Making second-hand journalists’ first choice: Repositioning Vinted in the German media market

The brief: Breaking the fashion-only ceiling

When Vinted came to us in 2025, the second-hand platform was already much more than just fashion, allowing members to buy and sell items such as home goods, electronics, and collectables. However, most people still mainly associated it with second-hand clothing.

Starting with Vinted’s New Eras Again campaign, the goal was to shift this perception and make the platform’s broader use more visible and better understood. Vinted’s challenge was to communicate this shift in a way that felt relevant to both consumers and media, without alienating the core fashion community.

As a communications partner, Laika was a natural fit for this task. With deep experience in consumer and lifestyle communications, a strong focus on cultural and product innovation, and close collaboration with partners across the space, we sit at the intersection of brands, audiences, and cultural change.

The campaign: From insights to narrative structure

First, we focused on strategic localisation: translating what New Eras Again should mean for the German market bringing strategic council in shaping that narrative.

The second step was a deep media audit. We spoke directly with key editors from Tier 1 outlets including Brigitte/Gala, t3n, InStyle Watson, BUNTE and RTL, unpacking their 2026 editorial priorities and their potential reservations around Vinted’s non-fashion categories. This moved us beyond assumptions and gave us a clear, real-time view of the narrative gaps we needed to close.

From there, we translated the insights into three clear narrative pillars:

• Data-led authority: using Vinted’s own metrics to surface proprietary insights into German member behaviour
• News hijacking: embedding Vinted into wider cultural and economic conversations
• Seasonal relevance: anchoring home and electronics categories in moments where second-hand utility becomes most relevant

Finally, we moved into bigger brand activation. To bring the strategy truly to life and to editors, we designed an experiential press format anchored by campaign ambassador Marie Nasemann, captured by our in-house photographer. Instead of a standard press presentation, we created a living room dialogue, an intentional format choice that mirrored the intimacy of home, and personal electronics categories.

This worked on two levels:

First, Marie became the bridge between fashion and home. Drawing on her own life transition (moving and decluttering), the conversation shifted from selling clothes to navigating life stages. Her curation of both fashion and home objects made the idea tangible: Vinted is not just about what you wear but how you live.

Second, the environment itself was designed as a reset of expectations. From 1:1 interview access to circular details like repurposed floral arrangements used in branded materials, every touchpoint reinforced the same idea: the Vinted ecosystem is as curated and considered as the media we were speaking to.

By embedding New Eras Again into a lived experience, we gave journalists both the emotional hooks and visual proof points to move the conversation from second-hand fashion to modern circular living.

The results: Shifting perception in the German market

In the first eight months of our collaboration, we helped reposition Vinted from a transactional marketplace into a go-to source for media commentary on second-hand consumption.

• We built on Vinted’s steady media drumbeat and secured 23 standout feature stories in premium German outlets, reaching a combined audience of over 586 million. These weren’t routine product mentions, but high-value, editorially driven pieces in Tier 1 media that elevated the brand narrative. (you may want to call them statement pieces in the Vinted clipping wardrobe ;))
• Beyond coverage volume, the bigger shift was in perception: Vinted increasingly became a reference point for journalists covering second-hand culture and smarter consumption. We saw a growing number of unsolicited inbound requests for commentary and expert input.
• By anchoring the campaign in lifestyle relevance rather than just used goods, we successfully repositioned Vinted among German press as a comprehensive multi-category destination. This strategic shift moved the narrative beyond a fashion-first perspective, garnering coverage that highlighted the platform’s expanding footprint in home decor, electronics, books, and collectables.

The era of fashion-only positioning is evolving. Vinted has significantly expanded its footprint within the German second-hand market, increasingly becoming a recognized destination for circular shopping beyond apparel. By diversifying its reach, the platform has successfully signaled its presence in the home, electronics, and lifestyle sectors to both the media and a growing community of enthusiasts.

Cheers to the Vinted team for the partnership. Excited for what’s next—and everything still in (second-hand) store.