When Gucci announced that Demna would debut his creative vision with a campaign titled “La Famiglia”, expectations ran high. Would the designer known for irony and provocation bring the same disruptive energy to Gucci? Or would he adapt his lens to the house’s heritage and codes?
The result surprised many: a quiet, cinematic short film called “The Tiger” capturing a family dinner. No spectacle, no gimmicks. Instead, Demna’s Gucci started with a story rooted in heritage, intimacy, and character.
But “La Famiglia” is more than a fashion campaign; it’s a case study in brand storytelling. By turning buyer personas into characters and weaving them into a narrative tied to Italian culture, Gucci created a campaign that resonates far beyond luxury fashion.
Here’s what marketers of all sizes can learn.
1. Buyer Personas Come to Life
Most brands spend hours building detailed buyer personas; profiles of their ideal customers, complete with names, habits, and aspirations. Too often, they remain slides in a strategy deck.
In “La Famiglia”, Gucci did something different: it brought those personas into public life.
Each character in the portraits embodies a Gucci client archetype:
- The timeless Milanese matriarch with understated elegance.
- The rebellious younger guest, mixing heritage codes with modern eccentricity.
- The aspirational outsider, welcomed into the fold.
These aren’t just models in clothes; they are personalities audiences recognise, maybe even relate to.
Lesson for businesses: Don’t just define your personas. Put them into your marketing in ways your audience can actually see themselves. Show (not tell) who your brand belongs to.
2. Storytelling Rooted in Heritage
At its core, “La Famiglia” is a family story. The campaign centres on various characters who have different tastes, lifestyles and priorities.
For Gucci, the choice is deliberate. The house’s roots are Florentine, but its luxury clientele is deeply tied to Italy’s cultural codes. By using “family” as a metaphor, Gucci speaks to both heritage and universality.
There’s no forced trendiness here. No viral gimmick. Just an authentic connection between Gucci’s history and Italy’s cultural heartbeat.
Lesson for businesses: You don’t need a century-old heritage to do this. Look at your roots, your community, your values. What cultural touchpoints feel natural to your brand? Start your storytelling there.
3. A Film That Feels Like Culture, Not Campaign
The most striking thing about “La Famiglia” is what it isn’t. It doesn’t look like an ad. It looks like cinema.
Shot like an art-house short film, the campaign is not pushing a product; it’s building a world. The clothes are present, but they’re not the protagonist. The family is.
This distinction matters. In today’s attention economy, people resist being “sold to.” They’ll scroll past obvious ads, but they’ll stay for content that feels like culture, art, or entertainment.
Lesson for businesses: Even without Gucci’s production budget, small brands can apply this principle. Create content that feels like a story, a moment, or a lifestyle; not a product pitch.
4. Italian Codes, Global Appeal
By choosing “La Famiglia” and accompanying short film “The Tiger,” Gucci tapped into a concept that is deeply Italian but universally understood. Everyone recognises the family table: it’s where bonds are built, identities shaped, stories shared.
For Gucci’s global audience, this becomes a point of emotional entry. The Italian luxury backdrop makes it authentic, but the theme of belonging makes it relatable.
Lesson for businesses: Don’t be afraid to go local or specific in your storytelling. If it’s authentic, it will travel. In fact, specificity often makes your message more universal.
5. Subtle Luxury, Emotional Belonging
Luxury marketing has shifted in recent years. Loud logos and overt status symbols are less compelling than intimacy, connection, and belonging.
Gucci leaned into this shift with “La Famiglia.” The campaign whispers instead of shouts. The luxury is not in the obvious display; it’s in the intimacy of being part of the Gucci family.
Lesson for businesses: Even if you’re not a luxury brand, you can learn from this. Your customers don’t just want a transaction; they want to feel like insiders, part of your brand’s story. Invite them in.
6. From Personas to Participation
Perhaps the most clever element of “La Famiglia” is how it invites the audience. By presenting buyer personas as characters, Gucci allows viewers to ask: Which one am I?
It’s not just about watching a film; it’s about self-identification. And that’s where marketing becomes personal.
Lesson for businesses: Turn your personas into content that sparks recognition. Make your audience feel seen, and they’ll start seeing themselves in your brand.
What Small Businesses Can Take Away
You don’t need Gucci’s budget, star power, or global recognition to apply these lessons. What you need is clarity, creativity, and consistency.
- Turn your personas into characters. Show your audience in your content; not just in your decks.
- Anchor your story in culture. Whether that’s local traditions, shared values, or industry-specific rituals.
- Think like a storyteller, not an advertiser. People engage with stories, not sales pitches.
- Create belonging. Make your customers feel like they’re part of something bigger.
“La Famiglia” proves that the most powerful campaigns aren’t about noise, they’re about resonance.
Final Thought
Demna’s debut at Gucci is not just a new creative era; it’s a reminder of what marketing can be when it’s rooted in people, culture, and narrative.
For brands big and small, the challenge is the same: know your audience deeply, tell stories that matter, and invite them to the table.
Because in the end, every brand is a kind of family, and every campaign is an invitation to join.
Want to build a brand that feels like Gucci; refined, culturally aware, and always relevant?
Let’s talk: Book a strategy consultation with IMPACTICO.
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