BMW introduces in-car music streaming without the need for connectivity, as Gucci takes to a revamped MySpace for its collection of socially motivated timepieces
DIGITAL
The Latest Digital: BMW, Baccarat & Alexander McQueen
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Credit: This is the featured image credit
Over the last decade, collaborations between luxury brands and contemporary artists have gone beyond mere artistic partnerships towards a new kind of luxury branding.
PARIS – Art and fashion have always developed side by side, for fashion, like art, often gives visual expression to the cultural zeitgeist. During the 1920s, Salvador Dalí created dresses for Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiapparelli. In the 1930s, Ferragamo’s shoes commissioned designs for advertisements from Futurist painter Lucio Venna, while Gianni Versace commissioned works from artists such as Alighiero Boetti and Roy Lichtenstein for the launch of his collections. Yves Saint Laurent’s vast art collection, recently auctioned at Christie’s in Paris, testified to his great love of art and revealed the influence of a variety of artists on his own designs.
In the 1980s, relationships between luxury brands and artists were advanced when Alain Dominique Perrin created the Fondation Cartier. In the Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemporain, a book marking the foundation’s 20th anniversary, Perrin says he makes “a connection between all the different sorts of arts, and luxury goods are a kind of art. Luxury goods are handicrafts of art, applied art.”
The Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemparain building in Paris
BMW introduces in-car music streaming without the need for connectivity, as Gucci takes to a revamped MySpace for its collection of socially motivated timepieces
The new Myspace from Myspace on Vimeo.
BMW introduces in-car music streaming without the need for connectivity, as Gucci takes to a revamped MySpace for its collection of socially motivated timepieces
It’s difficult to believe that it was only in April 2008 that Facebook officially caught up to MySpace in terms of unique monthly worldwide visitors. At the time, both services were attracting around 115 million people to their respective sites each month, though MySpace was still leading in the United States with 72 million unique visitors to Facebook’s 36 million.
Fast forward to 2013 and Facebook’s monthly active users has passed 1.1 billion, attracting 665 million on a daily basis. Whereas MySpace’s community is estimated to comprise a mere 32.6 million active users, after the pioneer social networking site fell victim to Facebook and Twitter, and eventually Spotify, Deezer and Pandora.
“After hitting its peak around 2004, 2005, the brand quite literally bled out,” explains Brand Channel. “Resulting in the eventual sale of the platform to Justin Timberlake and Specific Media for $35 million in 2011, a price quite below the $580 million that News Corp. paid for the brand in 2005.”
But with a $20 million ad campaign and a brand new interface, MySpace is making an attempt to re-establish itself as a veritable player in the social world. Positioning itself as “a social discovery service”, the platform is launching with an open-for-business website, as well as a new iOS app. The platform has a key tie-in to other social outlets like Facebook and Twitter, to help users build connections across platforms.
Whether MySpace will ever become a key social channel for luxury brands remains to be seen, but it is interesting to note that Gucci are already using the platform to promote the SYNC watch collection, designed specifically for its social media audience.
Alexander McQueen, Website
Kering’s Alexander McQueen has rolled out its latest eCommerce platform and global website, now offering shipping to over 100 countries. For the first time the site is available in French, Italian, German and Japanese, as well as English. The ‘digital flagship’ now combines both the mainline and McQ brands, including lookbooks, catwalk still and the latest brand news.
Website: alexandermcqueen.com
Source: FashionUnited
Baccarat, eCommerce
Baccarat has launched eCommerce for the UK market, giving visitors the opportunity to view Baccarat collections in their entirety. The site is home to a range of interviews with international designers, articles on the Baccarat brand and expertise from the manufacturer. The site is interactive and all content can be shared through social media networks.
Website: uk.baccarat.com
Source: Retail Jeweller
BMW, In-Car Music Streaming
BMW and rara.com are partnering to launch Europe’s first direct-to-car music streaming service. BMW 5-Series owners in the UK, France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands are now able to stream millions of tracks straight to their cars – across borders – through the BMW ConnectedDrive system without the need for a smartphone, SIM card or plug-in dongle.
Website: bmw.com/connecteddrive
Source: Luxuo
Burberry, Google Chrome
Burberry and Google have launched a new platform that lets users personalise messages to loved ones using the pair’s products, in a move aimed to make “digital personal”. Kisses.Burberry.com lets Google Chrome and mobile users share personalised “kisses” via a desktop camera or touchscreen device.
The “journey” of each kiss is then “brought to life” via a 3D animation using Google Earth and Streetview products to chart its progress which is then displayed to the recipient. These journeys can then be shared via Google+.
Website: kisses.burberry.com
Source: Marketing Week
Fratelli Rossetti, eCommerce
Fratelli Rossetti has launched its new online virtual boutique, offering shoes, bags, belts and small leather goods. Currently the online store is available in Europe, but will soon be available in the US, Middle and Far East. The project emphasises the brand through a series of videos, images, product descriptions and stories of its family history.
Website & Source: fratellirossetti.com
Gemfields, Website
Gemfields, the world’s leading supplier of ethically mined rare coloured gemstones launched its new consumer website, aiming to increase awareness of coloured gemstones globally. The consumer website has creative direction by Jonny Lu, with a focus on outlining the company’s sustainable and socially responsible mining practices and mission of transparency in its mining operations.
The site also provides a Guide to Rare Coloured Gemstones gives industry knowledge including the unique attributes of emeralds, rubies and amethysts, and tips for purchasing ‘coloured gemstone jewellery with a conscience’. All three sections also contain video content, via a film series, that incorporates the history of emeralds in India and footage from the Zambian mines.
Website: gemfields.co.uk
Source: Diamond World
Gucci, MySpace
Gucci’s have release a series of timepieces under the guide “Sync,” which stands for “Social young network community.” To promote the new line and the idea behind the Sync community, Gucci established a music-focused MySpace profile where consumers can connect and share ideas. The profile will be an online community that will feature artists and photographers showing off the Gucci Sync timepieces and lifestyle.
Website: myspace.com/guccisync
Source: Luxury Daily
Mercedes-Benz, Autonomous Driving
Mercedes-Benz has unveiled the 2014 S-Class, that while it still requires a human behind the steering wheel, in the right conditions the car can steer itself through city traffic or drive on the highway at speeds upward of 120 miles.
The optional system is analogous to the autopilots that enable airliners to carry out many of the routine tasks of flight and cruising but still require a human pilot to keep an eye on things. Future upgrades of the Mercedes S-Class will enable the car to automatically change lanes at autobahn speeds.
Website: mercedes-benz.com
Source: NYTimes
Narcisco Rodrigez, eCommerce
Narciso Rodriguez has debuted its first eCommerce platform Chief executive officer Robert Wichser told WWD that the company is treating the site “as our flagship store” because they don’t yet have a brick-and-mortar location. “We believe it has global reach, and it’s one area that ties the world of Narciso Rodriguez into one,” he said.
Website: narcisorodriguez.com
Source: Racked
Raymond Weil, Microsite
Raymond Weil is pushing its latest campaign, entitled “Precision Is My Inspiration” with a dedicated HTML5 microsite and accompanying brand film on YouTube. Users can browse behind the scenes images and content and event explore and share high definition images on Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter and Google+.
Website & Source: inspiration.raymond-weil.com
Tod’s, Digital Campaign
Italian leather goods maker Tod’s has introduced its SS2013 No_Code capsule collection, designed in collaboration with editor Jefferson Hack, through its first all-digital campaign. On the dedicated microsite, consumers can browse mood images, products, inspiration, behind-the-scenes content and past campaigns. Users can also click to purchase certain styles.
Website: todsnocode.com
Source: Luxury Daily
Urwerk, Website
Urwerk has unveiled a new website, featuring interactive links and features, large images, videos and of course information about Urwerk timepieces. Due to an increasing number of mobile users, the brand has worked to ensure full mobile optimisation for all functions of the site.
Website & Source: urwerk.com
Versus, Website
Following the re-launch of Versace’s Versus, a new website has debuted with eCommerce functionality and in-depth content surrounding the brand. Through the site, consumers can shop girls’ apparel, boys’ apparel and watches, view the Versus film or learn more about the brand through a short article. In May 2013, Versus launched a Google+ page where it began promoting a “hangout” session with Donatella Versace, chief designer of the Versace group.
Website: versusversace.com
Source: Luxury Daily
Zegna, Tumblr, YouTube
Zegna has released a host of digital initiatives in 2013, including the overhaul of its YouTube channel and the launch of the gN project on Tumblr. The gN brand comes from the only two letters that the Gruppo Zegna’s two brands – Ermenegildo Zegna Couture and Agnona – have in common.
Both are designed by creative director Stefano Pilati, as of June 2013. gN aims to be a non-distracting, aseptic ambience where one can concentrate on the words posted by Stefano Pilati in the preparatory phase of his new professional journey within Zegna Group.
Website & Source: gn-project.tumblr.com
YouTube: youtube.com/EZegnaOfficial
For more in the series of The Latest Digital, please see our most recent editions as follows:
– The Latest Digital: Baselworld, Zegna & Ferrari
– The Latest Digital: Gucci, Porsche & Raymond Weil
– The Latest Digital: Labelux, Burberry & Chanel
Creative Strategist, Digital
Sophie Doran is currently Senior Creative Strategist, Digital at Karla Otto. Prior to this role, she was the Paris-based editor-in-chief of Luxury Society. Prior to joining Luxury Society, Sophie completed her MBA in Melbourne, Australia, with a focus on luxury brand dynamics and leadership, whilst simultaneously working in management roles for several luxury retailers.
