eBay’s first Love Island ads put second-hand clothing in the spotlight
To mark its first partnership with hit show Love Island, eBay has launched a campaign to showcase the benefits of pre-worn clothing.
For years the stars of reality show Love Island have been clothed in the newest wares from some of the biggest fashion brands. This year, the show is diversifying its wardrobe by including some pre-worn and second-hand items among its clothing options for the contestants. It is part of a wider campaign to highlight the benefits of previously-worn clothing, both from a style and sustainability point of view.
Now eBay, the online auction site, is getting in on the action with a multi-channel campaign that aims to help shoppers “find the pre-love of your life.” The video creative showcases the stars of the show unboxing clothing items sourced from eBay to demonstrate the vast array of clothes that can be discovered online.
Eve Williams, chief marketing officer at eBay UK, said: “We are such an unexpected partner to Love Island, which is what we believe makes us an even more impactful pairing. We have been really pleased by the reaction to the partnership so far.
“By joining forces with a cultural phenomenon, in our case Love Island, it allows you to have a direct say and lead the industry conversation while also inspiring consumers to think differently.”
The partnership was created by MediaCom and ITV, with social elements created by Dept. In addition to the launch videos, the site will also receive product placement throughout the series, including a ’pre-loved shared wardrobe’ available to all the stars.
Crucially, in order to help spread the message that sustainable clothing is accessible to everyone, ITV is also integrating a link to eBay’s clothing page via the ’Shop the Show’ tab on the official Love Island app. Shoppers can also dress like the Islanders and get their own ‘Pre-Love Island look’ on the dedicated Love Island hub. It is part of a wider pattern of integration with TV and e-commerce, which uses audiences’ second-screen habits to deliver uplift to a TV-led campaign.
Williams said: “Whether that’s a wider behavioral switch of everyday habits or a one-off change, we are hopeful that the cross-channel activity that we’re running throughout the series will drive the nation to get just as excited about getting their hands on a pre-loved gem as they are with staying up to date as the drama unfolds in the show itself.”
Rob Webster and Alexei Berwitz, creative directors at McCann London, added: “eBay and Love Island are two iconic brands. Hopefully this partnership brings an important message about suitability at a time when it couldn’t be more important, and does so with a cheeky wink and a seductive smile.”
Bhavit Chandrani, director of digital and creative partnerships at ITV, said: “We are delighted to have eBay in the Love Island villa as the first pre-loved fashion partner. We’ve seen the way partnerships have played an instrumental part in growth and reaching core audiences in a culturally more powerful way than advertising alone.
“This year’s show is set to be the most anticipated content of the summer for 16-34s, and we can’t wait to see the Islanders’ wardrobes. eBay is a place for people to rediscover the value of secondhand items – this is the first step toward a better future for everyone.”
The campaign has launched across ITV2 and catch-up channel ITV2+1. The co-branded ads will run in the most watched shows of the series and are always present on VOD watches.