Top 10 luxury branding efforts of Q3

Cecilia Brækhus for Georg Jensen

Many of the branding efforts seen in the third quarter of 2016 were forward-thinking but maintained a connection to a brand’s ethos and past.

From journeying to Mars or harnessing solar energy to power an automobile, luxury brands are keeping their sights ahead, as well as challenging preconceived notions of horology, engagement rings and healthcare. The third quarter also saw a number of branding efforts paying homage to literature, art and landmark monuments, further establishing luxury’s patronage model.

Here are the top 10 branding efforts of the third quarter, in alphabetical order:

Gener8ion for Audemars Piguet

Audemars Piguet’s DJ tracks
Swiss watchmaker Audemars Piguet captured the balance between innovation and tradition that goes into its Royal Oak Supersonnerie timepiece through sound.

Audemars Piguet commissioned French DJ and producer Surkin to portray the striking watch’s chime in an audiovisual project under his creative entity Gener8ion. Through recorded ambient noise at Audemars Piguet’s manufacture in Le Brassus and sounds from the natural world, “Sound Awakens” tells the story of the brand’s craftsmanship through a new point of view.

Surkin, who has previously collaborated with performers such as M.I.A., spent three days at Audemars Piguet’s manufacture and the surrounding landscape, recording hundreds of tones. He then took these back to Paris, where he mixed them to produce the final tracks (see story).

Image from Fabergé’s #SayYesInColor

Fabergé’s colorful proposal
Russian jeweler Fabergé prompted consumers to look beyond diamonds for their engagement rings with a colorful digital campaign.

The brand’s #SayYesInColour film tells color coordinated stories of proposals to showcase the brand’s emerald, ruby and sapphire engagement ring collection. While still an unconventional choice, depicting the women’s enthusiastic responses may help convince consumers to consider a colored stone.

Fabergé’s effort is featured on its Web site homepage. A one-minute version of the film plays automatically when a consumer navigates to the site.

First, a woman wearing red lipstick smiles at the camera as a tear streams down her cheek. Changing scenes, a red haired woman is shown with a surprised and delighted expression on her face, the forest behind her matching her green eyes.
Making an even bolder face of shock, the third protagonist is seen at an aquarium (see story).

The Trevi Fountain in Rome

Fendi walks the fountain
Italian fashion house Fendi honored its connection with the city of Rome as the brand began celebrations for its 90th anniversary.

Fendi’s story began in 1926 at a family-operated atelier on Rome’s Via del Plebiscito, and today the label is known the world over for its boundary-pushing designs at the hand of creative director Karl Lagerfeld, who has been with the house since 1965.

In a celebratory homecoming of sorts, Fendi readied Rome’s iconic Trevi Fountain, where the house staged its Haute Fourrure runway show on July 7.

Along with social content meant to build anticipation for the July 7 runway presentation, Fendi also created a microsite meant to serve as a hub for its 90th anniversary. Segmented into four chapters, from July 4 to the day of the show, the site worked as a countdown for the presentation, giving consumers access to editorial content and images pulled from Fendi’s social accounts to explore prior to the live-stream (see story).

Cecilia Brækhus for Georg Jensen

Georg Jensen’s unapologetic squad
Danish design house Georg Jensen celebrated female pioneers in a global campaign with a message of empowerment and individuality.

Opting for role models over professional models, the jeweler profiled five women who forged their own path to success, overcoming obstacles along the way by staying true to themselves. With half of Georg Jensen’s senior management female, including its recently hired CEO, this campaign reflects the brand’s own leadership.

Georg Jensen premiered its campaign on Sept. 13. Developed by creative agency Forsman & Bodenfors, the campaign featured five women who are united in their success in male-dominated fields.

These women were representative of the campaign’s tagline “You can never be too much you.”

For example, award-winning filmmaker Susan Bier, who hails from Denmark, is known for being demanding on set, stopping at nothing but perfection and expecting her cast and crew to do the same (see story).

Selfridges Shakespeare Refashioned window display featuring Dries Van Noten designs

Selfridges salutes Shakespeare
British department store chain Selfridges embraced literal retail theater with a celebration of the work of renowned playwright William Shakespeare.

In honor of the 400th anniversary of the Bard’s death, the retailer launched a multichannel campaign, “Shakespeare Refashioned,” updating some of his most popular plays through a fashion-forward filter. Through this celebration, beginning July 4, Selfridges was able to showcase its affection for the arts while highlighting its British heritage.

For this campaign, Selfridges opened a 100-seat theater on its lower ground floor, a first for a department store. Being built in partnership with LG, the theater housed theater company The Faction’s production of “Much Ado About Nothing.”

The Faction staged a modern interpretation of the play, placing it in today’s society, complete with 24-hour tabloid coverage (see story).

Filming “The Treasures of Chatsworth”

Sotheby’s digital museum
International auction house Sotheby’s created new spaces for art content to amplify the thriving market.

Sotheby’s launched Museum Network on Aug. 29, where it will host content created by museums and other art institutions from around the world. Sotheby’s will also conceive and produce original content for Apple TV, further propelling the brand into consumers’ digital spheres.

Sotheby’s Museum Network is featured on the brand’s Web site as well as its Apple TV channel. Here, viewers will have access to content created by such institutions as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Tate and the National Palace Museum in Taiwan.

Institutions founded by private collectors, including the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art in Moscow and Los Angeles’ Petersen Automotive Museum will also be able to share content through Sotheby’s new channel (see story).

Video still courtesy of Tag Heuer

Tag Heuer launches Mars mission
Swiss watchmaker Tag Heuer put its “Don’t crack under pressure” mantra to good use as it prepares to be the first luxury brand to market from Mars.

LVMH-owned Tag Heuer has aligned with China’s Mars Exploration Program, which intends to land an unmanned rover on the Red Planet in 2020. In its supporting role of the China National Space Administration’s Mars expedition, Tag Heuer will serve as timekeeper, a position likely to keep its band top of mind among Chinese consumers drawn to the monumental occasion.

On Aug. 23, Tag Heuer announced its support of the CNSA’s Mars mission during a press conference in Beijing. During the announcement Tag Heuer CEO and LVMH Watch Division president Jean-Claude Biver was joined by Jizhong Liu, the director of lunar exploration and space engineering center under the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense, and Rongqiao Zhang, the chief designer of the Mars Exploration Mission (see story).

Tesla Model X

Tesla’s master plan
U.S. electric automaker Tesla Motors unveiled the second part of its master plan.

The acquisition of SolarCity marked the completion of part one, which also included the creation and distribution of three vehicles, culminating with an affordable, high-volume car, the Model 3. The new plan includes more vehicles and a big rig to better address the consumer market, autonomous vehicles and an ambitious entry into the world of public transportation.

The acquisition of SolarCity on June 21 was met with skepticism among the press and shareholders. The new plan, disclosed by founder Elon Musk on Tesla’s Web site, refocuses the brand’s commitment to the automotive sector rather than to alternative energy more broadly.

While Tesla’s stock dropped on July 21, the morning after Mr. Musk announced his plans, the fall was less dramatic than last month’s, which the brand quickly recouped.

The post included a brief section on solar power, calling for a “smoothly integrated and beautiful solar-roof-with-battery product that just works, empowering the individual as their own utility, and then scale that throughout the world” (see story).

Deena Aljuhani Abdulaziz

Vogue drops at Middle Eastern newsstands
Media group Condé Nast is expanding its Vogue magazine to the Arab world, drawing on a growing demand for high-fashion content in the region.

Based in Dubai, Vogue Arabia will target the entire Middle East, an area that is seeing one of the fastest growth in ultra-high-net-worth population. Marking a historic new strategy for the Vogue brand, A Web site in Arabic and English will launch in October, followed by print magazines beginning next spring.

Once launched, Vogue Arabia will be the 22nd Vogue edition produced globally. For Vogue Arabia, Condé Nast is partnering with Dubai-based publisher Nervora, which currently publishes Style.com/Arabia.

The existing Style.com/Arabia site will be rebranded as Vogue Arabia’s home online. As part of the transition, Style.com managing editor Caterina Minthe will become the features director of Vogue Arabia (see story).

XOJet Citation X

Feel better XOJet
Private aviation company XOJet is helping its clients to feel better.

XOJet has partnered with Summus, a private healthcare referral network connecting clients with leading physicians, to bring its clients quick access to world-class medicinal service. While private aviation and healthcare might seem distinct, the overlapping ultra-high-net-worth clients will provide each group with enhanced access to a receptive group of consumers.

Recent years have seen wellness emerge as a booming market among affluent classes. Since private aviation is exclusively the domain of the affluent, it follows that many of them are concerned with health, providing the partnership a positive outlook.

Summus provides personalized, on demand medical expertise for its members. Its reach is international, and medical experts are also available via video or voice chat for consultation on preventative care, diagnoses, health management, surgery consideration and treatment recommendations.

Under the terms, members of XOJet’s Preferred Access and Elite Access programs will have access to Summus’ platform for remote consultations with the network’s physicians (see story).

from Travel and hospitality – Luxury Daily https://www.luxurydaily.com/top-10-luxury-branding-efforts-of-q3-3/
via Your #1 Source to Finding Luxury & Designer Goods, Handbags & Clothes at or Below Wholesale: Click Here.