Luxury& Art collaboration: Creation of Win-Win Situation and Clear Move of PR Strategy

In fashion world, creativity always comes first. It is not hard to understand these days luxury houses admire art and try to find a moment to collaborate with it.As a vivid English saying goes, win-win co-operation.They show up their aesthetic taste and also enjoy the harvest from the collaboration, gaining a wide range of media exposure. What a beautiful PR move.

Recently, news from No.1 luxury house is truly supporting my opinion.Marc Jacobs of Louis Vuitton (LV) continues to push fashion and art collaboration to the cutting edge with his latest partnership with the contemporary Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama. The iconic “polka-dots” designs will be launched in July 2012.Kusama’s art will decorate a range of Louis Vuitton products including handbags, footwear, watches, jewellery and apparel items. The collection is called “Infinitely Kusama” and has  been described as “Louis Vuitton encounters Japan’s most prominent avant-garde artist”.

Apart from that, it is also a good channel to show the brand.  Louis Vuitton is sponsoring the upcoming exhibition of Yayoi Kusama’s life’s work at Tate Modern in London. The exhibition will run from 9 February to 5 June 2012 and will show nine decades of Kusama’s art. A couple of my friends have visited Tate Modern to see her exhibition, all the answers are similar: it is fantastic. They themselves feel inspired as well. And I often see the advertisement presented in underground, a clear line saying "Sponsored by Louis Vuittion". Chic and concise.

Personally I do think it is very inspiring move. As an art lover I am, not only fashion houses give the audience a fresh impression of aspiration of art, but also they create a widespread buzz, straight to the point. I would like to say it is creation of win-win situation and clear move of PR strategy. Luxury and art, it sounds they are supposed to be bound together.  

Reference:

Art Radar Asia, Louis Vuitton gets Yayoi Kusama’s polka-dots,
http://artradarjournal.com/2012/02/14/louis-vuitton-gets-yayoi-kusamas-polka-dots/


Louis Vuittion, latest news, www.louisvuitton.com/ 


Tate Modern, Yayoi Kusama,http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibitions/yayoikusama/

Celebrity Endorsement: Showing Smartly, Using Wisely

The picture above is the photo of Madonna for Louis Vuitton's Fall/Winter 2009-2010 ad campaign. The Queen of music world joined hands with fashion empire, which sounds an irresistible combination.

As matter of fact, it is a common PR strategy which is called celebrity endorsement. Why PR love celebrity? In our Consumer PR course, Trevor Morris claimed several points:

•Attracts media coverage

•Creates a buzz

•Can draw loyal celebrity fan base to product/service

•Implied or real endorsement

•Can be used to impress retailers and stockists 

In Fashion Marketing this book, the author puts forward what should entertainers do for brands:entertainers are often employed as spokespersons for fashion products. They often:

 •be seen in public a certain number of times wearing the product


 •publically state his or her commitment to the product


 •wear the productt to prominent events such as runway shows.


 And it also occurs to me that celebrities also participate in big events such as Oscar or British Awards to show designers' collections. Please read the recent article in Financial Times: Hollywood pay lists in below.

But the problem is the PR tactic is too obvious, which also involves money issues. Besides, once the scandals of celebrities come out, the brand reputation will be ruined along with the celebrities' reputation. Therefore, choose smartly and pay smartly, for PR's sake.


Reference:


Bickle, M.C (2011), Fashion Marketing-Theory, Principles and Practice, New York Fairchild Books


Morris, Trevor, 2012, Consumer PR module, University of Westminster


Financial Times, 2012, Hollywood Pay Lists:http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/a67a61c0-5c87-11e1-8f1f-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1oBhq3Kcz