Serena & Lily’s Digital Campaign: An Autumn Affair

Maxine Mchunguzi
Marketing in the Age of Digital
3 min readOct 22, 2023

Hey there, Muses!

Ever found yourself knee-deep in Pinterest boards, contemplating your life choices and apartment aesthetics? Yep, that was me too. Moving to NYC earlier this year, I quickly realised two things: 1) Apartment hunting is wild, and 2) Furnishing is even wilder. And pricier. But speaking of interior wonders, let’s deep dive into Serena & Lily’s recent digital antics. And no, not the Van der Woodsens (though, shoutout to my Gossip Girl stans).

The Coastal Vibe and the Big Sale
So, Serena & Lily — that dreamy high-end coastal luxury furniture brand, serving up Hamptons-in-summer vibes — recently launched their Fall Design event. The tantalising offer? A chance to snag up to 40% off some posh pieces. A dream for aesthetic hunters like us, right?

Objective? Clear: Boost those conversions, especially from the ever-hesitant price-conscious audience. Their action call was simple: Buy. Buy from the Fall Design collection.

Platform Specifics: Insta Wins & TikTok Wonders
Their strategy shines on Instagram. Engaging, commenting, and actively responding to the adoring masses, they’ve curated a rich mix of videos, images, and all the autumnal ambiance you’d expect from a Fall event. Add influencers like @Arielokin, who align with their aspirational home and lifestyle vibe, and you’ve got a stew going. Their Reel from October 2nd, for example, their only content with a direct CTA, was pure gold.

But, their TikTok presence? A conundrum. It’s swayed more towards “how-to” content which is great, however with no whisper of the Fall Design event. And with eMarketer emphasising how TikTok is rapidly morphing into a search engine hub, this omission feels… odd.

And Facebook? Well, it’s a tad lukewarm. Sure, they sprinkled in mentions of the 40% discount, but it felt detached, not tied to the event like on Instagram.

The Good, The Bad, & The Aesthetically Pleasing
So, what went right?

  • Branding Brilliance: No matter the platform, their brand shone. I’d spot a Serena & Lily post from a mile away.
  • Platform-Specific Strategy: They clearly understand their diverse audience, curating platform-specific content. A result of meticulous A/B testing, perhaps?
  • Content Variety: Videos, images, guides — they’ve mastered the content game, balancing beauty with info.

But, some missteps:

  • Mixed Messaging: Consistency was amiss. Instagram was all about the Fall event, but Facebook seemed a tad disjointed. Every customer, irrespective of the platform, should have a cohesive brand experience.
  • CTA & Conversion Path: They missed the carousel train. With platforms like Meta offering in-app purchase pathways, they need to jump on this bandwagon. Customers want easy, efficient shopping experiences.
  • Influencer Utilisation: While leveraging names like @loithai was smart, casting a wider influencer net might lead to even greater engagement.

Final Thoughts
Navigating the world of digital campaigns, just like picking the perfect furniture, isn’t straightforward. Serena & Lily served up a mix of aesthetic wins and slight stumbles. However, I’m here for the journey, all while dodging the furniture ads now undoubtedly heading my way. Keep those aesthetic vibes coming, muses!

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Maxine Mchunguzi
Marketing in the Age of Digital

Traveller, foodie, Masters student and now blogger? Follow along to hear more about my marketing musings.