United States

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) Guide

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is transforming how brands show up in AI-powered search. Explore insights, strategies, and best practices to help your content rank and resonate across conversational engines like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot.

Explore insights and strategies for Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) to help your brand stay visible and discoverable in AI-powered search.

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) Blog Collection | Meltwater

Media monitoring helps organizations stay informed about what’s being said across online news, print, broadcast, podcasts, and other media channels. Whether you're tracking brand mentions, measuring PR performance, monitoring competitors, or identifying emerging trends, our expert guides, best practices, and industry insights will help you build a smarter media monitoring strategy and make more informed communications decisions.

Discover expert media monitoring guides, best practices, and industry insights to track brand mentions, monitor competitors, and stay ahead of the news.

Media Monitoring: Guides, Best Practices & Industry Insights

Every day billions of conversations take place on social media: tweets, posts, comments, blogs, reviews, podcasts, and much more.

Learn how to use social listening to make sense of all of that data.

On our social listening category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around social listening and social media monitoring. Read more.

Social Listening Blogs | Category

Business Reputation Management: What does it take to add reputation management to your marketing strategy? More importantly, how do you keep your reputation sparkly and shiny? Here’s your all-access guide to online reputation management for the long term.

On our reputation management category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around business reputation management. Read more.

Reputation Management Blogs | Category

From your brand's logo to your website, your social media presence to your customer support—these elements combined are what constitutes a brand in the minds of customers. But, there are thousands of other businesses that have a logo, website, social media presence, and website. So, how can you position your business on the market and make it stand out from the competition?

The key to success is branding & brand management!

On our brand management category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around brand management. Build your strategy and reach your goals!

Brand Management Blogs | Category

Competitive intelligence and the act of collecting competitive data can be seen as growth drivers for a company. Our guide will help you understand the concept of competitive intelligence (CI) by answering questions such as: What is the definition of competitive intelligence? How is competitive intelligence useful to organizations? What is the goal of competitive intelligence? And more.

On our competitive intelligence category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around competitive intelligence. Learn how to stay ahead.

Competitive Intelligence Blogs | Category

Let’s dive into the customer journey framework and how to optimize the process by creating a customer journey map and using metrics that matter when analyzing the customer journey.

On our customer journey category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around mapping and understanding the customer journey.

Customer Journey Blogs | Category

How do customers interact with my newly launched product?

How do I increase the productivity of my employees?

How do I know if my marketing efforts are working?

We have just two words for you...Data analytics!

On our data analytics category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around AI and data analytics. Technical and still easy to understand.

AI & Data Analytics Blogs | Category

Public relations and media relations can add impact to any marketing strategy. It’s an opportunity for brands to grow their reach beyond traditional sales messages. PR helps to shape the image you want people to have of your brand.

So, what is PR and how do you use it? This guide shows you everything you need to know to build a strong public relations foundation.

On our public relations (PR) category page, you find all our blogs covering public relations and communications topics. Step up your PR game.

Public Relations (PR) Blogs | Category

We all know exactly what the roles of sales or accounting are in a company, right? We might even have a slight idea of what the IT guys are doing.

But there is another business discipline, that plays a crucial role in organizations, even more so during the pandemic – internal communications!

But what exactly do we mean by that, what purpose does it serve and what steps can you take to ensure you and your employees will communicate effectively?

On our internal communications category page, you find all our blogs about internal comms topics. Learn about the intranet, internal newsletters, and more.

Internal Communications Blogs | Category

As the internet has taken root in more areas of our lives — everything from entertainment to shopping to paying bills and more — traditional marketing is becoming less impactful. As any marketer knows, you need to focus on where your audience is if you want to reach them. Since the average person spends about seven hours a day online, it’s no surprise that content has maintained its hold on marketers.

Here's a closer look at what content marketing is and why it matters more than ever in our digital-first economy.

On our content marketing category page, you find blogs about content marketing topics. Learn about strategies, KPIs, tips, and more. Make your content king!

Content Marketing Blogs | Category

The rise of the influencer marketing space – today a $10 billion industry, growing 50% per year – is one of the clearest examples of how social media is transforming traditional marketing. These days having a business website, presence on social, PR coverage, and your own content isn’t enough to compete.

We'll dive into the intricacies of influencer marketing to help ensure that you're equipped with the insights needed to be successful in this space.

On our influencer marketing category page, you find blogs about influencer marketing topics. Build your strategy, find influencers, and measure results.

Influencer Marketing Blogs | Category

Have you just launched a new product or service that you want to get the word out about? Maybe you want to share with consumers why it is awesome and how it is so much better than the one your competitors offer.

Well, then, there is one thing you can't do without...Marketing!

On our marketing category page, you find blogs about marketing topics. Learn about all the different angles and types of marketing and improve your results.

Marketing Blogs | Category

Building a following and using social media platforms to reach a wider audience requires a well-planned social media marketing strategy. In this guide, we’ll be looking at why social media marketing is so essential and how you can make it work for your business.

On our social media marketing category page, you find blogs about social media marketing topics. Learn how to get the highest paid social ROI!

Social Media Marketing Blogs | Category

In the fast-evolving realm of digital marketing and public relations, utilizing the right tools is crucial for success. Our interdisciplinary category showcases all the pertinent tools for digital marketing & PR. These tools help in enhancing your online presence and effectively reaching target groups, whether through reputation management, influencer marketing, or social media management.

On our digital marketing and PR tools category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around mapping and understanding the customer journey.

Digital Marketing & PR Tools Blogs | Category

From media coverage and social conversations to audience insights and campaign performance, communications teams have access to more data than ever before. But collecting information is only the beginning. The real challenge is knowing what it means, what matters most, and how to respond with confidence.

Data-driven communications turns scattered signals into actionable insights. By using data to understand audiences, identify trends, measure impact, and guide decisions, communications teams can create more relevant strategies and demonstrate their value across the organization.

Learn how data-driven communications helps teams understand audiences, measure impact, identify trends, and turn media, social, and AI signals into action.

Data-Driven Communications: Insights & Strategies | Meltwater

Kim Cattrall takes the lead in a campaign celebrating the intelligence behind confident brand decisions.

Intelligence is always in style: Kim Cattrall stars in Meltwater’s new campaign

AI adoption is no longer the challenge—trusted context is. Most organizations have AI tools, but many still rely on disconnected, stale, or unverified data, limiting the quality and trustworthiness of AI-generated outputs. Meltwater MCP brings trusted, real-time intelligence into AI assistants.

Your Best Context is Already in the Room

See how one platform can power every decision across PR, communications, and marketing.

The Meltwater Blog

Blog Topics: Generative Engine Optimization, Media Intelligence, Media Relations, Social Listening, Consumer Intelligence, Influencer Marketing

Find out how you can leverage Facebook to boost your brand's online presence and gain a competitive edge. Explore the Meltwater category page today!

Facebook Blog | Meltwater

Find out how you can leverage Instagram to boost your brand's visual appeal and gain a competitive edge. Explore our category page today!

Instagram Blog | Meltwater

Find out how you can leverage LinkedIn to grow your professional network and gain a competitive edge. Explore the Meltwater category page today!

LinkedIn Blog | Meltwater

Find out how you can leverage TikTok to elevate your brand with creative content and gain a competitive edge. Explore the Meltwater category page today!

TikTok Blog | Meltwater

Find out how you can leverage X / Twitter to engage your audience effectively and gain a competitive edge. Explore the Meltwater category page today!

X / Twitter Blog | Meltwater

Find out how you can leverage YouTube to create engaging video content and gain a competitive edge. Explore the Meltwater category page today!

YouTube Blog | Meltwater

Discussions of AI in luxury advertising increased 26% quarter-over-quarter at the beginning of the year, begging the question, do luxury consumers want AI in their advertising? Consumer attitudes toward the technology have been increasingly consequential to the luxury fashion sector as it has become ubiquitous and increasingly thorny. In that time, some of the world’s biggest luxury brands have experimented with using AI-generated imagery, but audience reception has often been less than glowing.

As many commentators have pointed out, AI-generated creative bumps up against luxury’s core pillars of artistry and exclusivity. It’s no surprise that audiences that value handcrafted goods might be less receptive to AI imagery than more tech-centered ones. 

And yet, as creatives continue to push the limits of what can be created with the technology, luxury brands seeking to distinguish themselves are along for the ride. 2026 may very well be the biggest year yet for AI in luxury advertising, so we used Explore+ to get to the bottom of how consumers at large really feel about it. Here’s what marketers need to know about the digital conversation, along with data-driven guidelines for campaigns. 

Methodology: Our Explore+ analysis examines English-language conversations about AI usage and luxury brands in the US and Canada from February 1, 2025, to February 28, 2026, across major social platforms, including Instagram, TikTok, X, and Reddit, as well as blogs, forums, and online comments.

Consumer Scrutiny of AI in Luxury Marketing Is Growing

In February 2025 and again in January 2026, the conversation around AI in luxury marketing surged online, resulting in a 52% increase of engagement across that time span. However, along the way negative sentiment rose also significantly, marking a dramatic shift in audience perception. Here’s how it went down:

First, the inspiration phase: Independent creator content, not those of major brands, drove the February 2025 engagement spike. Creative director Sybille De Saint Louvent’s AI-generated campaign concepts, including those for Loro Piana, Loewe, and Prada, made waves on Instagram and TikTok in early 2025, particularly after being promoted by culture and fashion outlet CultedXO. At the time, positive sentiment praising the visuals and concepts modestly outweighed critiques of AI usage. Emphasis on the creative expertise and human taste behind the images was central. 

Next, the turning point: An AI-generated “Imaginary Hermès Ad” by creator @lucamakesstuff drove nearly half of November 2025 engagement. However, by that point negative and positive sentiment were nearly even, with the former rising and the latter falling. Around this time, some poorly-received, AI-generated holiday campaigns and increased political attention to public concerns about the long-term effects of data centers helped drive negative negative sentiment.

Now, the scrutiny phase: The January 2026 spike in engagement coincided with the releases of AI-generated ad campaigns from multiple luxury brands. By then, following the rise of AI slop over most of 2025, the tide had fully, officially turned, with the volume of negative mentions more than doubling positive ones. 

So while 2025 began with optimism about AI in luxury, this year the debate is centered on ethics, authenticity, and copyright concerns. Interestingly, much of the overall conversation (62% of mentions) as well as the critique (about 30% negative sentiment) is concentrated on Reddit, home to growing, highly engaged communities of luxury fashion and beauty enthusiasts. 

Across sources, recurring themes in negative mentions included the dilution of exclusivity, replacement of labor, and a general devaluation of human creativity, mastery, and taste. Themes within the much smaller positive conversation focused on AI’s potential to expand and reimagine artistry for a technologically evolving future. Together, these topics highlight what luxury brands should embrace and avoid as they plan for the next wave of the AI era. 

The Dos and Don’ts of AI in Luxury Marketing 

Do: Celebrate and highlight human creativity.

Aside from its timing, CultedXO’s viral post about Louvent’s AI-generated campaign concepts tapped into luxury audiences’ appreciation for human creativity. It’s the same appeal to personal connection and identification that has fueled the rise of creative directors as brand ambassadors, and even the advent of celebrities as creative directors. 

Luxury brands will always have an edge in highlighting the creative minds behind their offerings, but that goes double for campaigns that incorporate generative AI. The technology used by an artist for expression will always have a warmer public reception than a brand conspicuously using it for cost savings.

If you think audiences can’t tell the difference between artistic and low-effort uses of AI, think again. Generative AI is no longer a shiny, new novelty. Instead, consumers are much more knowledgeable about the technology and discerning about its outputs than they were even a year ago. Campaigns and initiatives that assume otherwise are likely to fail in the face of increased public cynicism. 

This Reddit post sparked lively discussion among fashion photography enthusiasts about the usage of AI in luxury brand marketing.

For evidence, look no further than the backlash to AI marketing at this year’s Super Bowl. On the flipside, brands that stay in step with audiences and take their AI concerns seriously will be best positioned to find genuinely innovative, purposeful ways to deploy the technology. This is particularly true for luxury brands, whose audiences value artistry and attention to detail in their brand experiences. 

Announcing the use of AI-generated creative after backlash or, worse, concealing it entirely is a wrecking ball to brand trust. Even when it isn’t required by law, brands should always be open and transparent about when and how they use generative AI in marketing and advertising. Those that don’t risk huge negative business impacts and becoming the industry’s next cautionary tale.

As the commentary and debate around AI in luxury continues to roar, avoid reactivity or desperate attempts to catch up to already peaking trends. Instead, let cold, hard consumer intelligence data and your authentic brand identity guide your journey through this evolving, technological landscape.

Audiences are already growing tired of AI-generated sameness that implies we’ve reached the end of creative possibility. The expectation of homogeneity has only created more opportunity for luxury brands to surprise consumers, in a good way. AI-powered solutions like Explore+ allow you to understand audiences at scale so you identify where your competitors are crowding and where your brand can blaze its own innovative trail.

As luxury brands develop their guidelines and strategies around generative AI in marketing, customer voices and values must be central. Success won’t be determined by whether or not a brand uses AI-generated content, but rather how they engage with their audiences. Consumer desire for authenticity and originality is foundational, no matter where technology takes us next. The brands that use AI to more deeply understand and engage with their audiences are the ones that will come out on top. Those that use it without intention, creativity, or some sense of taste, on the other hand, will get left behind. 

Do luxury consumers want AI in advertising?

Luxury consumers are not universally opposed to AI in advertising, but Meltwater’s Explore+ analysis of luxury brand marketing shows growing skepticism. While early conversations in 2025 were more optimistic, recent data highlights a clear shift toward concerns about authenticity, ethics, and creative value. Consumers are more accepting of AI when it enhances human artistry rather than replaces it.

How do consumers feel about AI-generated luxury campaigns?

According to Meltwater’s Explore+ analysis of luxury brand marketing and AI, consumer sentiment has become increasingly negative over time, with negative mentions significantly outpacing positive ones in 2026. Audiences frequently critique AI-generated campaigns for lacking originality, diluting exclusivity, and undermining craftsmanship, core pillars of luxury branding.

What are the biggest concerns about AI in luxury marketing?

Meltwater’s Explore+ analysis reveals that the top concerns include loss of authenticity, replacement of creative labor, copyright and ethical issues, and the perception of “AI sameness.” These concerns are especially prominent on Reddit, where luxury consumers actively scrutinize brand decisions.

What are best practices for using AI in luxury marketing?

Based on Meltwater’s Explore+ analysis of consumer conversations, best practices include being transparent about AI usage, centering human creativity, aligning with brand identity, and using data-driven insights to guide execution. Brands that treat AI as a creative tool rather than a cost-saving shortcut are more likely to resonate with luxury audiences.

How should luxury brands approach AI in 2026?

In 2026, Meltwater’s Explore+ analysis suggests that luxury brands should continue experimentation with a focus on intentional, strategic use of AI. Success will depend on balancing innovation with authenticity, leveraging AI to enhance storytelling and audience understanding without compromising the craftsmanship and exclusivity that define luxury.

The Dos and Don’ts of AI and Luxury Marketing

BTS is officially back, but according to the data, hype surrounding the massive K-pop group never really left. Though the group went on hiatus in 2022 so that its seven members — Jung Kook, V, Jimin, RM, Suga, Jin, and j-hope — could complete mandatory service in the South Korean military, BTS fan enthusiasm remained strong. 

Our social listening analysis found that since March 2025, the group and its members have generated about 25 million mentions across traditional, digital, and social media channels. About two-thirds of those mentions occurred before January, several weeks ahead of their highly anticipated comeback.

Marked by their new album Arirang, a Netflix-streamed concert in Seoul, and many high-profile media appearances, BTS’s return boosted an already ongoing, global, fan-driven digital phenomenon. Here’s what the numbers reveal about the impact of BTS’s return to the world stage. 

#BTSArmy Drives the Band’s Sustained Visibility

Chatter from BTS fan communities on social media eclipses the band’s media coverage. Over the past year, social and community platforms accounted for over 90% of all BTS mentions, while traditional media contributed only a marginal share. Meanwhile, the group’s fan base, known as the BTS Army or Army for short, achieved about 4.6% SOV in the overall swirl of discussion.

Though BTS was technically on pause for most of the past year, fans still had plenty to discuss and bond over online. First, the June 2025 announcement that the band would reunite drove about a 73% spike in mentions compared to the previous month. Buzz also grew that October, as each of BTS’s members continued their solo music careers and starred in high-profile ad campaigns. 

Jung Kook’s October 2025 Calvin Klein campaign amplified BTS’s visibility ahead of their comeback. This one TikTok from the campaign generated about 6.3 million likes.

In January, the announcement of the 2026 BTS world tour also boosted buzz to 2.38 million mentions that month, or about 9.5% of total conversation over the past year. Finally, the band’s March comeback album, single, and Netflix concert drove about a 15% surge in discussion, driving conversation to levels more than 4.5x higher than March 2025.

Overall, BTS’s comeback generated about 3.59 million mentions, about 14% of the total conversation surrounding them over the past year. So while the group’s return is big news, it is merely raising a massive, ongoing wave of conversation rather than spiking it. 

BTS is known as one of the first K-pop groups to achieve crossover success around the world. Thirteen years after their debut, that widespread success still stands. Japan, China, and the US all had higher volumes of BTS mentions than South Korea over the past year. 

The geographic distribution of BTS conversation speaks to the group’s ability to maintain loyal fan communities outside of in-person shows and appearances. For example, the group’s world tour is not stopping in Mainland China, which, nevertheless, still generated the second-highest volume of BTS mentions. Meanwhile, though the group’s recent Seoul concert reportedly had disappointing attendance figures, South Korea still generated the fourth-highest volume of BTS mentions over the past year. 

For brands and marketers, BTS’s global footprint drives home just how much modern-day audience connection thrives on digital community and activation much more than physical presence. At least for megastars.

Netflix’s social content promoting its BTS comeback concert went viral. The above post generated over 6.2 million likes in less than a week.

Though fans are the driving force behind BTS’s global visibility, brand and platform partnerships helped amplify their comeback. For example, the group partnered with Spotify to promote Arirang with in-app and live experiences. As a result, mentions of the music platform comprised 4.5% of the total BTS conversation over the past year. 

Meanwhile, Netflix exclusively streamed the group’s Seoul comeback concert, drawing 18.4 million viewers. That partnership helped the platform capture about 1.1% of BTS mentions. 

BTS’s comeback speaks to the importance and power of digital fan communities, particularly in the world of entertainment. The group undoubtedly returned to the world stage with a splash, but that success was thanks to its global Army that provided a digital audience, even when IRL ones didn’t materialize.

For marketers, the lesson is clear: lasting impact comes from investing in communities and creating digital moments that audiences can feel part of. Not every brand can achieve BTS-level global domination, but they can cultivate community in big and small ways that make their biggest fans feel seen. 

FAQ: BTS Comeback & Social Listening Insights

What does social listening reveal about BTS’s 2026 comeback?

Meltwater’s social listening analysis of BTS’s comeback shows that the group generated approximately 25 million mentions over the past year, with the majority occurring before their official return. This indicates that fan-driven conversation sustained global interest even during their hiatus.

How much of the conversation around BTS is driven by fans?

According to Meltwater’s social listening analysis of BTS’s comeback, over 90% of all mentions came from social and community platforms, highlighting the BTS Army’s critical role in driving ongoing visibility and engagement.

Which moments drove the biggest spikes in BTS conversation?

Meltwater’s social listening analysis of BTS’s comeback found that key moments—such as the June 2025 reunion announcement, solo member campaigns, the 2026 world tour announcement, and the March comeback events—triggered significant surges in mentions, including a sharp increase leading up to and immediately following their return.

How global is BTS’s online conversation?

Meltwater’s social listening analysis of BTS’s comeback shows that conversation is truly global, with countries like Japan, China, and the United States generating more mentions than South Korea, demonstrating the group’s widespread international fan base.

What role did brand partnerships play in amplifying BTS’s comeback?

Based on Meltwater’s social listening analysis of BTS’s comeback, partnerships with platforms like Spotify and Netflix contributed to increased visibility by integrating BTS into fan experiences, with each platform capturing a measurable share of total conversation.

What can marketers learn from BTS’s comeback?

Meltwater’s social listening analysis of BTS’s comeback underscores that sustained engagement comes from active, digitally connected communities. Brands can learn that building long-term audience relationships and enabling participation is more impactful than relying solely on major campaign moments.

BTS Comeback 2026: Insights on Global Fan Power

The start of the Year of the Horse was a critical moment for luxury brands. 2026’s Lunar New Year (LNY) coincides with promising outlooks for the Chinese luxury market. In the sea of campaigns tied to the event, it takes community-minded strategies to grab audience attention.

To learn more, we used Explore+ to examine Lunar New Year-related mentions of 10 major luxury fashion houses — Dior, Tod’s, Prada, Bvlgari, Bottega Veneta, Miu Miu, Celine, Valentino, D&G, and Fendi — across social, online media, and broadcast sources in English and Chinese (Simplified and Traditional). 

From January 1 through March 3, Lunar New Year campaigns from these brands generated 3.4 million mentions and 24 million engagement actions. For context, the Winter Olympics generated 3.84 million mentions, placing LNY luxury campaigns on a comparable conversational scale to one of the world’s largest global sporting events.

The data shows that while celebrity star power drove campaign visibility for multiple brands, participatory social moments helped Prada stand out from the herd.

Celebrities and Milan Fashion Week Drove Visibility

Celebrity brand ambassadors anchored luxury LNY campaigns on Sina Weibo (96% of mentions) and Douyin (50% of engagement), drawing the eyes (and clicks) of devoted fans. Though global luxury brands have gotten more sophisticated in designing their LNY collections and campaigns, big names and familiar faces overshadowed creative details and concepts.

For example, Dior dominated conversation volume, generating 70% share of voice (SOV). About 29% of those mentions centered on its brand ambassador, Chinese actor Deng Wei.

Meanwhile, 38% of Valentino’s total engagement related to its LNY campaign came from a single Sina Weibo post from actor and singer Tan Jianci, also known as JC-T. The Valentino Beauty ambassador’s post promoting the limited-edition Lucky Blue makeup collection clearly resonated with his fanbase. It proved to be a more active point of audience engagement with the brand over other campaign elements like media features and in-person events. 

This Sina Weibo post from Tan Jianci generated over a third of Lunar New Year-related engagement for Valentino.  

Finally, Tod’s global brand ambassador Xiao Zhan drove 96% of both mentions and engagement for the Italian luxury brand. In particular, the actor and singer’s prominent seating at the Tod’s runway show for Milan Fashion Week created a surge of cross-market attention, effectively linking the brand’s Asia-focused Year of the Horse campaign to one of European fashion’s biggest stages.

Overall, Milan Fashion Week drove 86% of mentions and 60% of engagement for Tod’s, which wasn’t the only brand to seize the crossover opportunity in Milan Fashion Week’s LNY overlap. Many brands’ posts documenting their activations in Italy referenced LNY limited editions or incorporated the #马年 (Year of the Horse) hashtag. As a result, Milan became a key talking point in LNY luxury campaign conversations.

For Prada, Milan accounted for 67% of total LNY campaign mentions and 49.5% of related engagement. This was largely driven by Su Xinhao and Zuo Hang, members of the Chinese boy band T.O.P. 登陸少年組合, walking in the brand’s official runway show. 

One Hashtag Helped Prada Generate Outsized Engagement

While numerous brands used high-production creative assets to spark LNY conversation, a hashtag and custom Douyin filter helped Prada distinguish itself online. Despite only having 8% SOV, the brand captured 51% of the engagement. This was largely thanks to the #马年一起Prada啪哒 hashtag (roughly meaning “Prada! Together in the Year of the Horse") which generated over 90% of the brand’s likes, comments, shares, and reposts.

This Douyin post featuring Ma Long using Prada’s fire horse prism filter generated over 713,000 engagement actions from January 28 to March 3.

Highly engaged Douyin posts from figures like table tennis champion Ma Long and boy band TOP登陸少年組合 using a custom Prada Year of the Horse filter encouraged UGC. By creating a moment that fans could actively participate in, the brand realigned its campaign with the holiday’s foundations in community and togetherness. 

The combination of star power with audience involvement paid off big in terms of advertising value equivalent, or AVE, the estimated monetary value of earned media exposure). During LNY celebrations from February 17 to March 3, Prada generated $8.4 million in AVE despite only having 8% SOV. By comparison, Tod’s, which had 50% SOV, generated about half of Prada’s AVE at $4.3 million.

The takeaway here is that conversation volume is only one aspect of determining a campaign’s success. Brands need to consider engagement efficiency, i.e. how effectively a brand converts SOV into share of engagement, to truly understand whether or not campaign content is resonating with target audiences. 

For luxury brands planning future campaigns around cultural celebrations, three lessons stand out from LNY 2026:

Celebrity alignment can make or break a campaign. One highly resonant brand ambassador can outperform broad chatter.

Use calendar overlaps as multiplier effects. Coinciding cultural events don’t have to compete against each other. Use them as opportunities to target your audience’s overlapping interests, extending your campaigns’ reach and relevance in the process. 

Engagement efficiency beats SOV. Prada’s campaign proves that converting attention into interaction is what ultimately drives media value. Simple tools like hashtags and custom filters can go a long way in encouraging audience engagement.

In the Year of the Horse and beyond, luxury brands that can turn cultural moments into shared experiences will be the ones that stand out. Pairing the right faces with the right formats, all backed with data-driven insights, will be key to transforming seasonal impact into success in the long term. 

Frequently Asked Questions: Luxury Brand Performance During Lunar New Year 2026

What was the overall scale of luxury brand conversation during Lunar New Year 2026?

According to Meltwater, luxury brand campaigns for the Year of the Horse generated 3.4 million mentions and 24 million engagements between January 1 and March 3, 2026. To put this in perspective, this volume is comparable to the Winter Olympics, which generated 3.84 million mentions, illustrating the massive cultural and commercial scale of the holiday for the fashion industry.

Which social media platforms were most effective for luxury brands during Lunar New Year 2026?

Meltwater’s analysis reveals a clear split between visibility and interaction: Sina Weibo dominated conversation volume with 96% of mentions, while Douyin drove 50% of total engagement. This indicates that while Weibo is essential for broad reach, Douyin is the primary platform for active consumer participation.

How did celebrity ambassadors influence Lunar New Year 2026 campaign results?

Meltwater identifies celebrity talent as the primary amplification lever for these campaigns. For example, Xiao Zhan accounted for 96% of both mentions and engagement for Tod’s, while a single post from Tan Jianci drove 38% of Valentino’s total engagement. Similarly, Dior’s partnership with Deng Wei accounted for approximately 29% of its total mentions.

How did Milan Fashion Week impact Lunar New Year 2026 marketing?

Meltwater analysis highlights that Milan Fashion Week acted as a global visibility multiplier because it overlapped with the core holiday celebration window. For Tod’s, Milan-related activity drove 86% of its mentions and 60% of its engagement, while Prada leveraged the event to showcase next-generation idols like Su Xinhao and Zuo Hang, accounting for 67% of its LNY-related mentions.

What role did User-Generated Content (UGC) play in Prada’s Lunar New Year 2026 success?

Meltwater analysis credits Prada’s outsized engagement to its focus on community participation rather than just "hero" content. The #马年一起Prada啪哒 hashtag alone accounted for over 90% of the brand’s total engagement, while the “Red Horse Welcomes Spring” interactive filters encouraged users to transform from passive viewers into active content creators.

Which brand generated the highest media value during Lunar New Year 2026 celebrations?

Meltwater found that Prada generated the highest Advertising Value Equivalent (AVE) at $8.4 million, nearly double the $4.3 million generated by Tod’s. The analysis suggests this was due to Prada's high engagement efficiency and its strategic investment in Gen Z-driven cultural capital.

How Luxury Brands Leveraged Celebrities and UGC for Lunar New Year 2026 Success

It can feel like there is a constant need to reinvent the marketing engine and reinvent the wheel. AI has transformed discovery… but even with all this change, consumer motivations remain the same. People still want answers, connection, and authenticity that they can trust.

— Upali Dasgupta, Senior Director of Marketing at Meltwater

In the Digital 2026: What’s Changed, What Hasn’t, and What Matters Most webinar, Upali joins Simon Kemp, Chief Analyst at DataReportal and Founder and CEO of Kepios, to cut through the noise. Drawing on fresh insights from the Digital 2026: Global Overview Report, they unpack what’s truly shifting in the digital landscape, along with the fundamentals that remain. Packed with data-backed insights and practical tips, their conversation focused on helping marketers move from overwhelm to clarity.

Below, we break down five key takeaways from the webinar, highlighting:

The actions that will matter most in 2026 and beyond

Want the full insights, data, and expert analysis? Watch the complete webinar on demand here.

Takeaway 1: AI Is Enhancing — Not Replacing — the Customer Journey.

ChatGPT’s mobile app has 557 million monthly active users, nearly eight times as many as Google Gemini.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the challenges of our new AI age, you’re not alone. Marketers around the world are scrambling to catch up to the over 1 billion people using standalone AI platforms each month. 

LLM usage is evolving, and it’s here to stay. From the Claude mobile app’s 14.8 million monthly active users to the ChatGPT app’s 557 million, audiences around the world are already using LLMs habitually. 

However, while these platforms point consumers to resources, they don’t replace existing brand research, discovery, and purchase behaviors. Audiences may use ChatGPT to learn more about your brand, but awareness still largely begins with search engines, social media ads, TV ads, and other existing elements of your media mix.

Takeaway 2: Brand Discovery Data Is Key to Optimizing Your Media Mix.

Social media ads, search engines, TV ads, and word of mouth are leading sources of brand discovery for internet users aged 16 to 64, with varying degrees of importance across the included age groups.

Speaking of where awareness begins, Digital 2026 data shows that social media ads are the leading channel for brand discovery for Gen-Z consumers. Search engines top the list for the 35 to 64 age group, while TV ads and word of mouth are paramount for retirees. However, all four channels are significant sources of brand discovery across age groups. Finding the right mix for you and your audience requires a fact-finding journey of its own.

The Meltwater Blog

The Dos and Don’ts of AI and Luxury Marketing

BTS Comeback 2026: Insights on Global Fan Power

How Luxury Brands Leveraged Celebrities and UGC for Lunar New Year 2026 Success

Digital 2026 Webinar Recap: 5 Key Takeaways on AI Usage, Brand Discovery, and Marketing Trends

6 Best Mention Alternatives for 2026

What Is Marketing & Why Your Business Can't Do Without It

Football’s Big Game 2026: How Culture and Celebrity Overshadowed Brands

AI-Driven Brand Discovery: A Game Changer for Marketers

Top 10 Marketing Conferences to Attend in 2026

Fitness Apps Brand AI Visibility Index

B2B Influencer Marketing: What it is and Why it Works

Global Trade War: How Tariff Discussions Impact Brands and LLM Answers