Okonkwo Prelims

While striving for differentiation in the luxury market, it is also important

to critically evaluate the impact of an advertising campaign on a brand’s posi-

tioning and image. This evaluation should also feature customer expectations

and the effect of the advertisement on their perception of the brand.

Luxury and high-end fashion consumers constantly seek to be enticed and

excited through desirable goods and dazzling models or celebrities in adver-

tisements. While consumer goods like detergent and toilet paper project a

sense of reality to their consumers, luxury brands project a sense of fantasy.

These contribute to creating the ‘desire’ and ‘lust’ that propel consumers to

seek luxury goods. However, when consumers are exposed to a different form

of advertising, it is essential to ensure that they understand the underlying

message.

Figure 5.21 shows a luxury brand advertisement that has effectively applied

advertising communications to recapture the major qualities of the brand.

Direct marketingis defined as direct communication between a brand and a

consumer designed to generate a purchase behavioural response. The response

could be in the form of information request, a visit to the brand’s store or

152

luxury fashion branding

Figure 5.21

Oscar de La

Renta (Spring

2006) advert,

featuring Liya

Kebede,

effectively

captures the

brand’s essence

of stylish and

modern chic,

(2006).

Photographed by

Craig McDean