Tag Archives: Luxury

In-Store Experiences for Luxury Brands

Imagine drilling down into the guts of a product without ever opening the package or avoiding the painfully long wait times while a sales person checks the inventory to see if an item is in stock. These are just two ways luxury brands are enhancing the in-store customer experience. Sparxoo has spotted new tech trends in luxury, which often involve e-commerce. But, the bread and butter of the luxury industry has been the superior in-store experience. So what drives an exceptional in-store experience? Continue reading →

Posted in Branding, Featured by Ethan Lyon | Tuesday, April 26th, 2011 | Tagged , | Leave a comment

When Type Gets Personal—A Brand Identity Becomes Our Identity

As American’s we tend to embrace a “move forward” attitude. But both of these examples enticed me as a designer and brand strategist to look at the world of design that surrounds us to try to determine if I appreciated a brand identity for its design merits, typographic style, aesthetic application and the ability to telegraph what it stood for, or, for the history of interaction and personal memories I brought to that design.
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Posted in Digital Marketing, Featured, Market Trends by Peter Levine | Friday, October 1st, 2010 | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Passion Immersion Drives Niche Luxury

A recent study of luxury handbags, featured in Psychology Today, suggests once the price exceeds $300, the logo decreases in size. But why pay more for a brand without the recognition? Sterling Lanier, President of the market research consultancy… Continue reading →

Posted in Featured by Ethan Lyon | Friday, July 30th, 2010 | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Personal Renewal with Purpose

All luxury fulfills an emotional need. Often times, that need is social relevancy and status among peers. Think about what a Louis Vuitton bag says about a person: affluence and they should be recognized for it. There is a rising trend in luxury that stretches… Continue reading →

Posted in Featured by Ethan Lyon | Friday, July 30th, 2010 | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

2010 Luxury Trend Report

Indiana Jones-inspired, five-figure vacations, the Chinese economic boom, social network-themed martini lounges, the perceived value of discounted prestige brands. The 2010 luxury market is all over the map after a year of budget-tightening and nervous… Continue reading →

Posted in Market Trends by Ethan Lyon | Wednesday, July 21st, 2010 | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Top 25 Luxury Blogs of 2010

A Google search of “luxury blog” brings up 55 million results – it seems like everyone wants to bring you an inside look into the good life. However, also included in the group are the ones who bring you replica Gucci handbags and all the goodies you find in your spam folder. As a marketing blog, we are immersed in the luxury blogosphere, and have sorted through this mess to share a collection of the latest and greatest examples of luxury reporting on the web. Continue reading →

Posted in Market Trends by Henry Wang | Tuesday, July 13th, 2010 | Tagged , | 3 Comments

The 21st Century Empowered Consumer

I attended a “destination wedding” several years ago in Florence, Italy. A woman I knew who was also wedding guest had an emergency and had to return home to California a few days early. I overheard her on the phone with an American Airlines agent trying to rearrange her reservation. Her voice telegraphed tense frustration as she stated, “I have a full fare, first class ticket, I’m a Platinum American Airlines card holder—I belong to the Admirals Club, I have thousands of frequent flyer miles, I have an American Airlines credit card and you still can’t get me a seat on a plane out of Italy in the next day?! “ she demanded. “Where’s the Love?” It was her plea “Where’s the Love” that seized my attention. Continue reading →

Posted in Market Trends by Peter Levine | Wednesday, July 7th, 2010 | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Tomorrow’s Luxury: A Look at Affluent Gen Yers

Last Friday, I attended the annual L2 Generation Next conference in NYC. It showcased a diverse, enthusiastic mashup of speakers to discuss the state of luxury — from a 15-year-old fashion blogger to seasoned branding professionals. Speakers explored subjects from health to making love not porn to gaming and fashion. Among the line-up, Sterling Lanier, President of the market research… Continue reading →

Posted in Digital Marketing by Ethan Lyon | Monday, May 17th, 2010 | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Sustainable Luxury: New Opportunities for Growth

Since September 2008, many devoted luxury shoppers have been hiding their shopping bags. Customers feel conflicted about what they really “need” in this new economic landscape, discouraging purchases that previously wouldn’t have garnered a second thought. In addition, customers increasingly seek to align their purchases with their social values and sustainable lifestyle.

This new consumer mindset poses an interesting challenge to luxury brands. While on the one hand, global luxury sales have rebounded nicely with estimated growth of 10% in 2010, on the other, this uptick does not necessarily translate into profitability over the long term. Continue reading →

Posted in Featured by David Capece | Thursday, January 7th, 2010 | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Luxury Debate: Generational Gap in Luxury

The gap between Generation Y and Boomers is widening as Gen Y comes of age. Much has been written about what Gen Y really wants, including their ideals in the workplace. Likewise, Gen Y is providing leadership and demanding change in the luxury industry. While their parents have become accustomed to outstanding service and impeccable quality, Generation Y is socially minded and impact-oriented. Yes, all luxury should have a certain base level of quality. The question is, how important is social impact in driving purchasing decisions, even in luxury? Continue reading →

Posted in Market Trends by Ethan Lyon | Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009 | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Luxury Trends: Tradition 2.0

As one of the most pervasive trends in luxury, Tradition 2.0 is about revamping and re-imagining luxury. Instead of starting from the drawing board, purveyors of luxury have found success in creating new products, inspired by the old, with a new twist. Whether it’s sweetening the deal with perks or re-stylizing traditional luxury, brands catering to the affluent lifestyle are spinning convention to develop products and services that are grounded in familiarity while updated with a modern edge. Continue reading →

Posted in Market Trends by Ethan Lyon | Thursday, August 27th, 2009 | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Luxury Trends: Positive Impact

In a time when brown bags have, in some areas, replaced the iconic Tiffany blue and Hermes orange, green luxury can curb the guilt some affluent shoppers and travelers face when spending large. Some luxury brands are looking towards positive impact to overshadow many of the negative attitudes towards excessive spending. From hoteliers to iconic auto brands like BMW and Lexus to high-end eyewear, we will explore the many ways in which the luxury industry is adding a splash of green to their colors. Continue reading →

Posted in Market Trends by Ethan Lyon | Tuesday, August 25th, 2009 | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Luxury Debate: Collections VS Hero Items

In this transformational time, many brands are suffering, while a select few are flourishing. Within the walls of luxury, there is an ongoing debate on whether to develop collections or hero items—opposite poles of the spectrum. While the collections trend is about stylistic consistency for a harmonious lifestyle, the hero item trend explores the highly prized gems that eliminate unnecessary and… Continue reading →

Posted in Social Impact by Ethan Lyon | Wednesday, August 19th, 2009 | Tagged | 3 Comments

Quality is in the Details

Seth Godin recently wrote a great post (excerpt below) in which he talks about the importance of details. Indeed, it is more affordable to use regular products, such as the regular eggs that Seth Godin refers to. However, savvy owners will figure out which upgrades matter to consumers, and they will take the time or spend the money, to make them happen. Next time you are at the mall, consider which clothes appeal to you: details in color, materials, threading, and design are visible. Continue reading →

Posted in Startups & Innovation by Ethan Lyon | Thursday, August 13th, 2009 | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Trends in Luxury: Scarcity

Limited supply has been a guiding principle for economic growth since the dawn of trade. Today, with the ability to mass-produce products and maximize services, consumers are increasingly interfacing with and using products from machines. In this world of overcapacity, scarcity is increasing in value. Continue reading →

Posted in Market Trends by Ethan Lyon | Wednesday, August 12th, 2009 | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

2009 Luxury Industry Trends

In our exploration of the luxury industry, we have scoured the web for the most interesting, innovative products leading the latest trends. Resetting the gold standard, the importance of the human touch and our environmental footprint are key concepts we synthesized from industry experts and product bright spots in the affluent market. Further, we introduce our two industry critics, Creo the creative and Ana the analyst to argue different perspectives on the luxury industry. Continue reading →

Posted in Market Trends by Ethan Lyon | Tuesday, August 11th, 2009 | Tagged , | 1 Comment