LUXURY AT THE SPEED OF CHANGE

Across all walks of life, people have been commenting on the fact that the pandemic has turbo-charged the pace of change.

Before 2020, we were already seeing digital transformation, moves towards sustainable solutions, to ethical manufacturing, and the growth of eCommerce. But now, almost a year and a half since the start of the pandemic, those changes have accelerated, in some cases beyond all recognition.

Jump-cut to the world of luxury. We are talking about a category whose intrinsic value is often rooted in deep heritage. Brands such as Balenciaga, Louis Vuitton, Hermès, and Channel were all established more than a century ago.

So how do you take a category that has traditionally seen change happen at the pace of the decade, and now infuse it with a sense of minute-by-minute evolution?

At SUM we believe that the answer lies first and foremost in owning a core essence for the brand that is constant through time, and that achieves its relevance through a unique relationship with the consumer. All of the other changes mentioned above then become the tactics by which that strategy is delivered to the consumer.

As a luxury marketing agency, SUM delivers a range of marketing services to its clients. However, before turning to the marketing expression we always commence the process of working with a client with the development of a core piece of strategic thinking that enables the brand to form an enduring relationship with its intended consumer audiences. This means that whether we go on to create a new piece of digital content, manage social media, produce an ad campaign, a new packaging concept, or build a new eCommerce platform, we already have a sense of how this luxury brand lives and breathes. We already understand its lasting value to consumers and can now add the latest tools to help maximise the opportunity.

So in some respects, the core of the luxury experience is the same as it ever was - a pleasure that lies beyond life’s necessities - and in others, just as for other business categories, luxury is changing at the speed of light.

If you would like to speak with SUM about your own luxury brand and its marketing challenges, then do get in touch.