“Anyway, don’t believe it: you only pay for advertising .” Who hasn't heard/said this phrase before?
Whether it applies to the purchase of perfumes, clothing, telephones or cosmetic products, it reveals the capital importance of advertising for a brand.
We are obviously not going to dwell on how L'Oréal sells its miraculous creams, but try to understand why and how fashion/luxury brands invest millions each year in their advertising campaigns.
Advertising, for what purpose?
Advertising is there to show . To then sell, of course, but its primary function is to exhibit. A collection, a watch, a universe, a name. It transmits to its receiver a multitude of messages, more or less subtle, but always carefully thought out.
That being said, not all brands have the same primary objective when they communicate. Let’s make a simple distinction between luxury and other markets.
Advertisements from “general public” brands
For most consumer brands, the marketing objective (trigger the sale) is often very clear and visible. The campaign is then created around the receiver (the consumer) based on their habits and codes that are theirs.
Very often, the goal is to reach as wide an audience as possible : H&M is aimed at fashion enthusiasts as well as customers who have little interest in clothing and want to dress themselves, most often, for a few euros.[/ bg_info].
Two famous models, a white background and a price: at least that's clear.
The brand will then combine the fashion/style aspect with a crazy cast and dream landscapes, while displaying an absolutely ridiculous and very attractive price . That being said, we can quickly have very “boaty” campaigns, without much interest other than shouting “We’re not expensive!”.
Luxury marketing
In luxury, things are different. Let us be very clear: if “communication”
How much for this fabric bag? €1,000. Not a bit of embarrassment.
However, this is not done in the same way when we talk about “luxury” products. Indeed, more than anything else, dream capital is the most important sales driver.
Some theorists like Jean-Noël Kapféré believe that each time a luxury brand sells a product, it takes with it a little of the brand's dream capital. This theory is easily verified: high-selling brands like Vuitton or Gucci have lost a lot of their shine...
The strings are a little big, but Zilli is a very large luxury house.
Finally, you should know that the “quality” of communication brings much more to a brand than notoriety.
Loro Piana, Seraphin or Zilli are brands that are very little known, but nevertheless extremely recognized. On the other hand, Dolce & Gabbana is a very well-known brand although often poorly perceived.
Rihanna for Balmain... The brand has completely revised its communication to reach a different audience, far - very far - from refined luxury.
Hence the importance of not doing anything and respecting certain accepted rules to create a “real” luxury campaign:
- No price (ever),
- If possible no or very few faces,
- The product, the logo and the linguistic elements are the crux of the matter.
The consumer's imagination must find its place in each campaign.
The special case of perfume
The case of perfume advertisements is special. The product bears the name Maisons Haute-Couture but, at the same time, it is a very non-discriminatory product and accessible to everyone . Which side of the scale does he lean on? Both.
On the one hand, advertisers will focus on the magic of the brand : sumptuous dresses, exceptional settings and, of course, glamorous muses. The image of a star makes most people dream while remaining familiar, and therefore not entirely inaccessible.
One of the best examples is that of Nicole Kidman, muse of N°5. The following year, sales of this already legendary perfume increased 17-fold!
On the other hand, advertisers do not hesitate to pull the big strings of mass marketing : forget the specialized press and confidentiality, long live the mega TV spot in the middle of the pre-8 p.m. news rush.
We have to “cast a wide net” so to speak, focusing exclusively on image and notoriety, because we cannot smell a juice through the screen or describe a fragrance. The dream around the name written on the packaging then becomes decisive.
We are a thousand miles from what the Rabanne style was, but that doesn't matter. The figure of a bling man who catches goddesses with a snap of his fingers has found its audience. The brand invests heavily in advertising and its sales are affected.
And we can even ask ourselves the question of the real role that perfume itself plays in the act of purchasing: there has always been a very strong correlation between the recurrence of an advertising campaign and sales. In other words, those who are shown the most on TV are (often) those who sell the best in perfumery. Just look at the success of Paco Rabanne, Thierry Mugler or Jean-Paul Gaultier...
What media to advertise?
Several channels can be communication supports in the fashion sector. I suggest you scan the most common ones, just before seeing examples of beautiful campaigns!
This magazine is supposed to be the "bible" of women's fashion. In September 2012, a 900-page issue was published, featuring 650 pages of advertising . It leaves you thinking...
First of all, we can obviously think of “print” campaigns : on the glossy pages of magazines, but also on ugly billboards in the streets, brands display faces, landscapes or emblematic pieces.
They allow excellent targeting, particularly in the specialized press.
Charlize Theron wiggles in a dress very far from the Dior style, but the red carpet dress apparently has its effect!
TV campaigns are reserved for “mass” brands or cosmetic product ranges. Indeed, unlike paper campaigns, advertising spots are absolutely not selective: they reach everyone. In any case everyone who has a TV, and there are a certain number of them.
The Chanel Facebook page offers exclusive content.
Social networks have also become an extremely powerful channel. A real boon for brands, which have easy access to their customers. Special promotions, events, new collections: this sometimes even replaces a newsletter!
Luxury, for its part, hesitated for a long time. Supposed to be inaccessible, exceptional, on Facebook or Twitter it becomes ultra accessible, very immediate and, moreover, "standardized" by the unique format of the pages.
Luxury brands cope well with the immediacy of Twitter.
However, with the constant evolution of these networks, luxury brands are finding 2 fundamental elements for them: experience and personalization , now possible, particularly on Facebook.
Facebook, for example, offers fans the possibility of accessing exclusive content, watching videos live... In short, entering the brand universe in a meaningful way. For some, it is also possible to send messages and find a more individualized relationship with the brand .
Finally, we must not forget an extremely impactful medium: the event .
I want to talk, among other things, about the parade: the media coverage, the “fantasy” created around these very select events are extremely effective.
We can also think of private presentations, exhibitions...
Vuitton built a huge building for its foundation which hosts fashion shows, exhibitions, etc.
Today, we are going to focus mainly on print campaigns because they have the enormous advantage of having to freeze, in a single shot, a whole multitude of elements that the brand wants to convey...
Which now brings us to look at how campaigns are created to be reflective of the brand .
Campaign analysis: how do you decipher an advertisement?
I offer you an analysis of two campaigns that perfectly respect the codes of luxury dominated by dreams . This will give an overview of how we can analyze an ad, before looking more briefly at other examples given by theme.
Between dream and reality: the cases of Piaget and Hermès
As you read above, the word "advertising" is taboo in luxury: let's all agree by recognizing that campaigns allow brands to address the consumer. If some choose to feature "stars", others rely on very high quality aesthetics as well as the suggestion of personal codes.
The world of jewelry and watchmaking is undoubtedly an excellent student, rigorously following the rules of luxury communication . The great value (both artisanal and financial) of the items sold partly explains the absolutely central place of the product. Piaget, a famous watchmaker, constitutes an interesting case study.
The House's label is proudly displayed in a starry night that gets darker and darker as we approach the top of the poster, while below appears the city of London, clear, clean... urban. You will notice that night often appears on posters: what time is more conducive to daydreaming?
The city embodies a certain art of living, modernity and above all a certain refinement: customers who travel will associate their experience with the product.
The watch moves across the poster from top to bottom, this is not trivial. By discovering the image from left to right, the bracelet leaves the city - life, reality - to take us little by little towards the sky and the stars - the dream.
This is the impression that we find in the text “Perfection in life”: the notion of excellence embodied by the dream is brought back within the reach of the receiver and therefore of the future (potential) customer. The “in” is important: it makes reality the container of this part of dream.
Same pattern for this other model, this time embodied by the Manhattan district.
Making the watch appear in such a large size allows the receiver to clearly perceive the rubies, the hands as well as the numerous visible mechanisms. What do these elements mean to you? The craftsmanship of course, the precision of the watchmaking profession, its nobility, its rarity: this clearly displays the values and the image that Piaget wishes to convey.
No grandiose scene, no explosive colors, no superfluities . Everything is cold, dark and above all frozen: we are outside of time.
Finally, we will emphasize an aesthetic neutrality allowing all targets to project themselves into this cozy universe: the Indian billionaire or the British aristocrat each have very different lifestyles and sensibilities, but must be able to find each other around the universe brand and product .
The comparison with the necklace intended for women is interesting: instead of starting from "reality" towards the dream, the necklace comes down from the stars and never touches the reality of the city. An interesting difference between the search for a certain pragmatism by male clients and the increased importance of dreams for female clients.
The exploration of the tale between natural and supernatural: the Hermès case
The French trunk maker aims to be the paragon of extremely refined simplicity... The Maison loves antonyms and makes no secret of it. Illustration with a selection of representative photos.
The smoke of supernatural brightness illuminates the snow-covered roof on which a man walks immersed in his reading. Then, the brand appears in its legendary orange, rolling out the slogan “ Life like a tale ”.
On a visual level, the oppositions/contrasts are linked to each other: the dark night and the light in the sky, the shadows on the roof, the lit windows, the dark walls... The smoke, a priori more earthy- on land than a mist, still generates a mysterious atmosphere.
The character is dressed in a very sober manner, immersed in reading a textless book which is intended to be a metaphor for his own dream. He embodies a solitary figure, that of a hero. We are in a fantastic register, where magic takes place in reality, where anyone can become the main character of a story .
The entire campaign was built around this theme: the shot above is even more eloquent, still with a dark and foggy sky, a very ambiguous moon and the mythical balcony scene.
The tie constitutes one of the most striking codes of the Hermès identity, while the character, dressed all in black, is another vision of a hero, bolder, darker. Notice that the ground, symbol of rationality, does not appear here either...
Same principle for the woman, with the cape and the leaping horse in addition, which once again does not touch the ground. No mist, but a mystery maintained by a feminine silhouette from behind, decked out in a hat, with a masculine appearance.
Life as a tale . As far as words are concerned, dream and reality are linked using the comparative “like”. The desire to blur the boundaries between imagination and reality becomes obvious.
We are in the presence of a "metaphor" of the act of purchasing : acquiring an Hermès bag supposes living the experience of ultimate luxury, first in the cozy atmosphere of the boutique (at least when it is not is not invaded by hysterical tourists), then through the product whose exceptional manufacturing makes everyday life wonderful.
However, not all advertising is so subtle...
Sport, sex and dolce vita: recurring messages in advertising campaigns
After analyzing two "model" campaigns, I suggest you take a closer look at some examples of the themes/messages regularly used in fashion advertising.
Sport and dynamism: an increasingly marked bias
If sports brands are, obviously, legitimate in building campaigns that excessively repeat the codes of action, the sportswear trend has integrated all ranges.
No one will be surprised to see Lacoste offer campaigns where movement is at the center of everything: the models are suspended in the air, the ground is absolutely not visible. Dance, football, running, jumping: many disciplines are suggested here.
A pale background, like a sky, contrasts with the bright and sparkling colors of the outfits. However, a bit like Hermès, Lacoste suggests the lightness of reverie with the words “A little air on earth”.
Second very sporty line from Yohji Yamamoto, Y-3 still offers an architectural design of movement . We get closer to an abstract photograph, almost like a work of art.
The opposition between blacks and whites creates a strong contrast accentuating the dynamism of the image. The conceptual spirit comes through well, the “cleanliness” of the image serving a quasi-scientific conception of design.
Berluti has fun here by linking his very sartorial spirit to the world of sport. In a successful second degree, we find the artist Maurizio Cattelan splashing in a swimming pool in a shirt and tie, his precious shoes placed on the diving board: the product and the brand dominate the consumer. This relationship, increasingly rare, is nevertheless essential in luxury.
Another photo illustrates a running pace and a certain tone: the classic codes are thus shaken up, almost ridiculed. The objective is then to reach a younger, more “modern” target.
“Sex sells”: when brands no longer have limits.
Eye-catching, shocking, creating a buzz: old recipes are still popular!
You might as well get straight to the heart of the matter thanks to the very particular elegance of Tom Ford. The designer, of Texan origin, reigned over Gucci for a long time to the point of making it a paragon of bad taste and vulgarity.
For the occasion, Carmen Kass's crotch becomes an advertising space with a logo, while a belt becomes the "metaphor" of the male sexual attribute.
No need to rack your brains a lot: it's about striking, shocking, and a pair of spread thighs always hits the mark.
The height of good taste for Dolce & Gabbana was to stage... a rape
The message, very poorly placed , questions the limits of “porno chic”. Concept which is a nice hoax dedicated to differentiating itself from the negative image of sex used to sell even though the recipe is similar.
Even Dior, once the emblem of French elegance, was massacred with thongs and latex by Galliano. Gisèle Bündchen while masturbating expresses eloquent enjoyment.
We will find the allusion to enjoyment especially in campaigns aimed at women, particularly for cosmetics (perfume, shampoo, etc.).
The brand wanted to get rid of its classic image and its old clientele by falling into an assumed subversion, even if it meant denying all the codes that made Dior famous.
Retranscribing a way of life through advertising campaigns
Italy is a country whose values and customs nourish a powerful imagination. Enough to inspire many brands.
Italian refinement, between sobriety of cuts and sophistication of materials. The Ferragamo house occupies a unique place in the luxury sector and, in my opinion, is worth the detour.
Its campaigns surf on a noble vision of la dolce vita: sun, palm trees, a vintage car, in short a film set!
The codes of a certain aristocracy are there, between the conservatism of the male figure in charge and the affirmation of an adored, sexy and mysterious leading woman.
The brand - although Spanish - Massimo Dutti draws a lot of inspiration from Ferragamo, in particular with this campaign . Old car and trunks: iconic objects evocative of a certain Italian art of living and escape.
The "modernity" of the jet in the background, as well as the slightly sepia filter suggest a timeless cliché : it is ultimately all the codes of luxury that Massimo Dutti takes up, although this does not create an illusion about the quality of its products.
Always very eloquent, the Dolce & Gabbana campaign turns out to be much wiser than the previous one. Mama, ragazzi y bellissima ragazza: all the clichés of Italy are there.
Particularly inspired by Sicily
A whole useful imagination to build the flattering image of a 100% Italian brand and generate support after a few years of wandering.
A new fundamental trend: short films
Let's briefly talk about the new fashion for short films . For a brand, it involves creating a film, either directly featuring its products, or - as is often the case - by telling a story in the broadest sense. This format immerses the receiver in a story in a much more immersive way than any print: good big brand content !
The most successful example is French, since it is the famous Cartier Odyssey created for the 165th anniversary of the House. Through a “video fresco”, the brand has focused heavily on the affirmation of a very strong universe, revisiting the highlights of its history.
First, there is the panther
From a beginning marked by cold and silvery colors, the video evolves towards warmer colors and more noble materials (gold, diamonds, etc.) : a movement in which time advances closer to excellence.
The white horses, the majestic architecture of St Petersburg and the Tsar's carriage: Cartier recalls the enthusiasm of the Russian crowns for its creations, while associating a symbol of power with its name in the receiver's head.
The rings rolling in the snow are taken from the "Love" collection, created for Jean Cocteau: the subtlety here is less, the highlighting of the product can be a little crude.
We then leave for China, land of dragons and, therefore, chimeras. At the exit of a fantastic cave housing goldsmith's pieces "more real than life" (metaphorically), the panther appears in a sumptuous Indian palace perched on the back of an elephant, symbol of wisdom.
Cartier created one of the most sumptuous pieces of jewelry in the world for the Maharaja of Patiala, and pays homage to this emblematic figure of a land of dreams.
The plane picks up the panther at the moment when we see a square watch worn by the aviator. This is the Santos model, now a true legend.
It was in fact for the French aviator that Cartier literally created the very first wrist watch, the pocket models not allowing you to tell the time while flying.
At the same time, you will have recognized the flattering codes of escape and conquest of the sky.
Finally, return to Paris, on the roofs of the Grand Palais, across Place Vendôme... these almost universal symbols of luxury that it is essential for the brand to appropriate.
A case closes on the panther and on a cold beauty dressed in red, in a misty atmosphere: in marketing language, understand " each Cartier jewel contains its part of dream" .
The advertising message is “relatively simple”, the exceptional production alone justifying the enthusiasm surrounding this spot. And even if the millions invested in this spot aim to nourish the brand universe and make it always desirable to consumers, we have done superb work here!
To finish, here are two other types of interesting clips, in a different register.
Chanel: the story of audacity
Gabrielle Chanel is portrayed at a very young age, already represented as a strong and coveted woman. A film in black and white, the favorite colors of the most famous designer of the last century.
And with "Inside Chanel", the brand has created short clips detailing the codes/signs of the Fashion House one by one: a video that you can find on Youtube and is a must-see for enthusiasts!
Prada's advertising madness
Prada likes to intellectualize its fashion to give it substance (and given the manufacturing, it needs it). The Italian brand therefore regularly offers clips illustrating a strange and psychedelic delirium, artistically very interesting!
Conclusion: brands and advertising
In short, even if the purpose of advertising remains to boost sales, the approaches can differ. If ready-to-wear remains "incisive" with incentives such as price, luxury seeks to play more on the dream to strengthen its brand image . It should be noted, however, that the border is sometimes blurred, in one camp or the other.
At a time when the use of social media is becoming widespread, the ground has already been taken by brands. In addition to advertising as we understand it, it is an excellent vector of customer relations and a good way to unite your community, while activating a lever of exclusivity.
A new form of content, brand content, is becoming more and more present. The media vary, often in the form of short films or reports. Placing less emphasis on the product, it draws the customer into the world of the brand , thus strengthening their bond with it.
