April 21, 2025

Luxury vs. online toxicity: How to win the battle for brand desirability

By The Bodyguard Team

In luxury, every detail matters. From the quality of the materials to the design of a campaign invite, exclusivity is crafted with precision. And today, it's also built digitally.

Social media is where luxury brands inspire, engage and sell. But it’s also where they’re most exposed. From fake reviews and account impersonation to hateful comments and damaging trends, the internet can be a volatile space; and one that’s especially dangerous for brands built on aspiration, beauty and emotional connection.

Desirability is delicate and built digitally

According to a recent Bain study, around 70 percent of luxury purchases are influenced by online interactions and preceded by at least one digital interaction with the brand or product. In parallel, Hootsuite research shows that 70 percent of people who follow a brand on social media intend to buy from it, either soon or eventually, and nearly 60 percent already have.

These numbers underline just how essential digital presence has become in shaping and sustaining luxury revenue. From inspiration to decision-making, desirability is now built across screens.

But when luxury brands lose control of the online conversation, they risk something far greater than bad PR: they risk losing their aura. When a high-end post is overwhelmed with toxic replies or misinformation, the sense of exclusivity and aspiration quickly fades.

In our previous blog, “Luxury’s biggest online threats in 2025 and how to stay ahead”, we explored how online toxicity can erode prestige and weaken customer trust. This article goes deeper into how brands can actively preserve their status not only by managing risks but by shaping a safer, more desirable digital environment for their audiences.

Toxicity undermines luxury

Brand desirability isn’t just about product placement, campaign styling or influencer partnerships. It’s about how people feel when they interact with your brand. The tone of the comments. The experience of engaging with your content. The sense of security they have in your space.

Unchecked toxicity, whether it's a wave of angry comments, aggressive replies or harmful trends, can quickly erode a brand’s sense of exclusivity and appeal. Not only does it interrupt the curated experience, it also opens the door to doubt. And once consumers question your values or safety, re-earning their trust becomes incredibly difficult.

That’s why audience safety is not an operational detail. It’s a core part of luxury brand building in 2025.

You can’t control the internet, but you can control your space

The truth is, luxury brands can’t stop the internet from being chaotic. But they can make sure their own spaces stay protected.

The comment sections on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube or TikTok are an extension of your brand’s voice; it’s where reputation is either reinforced or compromised.

This is where Bodyguard comes in.

Our AI-powered solution helps premium brands maintain control over their digital presence. With Bodyguard, you can detect harmful messages in real time, automatically remove toxic comments, and ensure that your community remains supportive, respectful and aligned with your brand values.

How Bodyguard helps premium brands stay premium

Desirability takes years to build, but in today’s digital world, it can be weakened in days.

That’s why protecting your brand’s online environment isn’t just about damage control. It’s about safeguarding the values, emotion and exclusivity that make your brand aspirational in the first place.

Luxury brands using Bodyguard benefit from more than just protection—they see real, measurable results. On average, our clients experience a 70% reduction in toxic interactions and a 7% increase in positive engagement compared to the industry standard.

Bodyguard helps premium brands preserve and grow their prestige by offering:

Real-time protection: Toxic content is detected and removed in under 200ms, keeping your social media presence clean and aligned with your brand image.
Multi-platform coverage: Bodyguard monitors and moderates across all major social platforms in more than 40 languages, ensuring a consistent level of safety wherever your audience interacts.
Advanced analytics: Understand what your community is saying and how they’re feeling, with real-time insights into sentiment and behavior.
Crisis prevention: Identify weak signals early and detect emerging risks before they escalate into full-blown reputation threats.

After implementation, many brands also see a +2% lift in positive engagement compared to their own previous levels. And with 90% of commenters being first-time authors, Bodyguard also helps boost visibility and engagement among new audiences.

Preserve your prestige, protect your people

Your brand's social media should reflect the care and exclusivity you put into everything else associated with your brand; so don’t let toxicity weaken your image.

Book a meeting with our team today to discover how Bodyguard can help your luxury brand stay desirable, exclusive and ahead of digital threats.