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are able to spot this in seconds. Worse still, they discuss it in blogs and mock
the brands, which the whole world can also see.
Luxury advertisement concepts ought to be original, whether they are empha-
sizing products, styles, models, storylines, places, message or heritage, there has
to be a form of uniqueness that is directly connected with the brand's essence
and DNA. There should also be a strong element of coherence in image projec-
tion that stays true to the brand's identity. The advertisement visuals should be
such that if one were to remove the logo on the image, it would still be apparent
who the brand is. This is not to say that the brand should repeat the same adver-
tisement concept or style every season and year after year. It simply means that
whatever approaches a brand takes in advertisements have to respond to the set
of expectations that the brand has created around itself among consumers. For
example, Versace is known as a brand that courts Hollywood stars and this is
reflected in the advertisements, communications and collections that have been
coherent in projecting its “celebrity” undertones over the years. Louis Vuitton
(Figure 5.5), on the other hand, has introduced a shock therapy in communica-
tions by alternating between seasonal advertisement concepts featuring a mix
of models and celebrities, and intellectually stimulating advert concepts themed
“core values” that reflect the brand's heritage in travel goods, with the goal of
mixing excitement with stability. Patek Philippe, on the other hand, has been
the message of heritage and family tradition to maintain coherence in its adver-
tisements and build credibility and trust around the brand. Yves Saint Laurent
and Bottega Veneta are other brands that have been coherent in using creative
communications approaches both online and offline.
Communicating online is, however, not only a question of placing banner
advertisements on media websites; neither is it about reproducing the adver-
tisement images on the brand's website. It includes an integrated approach
to creative and cross-communication that is both interactive and engag-
ing. Whether it is through online advertisements, email newsletters, exclu-
sive events and competitions, the real online consumer has to be reached,
informed through rich content and be affiliated with through providing for
two-way exchanges.
Communicating through the luxury brand's
own website
Have you ever been to a luxury brand's website and, while navigating the pages,
for a moment you thought you were on another brand's website because of vis-
ual triggers that reminded you of some other brand? Perhaps it was just a phrase,
an image, a design, color, layout, products, offer or even a subconscious element
that you can't quite pinpoint but which led to some form of memory recall of
another brand. If you're familiar with browsing luxury websites or websites that
are associated with the luxury industry like media and retail websites, you will
