eBay, despite housing millions of authenticated pre-owned and vintage fashion items, faced the challenge of low fashion credibility and awareness for its Authenticity Guarantee platform, particularly among younger consumers. To address this perception gap, eBay partnered with Vogue and trending rapper Ice Spice to make its fashion debut at the Met Gala — the most prestigious fashion event of the year. The campaign showcased eBay-sourced vintage pieces worn by Ice Spice, both at the gala and after-party, with a first-of-its-kind e-commerce integration allowing viewers to shop her look in real-time during the livestream. Through a strategic social-first approach leveraging culturally relevant talent and engaging video content, eBay successfully positioned itself as a destination for circular luxury fashion while promoting sustainability, resulting in significant increases in brand awareness, recommendation, and social media engagement.
eBay faced a dual challenge: promoting its vast collection of vintage and pre-owned fashion as a sustainable shopping solution while simultaneously building fashion equity through increased awareness of its Authenticity Guarantee platform. The goal was to change consumer perceptions and establish eBay as a credible destination for high-end, authenticated fashion items.
With fast fashion contributing to 92 million tons of textile waste annually, younger consumers were increasingly gravitating toward sustainable shopping options and brands committed to environmental responsibility. eBay was well-positioned to meet this demand through its Authenticity Guarantee platform and extensive inventory of pre-owned, vintage, and rare fashion pieces. However, consideration and awareness remained low among the target demographic, who were more likely to shop with competitors that had stronger appeal to younger audiences.
The campaign targeted diverse individuals aged 18-34 (gen Z and millennials) who are fashion-savvy and more likely than older demographics to shop circularly across key categories such as sneakers, watches, jewelry, and handbags. For this audience, fashion represents self-expression, individuality, and belonging, with emotional connections driving purchasing decisions. They prefer brands that stand for something greater than simply selling products.
Based on audience insights revealing preferences for circular fashion and sustainable shopping, eBay recognized the need to build fashion equity and showcase itself as the destination for circular and authentic luxury fashion accessories. The strategy leveraged the Met Gala — fashion's biggest stage — to demonstrate eBay's fashion credentials and commitment to sustainability.
In partnership with Vogue and New York's trending rapper Ice Spice, eBay created a comprehensive campaign that began with Ice Spice receiving a personal invitation from Anna Wintour. A teaser post generated anticipation across social media platforms about Ice Spice's first Met Gala appearance, setting the stage for eBay's fashion debut.
For the Met Gala, eBay curated a vintage fashion collection with Ice Spice — all sourced from the platform. During the livestream, when attention was focused on Ice Spice's appearance, millions of viewers could shop her look directly on ebay.com/shopiconic, marking the first-ever e-commerce integration of its kind during this prestigious event.
The campaign adopted a social-first approach using short and long-form video content to appeal to younger audiences. By leveraging culturally relevant talent and Vogue editorial content, eBay effectively reached Vogue followers and fashion enthusiasts. All content directed consumers to a custom eBay shopping landing page where they could purchase products featured in the videos and explore other circular fashion options.
For the after-party coverage, fans watched Ice Spice "get ready" in eBay-sourced vintage Prada and Pucci clothing. The campaign highlighted how eBay's pre-owned fashion items were present among the most fashionable Met Gala guests, including celebrities like Cardi B.
The hero video was organically listed on Vogue's YouTube channel and promoted across all social platforms. Additionally, eBay created a commercial spot that ran during the Met Gala livestream across Vogue's website, YouTube, and Meta platforms.
The consumer journey was carefully orchestrated, beginning with the Ice Spice announcement via social content, followed by her Met Gala appearance featuring eBay items, behind-the-scenes footage of her preparations, and finally, the opportunity to shop identical or similar items on eBay. This interconnected approach created multiple touchpoints for engagement while maintaining consistent messaging about sustainability and authenticity.
The campaign achieved remarkable success, with Ice Spice's "getting ready" video garnering 4 million views — surpassing content featuring established celebrities like Cardi B, Doja Cat, and Dua Lipa. eBay not only gained visibility at fashion's premier event but also drove the conversation around sustainable fashion, with The Washington Post noting, "At the Met Gala, old clothes are the newest thing."
Quantifiable results demonstrated the campaign's effectiveness:
These metrics indicate substantial progress in addressing eBay's core challenges — building fashion credibility and raising awareness of its authenticated pre-owned offerings. By showcasing vintage fashion on one of the industry's most visible platforms, eBay successfully positioned itself as a leader in sustainable luxury fashion while appealing to its target demographic of young, environmentally conscious consumers.
The campaign's innovative approach, combining celebrity partnerships, prestigious event leverage, and seamless e-commerce integration, created a blueprint for how traditional marketplaces can establish credibility in specialized retail segments while promoting more sustainable consumption patterns.
