Burberry gets representation right, and it’s working

Burberry’s ‘It’s Always Burberry Weather: London in Love’ campaign stays true to the brand, British culture, and authentic representation, says Rich Miles, CEO, Diversity Standards Collective.

Lately, there’s been a sea of Burberry content across socials, TV screens, and billboards. The ads depict the brand’s special place in British culture, which is portrayed in a diverse and often eccentric manner, lovingly accentuating its rich influences.

More inspiring still is that it’s rejuvenating the company. Burberry’s mix of candid social with cinematic set pieces underscored by an authentic depiction of a diverse Britain has been credited in part to its stock rising over 70% since last autumn.

The ongoing ‘It’s Always Burberry Weather: London in Love’ campaign has gathered the likes of Kate Winslet, Nicholas Hoult, Aimee Lou Wood, and Naomi Campbell to celebrate the charm of London’s unpredictable downpours, drawing inspiration from classic romantic comedies like ‘Love Actually’ and ‘The Holiday’.

The latest ad continues this flawless run.

It’s a beautifully simple way to represent the East Asian community, which is wildly under-represented. The use of South Korean actor Son Suk-ku is intertwined naturally with a message about having love for others, a love of fashion and a love of a full English. Diverse representation at its simplest and finest.

The East Asian community isn’t often represented in the campaigns we get through our Targeted Community Research Platform, so it was exciting to see a character from that community in a lead role centred around a theme of ‘Britishness’. Our Diverse Collective, who review the campaigns, have been crying out for less sensationalised representation and yearning to see more everyday narratives depicted in our ads, and this ad seems to do just that.

The campaign follows last October’s high-profile relaunch featuring Olivia Colman, Barry Keoghan, and Cole Palmer, which won praise from Creative Moment.