy.

L’Oréal boasts a strong 360 strategy, from brand ambassadors to TikTok-native creators. Its brand activation during the past SS24 fashion month generated over 30% of its annual EMV, showcasing the strength of leveraging cultural moments to increase visibility.

Thai drama emerged as this year’s key casting strategy — and something that will future-proof your brand as we predict this trend to follow a similar trajectory to K-Pop. Karla Otto and Lefty first observed this opportunity in our SS23 report, keeping our clients ahead of the curve.

‘BL’ (short for Boys’ Love) drama took Thailand by storm during the pandemic, starring queer narratives that resonated with the local

LGBTQIA+ community, as well as Gen Z and Millennial women worldwide. The interest in BL drama was further increased following restrictions made by the Chinese government — a similar effect to the rise of K-Pop.

Nattawin Wattanagitiphat and Mile Phakphu Romsaithong, affectionately nicknamed Mile and Apo, were co-stars in the 2022 series KinnPorsche La Forte; Vachirawit Chivaaree, known professionally as Bright, and Metawin OpasIamkajorn

were co-stars in the 2020 series 2gether – the genre’s breakout show. All 4 actors were present throughout this year’s women’s and men’s shows, with Nattawin generating up to $11 million EMV for Dior.

What started as dancing videos on a morning commute turned out to be this year’s emerging sensation. Sabrina Bahsoon, known as ‘Tube Girl’, took over the runways and front rows this past SS24 season, all within a month of her first viral video.

Karla Otto, representing brands like MAC, BOSS and Valentino, swiftly recognised Bahsoon’s media impact and collaborated with her and the brands, driving $1.6 million EMV across TikTok and Instagram, showcasing the agency’s ability to navigate the fast-paced talent landscape.

2023’s undisputed It Girl, Sofia Richie stole the limelight in April with her highly publicised wedding in South of France’s prestigious Hôtel du Cap- Eden-Roc. With three custom Chanel looks created for the occasion, this proves how such partnerships can generate high visibility for brands.

Her style resonates with the quiet luxury trend, spiking a surge in views of the #OldMoney hashtag on TikTok, now at 10.9Bn.

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