Anyone who has ever double tapped on #DesignPorn (or simply knows their Colombo’s from their Castelli’s) is likely a fan of Architectural Digest. The Conde Nast-owned, Amy Astley-edited shelter bible, dubs itself the “international design authority” — and for good reason. Since its inception as a California interiors and exteriors magazine in 1920, the glossy has become the holy grail of the design world — carrying major authoritative gravitas from lighting showrooms to boutique hotel bedsides from Austria to Zermatt. The brand serves as a stamp of purchasing approval for brands, restaurants, resorts and starchitects in the making.
The @ArchDigest Instagram account has seen strong growth this past year with an increase of 46% new followers.
But of all the brand initiatives that leave design nerds drooling, one stands out as Architectural Digest’s piece de resistance: The #AD100, a yearly ranking of the most important designers and architects to know across the globe as chosen by editorial staff. First launched in 1995 as a biannual list, the directory made its yearly debut in 2015 — around the same time that the hashtag effect fully arrived on the scene and ready to bring a new level of awareness to a twenty-year-old print-focused franchise. These diverse accounts offer a cross-sectioned glimpse into the social media strategies (or lack thereof) amongst a prestigious grouping of high-brow accounts.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BsykJKUAPyY/
We broke down this year’s list — which includes the likes of Snap Inc. headquarters mastermind Barbara Bestor and Obama-era White House décor conceiver Michael Smith to glean analytical insights into the cohort’s Instagram game — and maybe get a few #DesignPorn inspo moments of our own, too.
- 51,892: The average number of followers for the 92 people on the 2019 #AD100 on Instagram (8 ‘laggard brands’ are not on Instagram…)
- 603,284: The number of followers Nate Berkus has — otherwise known as Oprah’s favorite interior’s man — and the account with the highest follower count on the list.
- 55%: The highest engagement rate of any account on the list, Martin Finio enjoyed by half of New York-based architecture and design studio
Christoff:Finio Architecture. The account’s secret sauce? Only 332 Followers. - 8%: The lowest rounded engagement rate (worth noting — 4x industry average) collectively enjoyed by two major list makers — British conceptual fashion label Too Good and designer Kelly Wearstler.
- 7: The number of designers and firms on the list who have engaged in #SponCon during the last 90 days.
- 1,380: The average number of new followers accrued by accounts on the list in the last 90 days.
