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Luxury Brands, Social Networks and Building Communities

Luxury Brands, Social Networks and Building Communities
Luxury Brands and their adoption of social media is the topic du jour. The conversations are noisy, speculative and highly theoretical. Every self-proclaimed social media expert seems to have the answer, but their strategies have massive disconnects. Why? Because they’re not working in luxury. Thankfully, as the fashion industry adopts new methods of marketing online, seasoned luxury marketers are speaking out and becoming voices of reason. At the heart of luxury branding conversations are questions related to community. No, not if implemented correctly. The words Exclusivity and Luxury have always been synonymous. A great example of a luxury brand building and developing its own community is Burberry. Burberry, in launching ArtOfTheTrench, wants to create an experience outside the environment of mass market social communities. “If Art of the Trench focuses on pictures of customers in Burberry coats, one might then ask, “What’s the sustaining attraction?” Articles Referenced:

Luxury Brands Using Social Media Marketing Online Louis Vuitton - Ad Campaign How Should Luxury Brands Engage in Social Media? This past week, Women’s Wear Daily released an extensive recap of the WWD Luxury Forum. The consensus among luxury professionals is that luxury brands and retailers need to build solid marketing foundations online and those foundations (based off of social media) should focus on building communities and keeping audiences engaged. Ogilvy Digital 360′s Rohit Bhargava and Forrester Research Analyst Jeremiah Owyang recently compiled better practice recommendations for luxury brands venturing into the social media arena. Bhargava’s and Owyang’s practices are starting points for luxury retailers who are contemplating a venture into social marketing. Can luxury retailers venture into social marketing without losing their prestige, aspirational values and sophistication? In order for luxury brands to distinguish themselves diluting their brand, Owyang suggests that luxury brands: 1. 2. 3. Fashism.com 4. 5.

Fashion Brands, Social Media and Real Time Live Streaming «FMM Alexander McQueen A few announcements in the past couple of weeks have made me ponder the place that real-time social media plays in fashion events. During Toronto Fashion Week, all social media was forbidden during events and shows; organizers blamed weak ticket sales for this shortsighted decision. As we discussed in “Fashionably Late to the Party“, it’s only to a brand’s, retailer’s or event’s advantage to leverage the power and the speed with which information is spread across social networks. Alexander McQueen made a bold decision during NYFW S/S 2010 to live stream his show straight from the runways. 1. 2. 3. 4. Twitter: Alexander McQueen Consumer Trends So what actually happened when McQueen streamed his show on Tuesday? How McQueen could have made the experience even better: The streaming interface was sorely missing community and sharing options.

Chanel et les blogueurs Loin de retomber rapidement dans l'anonymat comme certains le prédisaient, les blogueurs suscitent de plus en plus l'intérêt des griffes de luxe. Alors que ces dernières s'étaient jusqu'ici abstenues d'associer clairement leur image à celle des stars de la toile, certaines rumeurs laissent à penser que les choses seraient en train de changer, et ce notamment du côté de la rue Cambon... Si Boucheron n'hésite pas à inviter telles ou telles membres de la blogosphère à découvrir en exclusivité sa dernière collection de bijoux au sein de ses salons de la place Vendôme, dans son ensemble le petit monde du luxe ne semble pas encore tout à fait prêt à les considérer comme des journalistes à part entière, ni même comme des "it" girls influentes. Cela dit, il se pourrait que Karl Lagerfeld, pourtant peu familier des nouveaux "social média", soit sur le point de changer la donne. Par Lise Huret, le 18 février 2011 dans Actualité

Fendi, Tory Burch use highly-targetable Facebook ad platform to drive page traffic Fendi and BMW's Mini Motoring Facebook ads Luxury marketers such as Fendi, L’Occitane, John Varvatos, Tory Burch and BMW have been using Facebook ads to help increase brand awareness, build social networks and bring in Web site traffic. The brands have been taking advantage of Facebook advertising spots on the right-hand side of a user’s newsfeed. “We’re seeing luxury brands come to the same simple realization that other brands have: Facebook ads work,” said Jeff Cohen, director of social media at MDG Advertising, Boca Raton, FL. “While luxury brands did initially have concerns over their brand image in social media, they are now embracing it as a means to carefully extend their brand reach,” he said. Right placement Luxury marketers are now using Facebook ads to drive traffic to branded Web sites and increase their Facebook fan base. For example, French skincare brand L’Occitane is using side-banner ads to increase gift purchases during the holidays. L'Occitane Facebook ad Laser targeting

Luxury car brand embraces social networking - Social Marketing - By all accounts, Generation Benz has proved a success for the luxury car brand. So much so that another site, this time aimed at Boomers, is planned for next year, reports AdWeek. Generation Benz, launched in May this year, is an invitation-only online community which currently boasts around 800 members of which around a third are Mercedes-Benz owners. The rest, says Stephen Canon, VP of marketing for the luxury car brand, are interested in the brand and are potential future owners. Generation-Benz provides an environment in which Gen Y customers can share their enthusiasm for the brand and marketers can form virtual focus groups around hot topics. "Mercedes-Benz has always been highly attuned to the voice of its loyal customer base, which has helped propel our brand to where it is today," said Stephen Cannon, vice president of marketing, Mercedes-Benz USA. "When our customers join the brand, they tend to stay. inShare

Catch a choo, les résultats de l’opération Jimmy Choo sur Foursquare Annoncer ici Souvenez-vous, après vous avoir parlé de foursquare, le nouveau chouchou de la blogosphère et de la première marque de luxe à s’y être lancé Marc Jacobs nous vous avons parlé, en avril dernier de la chasse au trésor organisée dans les rues de Londres par la maison adorée des fashionistas : Jimmy Choo. Le concept de l’opération était simple. Les plus de 16 ans, résidant à Londres devaient suivre les « check-in » de la marque sur Foursquare afin de poursuive la paire de Jimmy Choo. La question que tout le monde se pose quand une marque lance une opération de cette envergure est : « quelles sont les retombées ? Les objectifs de la marque avec cette opération étaient de : Pour atteindre ces objectifs, l’agence organisatrice, qui s’occupait déjà du Facebook et du Twitter de la marque, s’est rendue comte qu’il fallait engager les acheteurs et futurs acheteurs à la fois « online » et « offline ». Et voici les résultats

Will Twitter be a major contender in mobile advertising? - Luxury Daily - Advertising Twitter iPhone app Twitter recently introduced several new enhancements to the service, including ads for its mobile applications, a move that could have significant implications for marketers looking to reach a targeted audience with relevant offers via mobile. Twitter last week introduced a new site design and enhancements to its mobile app that include more robust brand pages and ads that run on the app. The news points to the bigger role that advertising in general – and mobile advertising in particular – is playing for the social networking company. “It is very significant, and a natural extension, for marketers that they can now advertise via Twitter mobile apps,” said Jed Williams, analyst and program director at BIA/Kelsey, Chantilly, VA. “The self-serve platform will extend Twitter advertising down-market and help it scale, as will mobile,” he said. “Both ideas set Twitter up for a migration into mid-market and local advertising in the near future. Like this article?

Understanding Luxury Brands and Social Media Samir Balwani is an emerging technology strategist at Morpheus Media, a firm specializing in Social Marketing, SEM, and SEO. You can follow him on Twitter @samirbalwani and get his newsletter. One of the biggest misconceptions by brand managers is that the web is not a luxury market. The truth is that people are spending more money online and it's a place luxury brands must build a presence. However, most have a nagging fear of ruining their brand reputation. So, how can luxury brands engage in social media? The Luxury Market Online Before we answer the previous question, let's define the luxury market. "...within the scope of socio-psychology as a result of its connection to a culture, state of being and lifestyle, whether it is personal or collective. So, brands with scarce products and high prices must find a way to find consumers online. In November 2007, eMarketer published a report titled "Affluent Internet Users: How the Rich Live Online." Problems With Luxury Brands Online 1.

How Premium Fashion Brands Are Maximizing Their Social Media ROI Social media and digital technology have forever changed the retail industry. In 2011, brands and retailers have reached a tipping point, digital innovations have decentralized commerce, and real-time consumer demand for designer merchandise has forever changed retail production cycles. Many fashion brands, mocked for their inability to move with the web because of a fear of accessibility, are no longer fighting the flow. Fashion Brands and Social Commerce In order to understand just how far fashion has come in the past few years, I spoke with James Gardner , CEO of CreateTheGroup , a New York-based digital firm that has established itself as a leader and pioneer in the fashion and luxury retail segments. Online shopping is becoming a socially connected event. During the past year, the luxury market experienced a digital tipping point, with many brands rolling out new e-commerce sites, social media campaigns and mobile applications. Fashion Brands Seek New Technologies

Social CRM L’année 2011 voit le concept de Social CRM se renforcer et 2012 devrait voir cette tendance se confirmer. Même si j’aborde cette question plus ou moins régulièrement sur ce blog, il semblait important de faire un point sur la question en cette fin d’année. Deux conférences me donnent l’occasion de revenir sur ce sujet. La conférence organisée par Publicis Consultants et Atos Consulting (vers la relation client augmentée) qui s’est tenue il y a une quinzaine de jours, a été pour beaucoup de monde un modèle du genre. Revenons sur les principaux points qui ont retenus mon attention : Une rapide définition du social CRM par Paul Greenberg la réponse de l’entreprise à la prise de pouvoir du consommateur sur la conversation Ensuite de nombreux chiffres sur notamment l’utilisation des médias sociaux par des entreprises (351) L’idée est bien que l’entreprise participe à la conversation avec ses parties prenantes et soit dans une relation interactive Les thèmes abordés seront les suivants :

Opé Lancôme Suite à de nombreuses demandes pour que je sorte un classement des meilleures pages Facebook des marques de luxe, j’ai décidé de me lancer dans cette vaste étude. Hugo Boss a montré ces derniers mois son intérêt grandissant pour l’univers digital: réalité augmentée dans ses boutiques, chaîne Youtube…aujourd’hui, j’aimerais vous parler de sa page Facebook qui pour moi est très bien réalisée. Vous y trouverez pas moins de 5 onglets personnalisés aux couleurs de la marque: un jeu concours, la possibilité de s’inscrire à la newsletter…Par ailleurs, ils mettent des actualités en moyenne 2 fois par semaine et surtout, ils répondent aux questions des fans rapidement! Pour le moment, je ne crois pas qu’ils se soient lancés dans le défilé en live sur Facebook comme l’ont déjà fait burberry ou Louis Vuitton. Lire la suite

Gucci Guilty: Gucci montre à ses 900 000 fans Facebook son expertise Social Media Annoncer ici Il est parfois difficile pour nous de démarrer une analyse de site internet. On ne sait jamais par quel bout commencer, par quel angle attaquer ou encore quel ton adopter. Après tout, les sites en question sont souvent le fruit de longs mois de travail et d’aller-retours entre la marque et l’agence ayants pour but de polir et repolir la pièce qui sera, l’espace de quelques mois, l’ambassadrice digitale de la marque de luxe. Ceci est encore plus vrai lorsque le site est entièrement mauvais, que tout est a jeter, à refaire entièrement et qu’il faut commencer par hiérarchiser les erreurs ergonomiques, graphiques et techniques du site pour savoir par où commencer. Mais tachons de garder un peu d’objectivité dans cet article, bien qu’une telle opération nous enthousiasme beaucoup. Et c’est justement sur cette belle vidéo que s’ouvre le site gucciguilty.com, ou plutôt, l’application Facebook dédiée au lancement. Sous la vidéo se trouve le menu horizontal de navigation.

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