The FIFA organization has gone one step further to make the world’s most celebrated sport and athletic event even more special; by ordering a custom Louis Vuitton case to carry the holy grail of all athletic accolades, the FIFA World Cup Trophy. And sorry, LV has no intention of making this case available to the public.
Though LV isn’t a sponsor of the event, this product placement should coincide nicely with Louis Vuitton: Journeys – their interactive campaign featuring football legends Zidane, Pele and Maradona, “three of the best football players in history and the moment the world’s been waiting for”, a heads up Foosball match through the visual direction of renowned photographer, Annie Leibovitz. Check the site out, there is also interactive interviews and even virtual signed autographs via Facebook.
Social Shopping is one reason online shopping has grown in the past few years. Simple reviews, Facebook groups, Tweets, and blogs are great and effective ways for companies to market their products. The simplicity and benefits of online social shopping make you wonder why some retailers have ignored the marketing benefits of new technology and the social atmosphere.
Department stores like Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s, Nordstrom and many more online retailers have made fashionistas out of everyone, with social shopping. These online retailers allow customers to read and write reviews about products and styles. 70% of online shoppers trust the opinions posted in comment sections of their favorite retailer. This means that 70% of online shoppers are influenced by a stranger’s feedback when deciding to buy. If a style is unflattering on certain body types or the picture isn’t true to the color, shoppers will know.
Most online retailers do not offer a full range of product pictures on their sites creating the question, “How does it look from the back?” Possibilities are endless on the web and retailers are not taking advantage of it. Why not offer more pictures and videos of their items? agentprovocateur.com does it right, offering front and back views from the initial category page. Online retailers could see increased sales with more extensive coverage of products. For example, the GlamCam360 camera used in recent awards shows can give consumers a complete view and control of the featured clothing. Better yet, take a lesson from QVC and include videos of models posing and walking a runway so shoppers can see how the fashions look when they move.
Out with the old and in with the new. By utilizing available technology and the online social world, retailers may see better traffic and more sales. Consumers want to be engaged and entertained. Maybe 2010 will bring a new look to online shopping enticing consumers to SHOP! SHOP! SHOP!
For interesting social commerce statistics, check out Bazaar Voice.
Thought that Issac Mizrahi along with a few other fashion elite are the only ones who could create a runway show? Well think again. Ralph Lauren, the company that has been leading the luxury fashion market into the digital world with the first fashion forward iPhone app, has created the digital fashion show. The virtual show allows the fashion obsessed to indulge in choosing outfits for Ralph Lauren models and watch them walk down the runway.
Lauren reflects on the nature of the changing industry: “Right now there is a lot of discussion. People are cutting their budgets, and are spending a million dollars a show. You can produce this for very little, and you can do this with no audience and no invitations, and you can reach a million times the amount of people.”
The movement of live runway shows to the digital space represents a common trend in our industry of advertising where services can be found online at a fraction of the price we used to pay for them. In the case of Ralph Lauren, it means out-of-work models and un-rented runways, but more money that can be spent on new creative projects.
The down turned economy may just mean that there is more capital available for creative work, resulting in increasingly interesting and effective advertising.
Lets face it, a Gucci purse for 10k is not the most practical item to own. Practicality and usability are generally not the two words that come to mind when thinking of luxury products, which is why they had so much trouble in the recession, but Oakley has decided to change that image and others are following in their lead.
Oakley has just launched a pair of $4,000 sunglasses made of carbon fiber implementing the same technology used to manufacture Formula One race cars. The glasses are meant for consumers who engage in outdoor activities anywhere from rock-climbing to cycling.
At the same time, these luxury brands like Oakley and Piaget, that highlight their products’ durability and functional qualities, are using digital marketing to go along with this theme. Although most high-end brands, including Gucci who developed a popular iPhone app, have realized the importance of the Internet to their business like Peter Speake-Marin who sells Swiss watches for over $31,000 and uses only the Internet to advertise.
As the image of luxury brands seems to shift to more practical grounds, so does their advertising strategies which are gravitating towards the web and gaining popularity with consumers.
New York Times journalist, Eric Pfanner, broke the news of CreativeFeed’s campaign for Bordeaux wines today. We think Eric pretty much nailed it so not a lot we can add – other than our thanks!
Last year luxury cognac brand Remy Martin launched a racy ad campaign that made morning commuters turn their thoughts to lesbians and three-sums as apposed to the daily news. The brand’s print ads, still posted on subway cars and in magazines, depict nightlife scenes where half dressed women are on the verge of making out with each other and club goers are about to participate in an alcohol induced orgy.
This year Remy Martin moved up in class with the re-launch of their flagship VSOP label to a new generation of cognac consumers. They used SMS messaging to attract people to an exclusive, sponsored tasting event inside different nightclubs around major US cities. They also sent out special invitations that placed consumers on the Remy Chill Zone VIP list at ultra-elite nightspots. The campaign proved successful when all of the tasting events were sold out.
As apposed to the eye-catching print ads, Remy Martin’s mobile campaign reinforced brand loyalty and enabled sales by bringing people directly to the product.
While luxury purchases are on the minds of fewer people lately it’s not just because many of their loyal shoppers are carrying lighter wallets, it also has to do with the greater accessibility of high-end products. It is becoming more and more common to see, once seemingly inaccessible products, on discount websites and outlet malls across the country. The new challenge for these brands is to keep out of the dreaded black hole labeled SALE.
Jean-Claude Biver, CEO of watch brand Hublot, owned by LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton since 2008, has recognized this very issue stating, “The concept is very simple. Human beings always want what is very rare to get.”
For many brands, social media seems like a means for promoting this sense of luxury for all, but if done correctly it can strengthen the bond that only a luxury brand can have with their consumer and re-create that feeling of exclusivity.
Online shopping sites like the Gilt Groupe and Rue La La have created an exclusive vibe by having invite only access to their goods, but other brands have taken this idea even further like Mercedes Benz, American Express, Diesal, Coach, and MAC cosmetics.
Generation Benz: Mercedes Benz created an invite only branded social network where consumers can give feedback on vehicles.
American Express Open Forum: An online resource and networking site for business owners designed to forge meaningful business connections between its influential members.
Diesel: The Heidies: A 5 day Diesel.com homepage takeover, where two girls who locked themselves in a hotel room and live-streamed their shenanigans 24hours a day. Viewers could chat and change the camera angles.
Coach-Design a Coach Tote: A contest where participants designed, shared and rated consumer created Coach bag designs. The winning tote sold as a limited edition item.
MAC Cosmetics, Makeup Artists on Twitter: During Fashion Week in NYC, MAC makeup artists were tweeting from backstage and engaging the community in dialogue around the latest in beauty trends.
Our suggestions for luxury brands: connect with your customers in a creative way through social media and watch as your products rise up from the sale bin and into the dreams of your potential consumers.
