Insights and Tips from Luxury brands and their Management of Digital Channels: Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Piaget, Boucheron, Tag Heuer

Insights and Tips from Luxury brands and their Management of Digital Channels: Cartier

, Louis Vuitton, Piaget, Boucheron, Tag Heuer

I have recently done an analysis on Digital presence of some international luxury and watchmaking brands (Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Piaget, Boucheron, Hublot, Jaeger Lecoultre, Tag Heuer, Vacheron Constantin).

5 digital channels have been covered: eMarketing, eCRM, Mobile, Social Media and eCommerce.

A large part of the marketing investments in 2010 have been geared towards brand building activities (websites, web events, newsletters, Facebook).

However, 2 major questions remain opened:

How to channel anonymous traffic on line into a qualified traffic in boutiques?

Why not converting more on line visitors into shoppers (especially on-line)?

Legend: Red: Not implemented / Orange: In progress / Green: In place

Key insights and tips: Branded websites and social media as the main sources of focus in 2010

Brands have invested heavily in revamping or optimizing their websites over the last months: e.g Cartier, Piaget. Most of the brands have positioned their branded website as the main platform for traffic and consumer engagement. Home pages are up-dated more regularly and Mini-websites are mainly used for supporting new launches (e.g. Calibre from Cartier) or special event.

Brands seem to focus more on products (navigation, details, experience) and communicating on heritage and craftsmanship.

Social networks have been a core area of interest. However, the role of Facebook is often considered as an additional channel for PR (push push!). As a consequence, the engagement from consumers could be limited compared to other product categories. Blogs and forums (especially in watchmaking) are a matter of specialists and are integrated very efficiently by some legitimate brands (e.g. Jaeger-Lecoultre).

Mobile platforms have been developed for matching Asian usage while circumventing some issues related to Flash based websites (not working with iPhones and iPads)

iPhone Apps were the Hit of 2009 charaterized by a "Me Too" syndroma from many brands. However, the difficulty to generate evidenced ROI has drastically limited a regular follow-up from brands.

eCommerce generates still very polarized point of views. However, some brands have demonstrated that it could co-exist perfectly with an established retail network (e.g. Cartier, Louis Vuitton). It will gain probably to be considered more as a potential step within a purchase concluded in a physical boutique. It is still perceived (wrongly I think) as an exclusive channel, competing directly with traditional retail.

CRM = The same newsletter for everyone.

One of the core marketing driver within luxury industry is the customer experience and the possibility to get a personalized services. Major brands have even structured in details the client experience in their shops. However, eCRM is not considered as a relevant marketing tool. While it offers many opportunities to gather information, to understand and better target consumers within their lifetime cycle. Thus, experiences in other industries have demonstrated that eCRM could support very efficiently a differentiated approach by type of client profile. I am convinced that the brand which will give CRM the appropriate spin will gain a real competitive advantage...thanks to a Customer Centric Approach. Once again, Jaeger Lecoultre is the only brand from this panel which has taken the direction of an integrated approach.

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