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Delivering a luxury brandexperience
by Lulu RaghavanDecember 2012
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1Landor ssociates
l Raaa is country director o the
umbai oce o Landor ssociates, which
she helped establish in 7.
his article was rst published in slightlydierent orm in The Luxury Market in India:
Maharajas to Masses, edited by lyn twal
and Soumya Jain (algrave acmillan,
1); reprinted with permission.
the product itsel can be purchased more cheaply
in Hong Kong, Singapore, or ubai. o increase
their chances o success in ndia, luxury brands
need to think o the brand experience as the
customer journeythe interaction betweencustomer and brand throughout the relationship,
rom awareness and consideration to purchase and
loyalty. aking such a holistic view allows a deeper,
more nuanced understanding o luxury customers
needs and enables brands to create a dierentiated
and relevant brand experience.
ak all
ndia is truly an idiosyncratic market or a vast array
o social, economical, cultural, and political reasons.
ven such global giants as oca-ola and GM did
not meet with success when they entered this
market, due largely to a lack o understanding about
ndian emotions, habits, and liestyles. Kelloggsinitially had great diculty selling its products in
ndia because the cereal company ailed to grasp
one key consumer insight: ndians like to start the
day with a hot meal.
Ia l m m al, m , a mma a . G a a mlaal ma l
aa a ml lm l Ia mak. l al lal a ma ll Ia m.
n the ndian context, the delivery and experience
o a luxury brand are much more critical than the
product alone and the badge value o owning it.
ndian consumers might notice the Louis Vuitton
logo and be enticed by an impressive liestyle ad
in a glossy magazine, but its the Louis Vuitton
experience across all interactions that will shape
their perceptions o the brand. ositive perception
is key to driving purchase and loyalty, and thereore
long-term business success.
iven the high import duties on luxury goods in ndia,
its all the more essential or companies to deliver
an outstanding brand experience: n most cases,
Delivering a luxurybrand experience
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Lulu aghavan
n addition, sta must not be arrogant about which
customers they choose to serve when someone
walks through the door. omen dressed in sareeswho dont speak nglish well may have pots o
money to spend, but i treated improperly by sales
sta may turn away rom the brand orever. ndians
love to share their experiences, and a dissatised
consumer can quickly erode the reputation o
a brand via his or her circle o inuence.
hird, luxury brands in ndia typically maniest a lack
o attention to detail. he gi wrapping or quality
o nishes at a retail store may not meet the highest
standards o these brands. ustomers who are used
to top-notch brand experiences in cities such as
New York and aris are rustrated when they dont
receive the same treatment rom global brands in
ndia. hey may end up eeling they are paying orquality they dont receive.
Ca l
hese challenges, though considerable, can be
overcome through innovative thinking. hile it
may not be possible to perectly manage all
interactions with the brand, ocusing on one or
two key touchpoints o the luxury brand experience
can powerully ignite customer excitement and
create a positive impact. his not only elevates the
brand, but also allows it to take a ew liberties in
other areas with less danger o losing customers.
ritish irways (BA) illustrated this concept when itcreated a unique check-in service at the hhatrapati
Shivaji nternational irport in umbai. usiness
class travellers entering the terminal were immedi-
ately whisked into a specially designated area. er
a streamlined check-in process, they were escorted
hile the lack o high-end retail space is cited
as the biggest challenge or luxury brands, there
are several other considerations that marketersshould take into account.
irst, luxury consumers in ndia are not a homog-
enous, easily characterized group. eyond the
traditional rich, there is a new generation o
afuent consumers with dierent attitudes and
mindsets towards wealth, liestyle, and luxury
brands. hey may be newly minted CEOs and
other senior corporate proessionals; entrepreneurs
in businesses such as IT and telecommunications;
returning prodigal children (afuent ndians who
have lived abroad and continue to avor estern
brands); ranchisees and retailers; or politicians,
bureaucrats, and media personalities. ach group
may view luxury goods dierently, rom valuingthem or their unctionality to treating them as
a reward or an indulgence. rientation towards
badge value varies as well. Luxury brands need
to study the unmet needs and wants o these
customer types to determine how best to dierenti-
ate the brand experience.
Second, sales sta in retail stores have the power
to make or break the shopping experience. any
consumers, especially the new generation, will be
unamiliar with the luxury brand; they depend on
salespeople to provide inormation and acilitate
the buying process. Lack o knowledge about the
brand or product creates a negative impression.
raditional wealthy and globally traveled consumers,
on the other hand, expect the highest level o
service rom sophisticated and well-groomed sta.
ompanies need to invest heavily in training sales
sta to handle luxury buyers o all stripes.
The ability to create and deliverinnovative brand experienceshas become an important core
capability or luxury goods.
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3Landor ssociates
igure 1 shows all stages o the luxury customers
interaction with the brand, rom awareness (learning
that the brand exists) to explore & consider (thinkingo buying) to purchase (going online or to a store) to
postpurchase (staying loyal). or each stage, generic
touchpoints are listed or luxury brands to consider.
he next level is to plot the needs o dierent
customer types at each stage. n the awareness
stage, or example, the traditional rich customer
wants reassurance o the global brand values within
the ndian context, while a rst-time luxury customer
may be looking to understand and appreciate the
brands credentials.
nce the stated and unstated needs are plotted,
brands can then determine their response. Some
marketers also like to plot how their competitorsbrands are dealing with these needs. his enables
them to identiy opportunities that competitors are
not ocused on and can thereore be dierentiated
to deliver an outstanding experience (igure ).
through security and immigration straight to the
main lounge. his hassle-ree experience was so
appealing that business customers were willing toorgive other blips such as delayed bags (or which
BA was amous in ndia). inding a memorable and
relevant way to manage check-in succeeded in
dierentiating BA, because no other airline oered
this to its valued clientele.
Cm j
he customer journey ramework has immense
practical value or managing and inuencing
customer perception, allowing a helicopter view
o all touchpoints in the brand experience. he
marketer can then drill deeper into any particular
stage o the journey to better understand customer
needs at that stage and assess how the brandor its competitionis responding to those needs.
ost importantly, it allows the marketer to make
key strategic decisions on choosing where to ampliy
delivery o the experience and make a real dier-
ence to the brand.
Figure 1: Customer journey ramework
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4 Lulu aghavan
Figure 2: Customer journey touchpoints
1. AwAreness 2. expLore & consider 3. MoMent of sALe 4. LoyALty
custoMerneeds
touchpoints Wedia inuence
V
ollywood
Social media
Virals
Youube
Street impression
conic products
ord o mouth
rips outside ndiauerilla marketing
eer inuence
Bm riends
reer product to other
products
Raeviews
logs
edia inuence
V
ollywood
Social media
Virals
Youube
orums
ompany websiterochure/brand book
a Showroom/store
Location
resentation
Sound branding
Service
Salesperson/employees
a amShowroom
Showroom/store
Salesperson/employeesroduct
PaShowroom/store
Salesperson/employees
roduct
rice
inancial service
Keys
anual
Uroduct
er-sales
hone service
arranty
Rfl a laroduct experience
lient contact
eplacement oer
SaSocial media
Social network
ord o mouth
log
orums
otential new customer
coMpetitiveresponse
our response
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5Landor ssociates
ecause it is not realistic to excel at all stages and
all touchpoints, brands must rst understand theentire journey and then choose where to ampliy
the brand experience.
ell look at our high-end brands to see how
they emphasize particular stages o the customer
journey to support their brand strategies. hese
mini cases demonstrate innovative tactics to
generate awareness, maximize chances o purchase
consideration, elevate the purchase experience,
and build loyalty or the brand (igure 3).
Ga aa: D
he iconic rench brand ior has adopted
an unusual approach to generating consumerawareness or itsel in ndia. ts representative
is not an internationally recognized celebrity
or even a ollywood star, but an ndian socialite
with an impressive list o potential ior customers.
Kalyani hawla is both vice president o marketing
and communications at ior ndia and its walking,talking brand ambassador, recruiting customers
with the same ease and lan that she sips her
champagne. She understands the world o
ber-luxury globally and rench brands in particular,
having gathered deep insights on luxury retail in
her homeland rom her association with the ndian
brand avissant.
hawlatypically dressed only in ioris a total
personication o the brand. She has smartly
positioned hersel in the highest circles o society
as the go-to person or the latest tips on ashion,
style, and even entertaining. apping into her
extended social network, hawla has generated
tremendous awareness and aspiration or the brandwith its target clientele and succeeded in building
a community o ior loyalists. She has also become
an accessible part o the ior story in ndia,
increasing the brands relevance and appeal. Her
personal relationships allow her to get rsthand,
Figure 3: Luxury brand customer journey
. . . .
WitnessingMedia influence
TVBollywoodSocial mediaViralsYouTube
Street impressionIconic productsWord of mouthTrips outside IndiaGuerilla marketingPeer influence
Becoming inspiredFriendsPrefer product to otherproducts
ResearchingReviews
BlogsMedia influence
TVBollywoodSocial mediaViralsYouTube
ForumsCompany websiteBrochure/brand book
Arriving and browsingShowroom/storeLocationPresentationSound brandingServiceSalesperson/employees
Learning and experimentingShowroomShowroom/storeSalesperson/employeesProduct
PurchasingShowroom/store
Salesperson/employeesProductPriceFinancial serviceKeysManual
UsingProduct
Aer-salesPhone serviceWarranty
Reflecting and replacingProduct experienceClient contactReplacement offer
SharingSocial mediaSocial networkWord of mouthBlogForumsPotential new customer
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Lulu aghavan
rank comments on ior customer satisaction.
Such constant eedback permits better selection
o products, ne-tuning o the experience, and
improved response to customer needs.
ior also invests heavily in the awareness stage o
the customer journey by doing two things very well:
product placement and PR. he brand scored a real
coup in product placement with the ollywood lm
Aisha. Sonam Kapoor, its lead actress, sported
as many as 60 ior dresses and accessories and
carried her Lady ior purse throughout the movie.
he male lead, bhay eol, wore ior creations
as well. nd ior has been aggressive with its PR
moves, securing 20 magazine covers in 200 alone.
ith such attention to awareness building, you
might expect ior to have a dozen or so stores in
ndia. ctually there are only two, one in umbaiand the other in New elhi. ut the brand is well
prepared to increase its presence in ndia, and its
investment in awareness development will give
it a huge advantage when expanding.
am a a:
udi, the erman car brand, also invests heavily
in creating awareness and pull or its autos throughadvertising, sponsorships, and publicity. ut where
udi has really excelled is in developing an engaging
experience or ndian customersboth ofine,
through the design o its dealerships, and online,
by means o a -D campaign or the launch o its
new 8L model.
he umbai est showroom is a personication
o brand udi. otential buyers eel the brands
sportiness, progressiveness, and style throughout
the experience, not just in the cars themselves.
he spacious showroom is minimalist in design but
luxurious in eel. very detailrom the owers
used in vases to the kind o coee servedhas
been careully managed to cra an udi brandexperience or customers. udi calls this a
terminal concept that combines the eciency,
perormance, luxury, and environmental themes
o its brand.
Above Shoppers can always buy a small
piece o the Herms brand beore they
leave the luxurious store.
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7Landor ssociates
he showroom aade is a unique aluminum
honeycomb with the ull lineup o cars clearlyvisible rom the main road. he back wall o the
dealershipa curve simulating the turns o
racetrackspays homage to udis roots in motor
sports. isplay areas have been designed to
maximize customer interaction with the vehicles
without the need or a salesperson. Shoppers can
drop o their children in the play area or stop
at the caeteria or a snack. hey can also buy
a variety o udi-branded merchandise, a small
consolation or those who cannot aord the cars!
he launch o udis 8L model was particularly
innovative. he company created one o the worlds
rst integrated -D campaign to allow potential
buyers to live the brand even i they could notphysically test-drive the vehicles. -D lm shows
the car in all its beauty, and a microsite permits
users to learn about the model. rac to the
microsite was driven by a direct marketing
campaign in which custom-made, high-quality
udi anaglyphic -D glasses and -D car brochures
were sent to prospective buyers, inviting them to
explore the new model online. oth the lm and the
web experience will be urther developed on touch
screens and -D screens in showrooms.
Such an approach to the customer experience
enormously enhances the brands attractiveness
in the eyes o potential buyers. udi has strongly
dierentiated its dealerships in line with its brandvalues, driving greater anity and thereore greater
sales success in ndia.
Ela a : Hm
Luxury brand stores in ndia are typically ound
either in high-end shopping malls like DF mporio
in New elhi or in ve-star hotels such as the aj.
ut Herms understands the paramount impor-
tance o creating a retail experience or its ndian
customers on a par with those in London, aris, and
New York. er establishing its rst two locations
at the beroi Hotel in New elhi and the sta Hotel
in une, Herms chose to side-step existing
inrastructure or retail and invest in a stand-alone
agship store in umbai.
Located in the historic allard state area o South
umbai, the ,00-square-oot space embodies the
spirit o the brand, extending to every parameter:spaciousness, product selection, and quality o
service. he store, spread over two oors, provides
ample room or exploration o and intimacy with the
ull range o Herms products, rom its customized
ndian sarees to the ragingly popular irkin bag.
he sta are nonintrusive, yet manage to be on
hand the moment a customer has a question. hey
are impressively knowledgeable about the brand
and surprisingly sophisticated compared to most
luxury brand salespeople in ndia.
Herms has also replicated its global model by
including an art gallery in the agship store. his
brand-savvy move enables a stronger connection
with the target customer who is time-starved,cash-rich and seeking cultural inspiration. Soaking
in some art and sipping coee in the upstairs ca
o the store warms up the customer, creating
an emotional bond in which the brand comes
Above very detail in an udi showroom
rom the owers placed in vases to the kindo coee servedhas been careully
chosen to cra an udi brand experience.
beLow hen it launched the L, udi
mailed anaglyphic 3- glasses to potential
buyers and invited them to test-drive the
new car on a microsite.
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Lulu aghavan
to symbolize a whole way o lie. Shoppers can
always buy a small piece o Herms beore theyleavetheres the selection o perumes and
scarves or that.
y building its own store rom the ground up rather
than moving into existing retail space, Herms has
ull control over the design and implementation o
its desired brand experience. Herms is able to live
its philosophy and truly delight the ndian luxury
customer, who has oen been disappointed by the
experiences other brands deliver.
Bl lal: Hal-Da
ost luxury brands in ndia orget about their
customers the moment a transaction has beencompleted. Harley-avidson, however, organises
rides and events that give ndian bike lovers a ull
brand-ownership experience. Harley dealers act
as sponsors o local Harley wners roup (OG)
chapters, creating a orum or bike owners to
meet, interact, and share their passion or biking
within a community. ndia currently has our OG
chapters, located in elhi, umbai, angalore,
and Hyderabad.
hrough OG, Harley-avidson is able to orge
a deep loyalty in its customer base, making it
easy or Harley owners to recruit riends into the
old as well. hey have a ready-made platorm
in their otorcycle oot amp, an immersiveexperience designed to create high levels o
aspiration or the brand.
n a similar vein, Harley ock iders brings together
even more potential or existing riders. he live
concert event, conceptualised by Harley-avidson
ndia and olling Stone ndia, combines live rockmusic with a celebration o Harley values. his
ongoing holistic experience nurtures ndian
customers relationship with the brand.
n a country where many luxury brands are distrib-
uted by local dealers, which may compromise the
experience, Harley-avidsons ocial presence is
a huge plus when it comes to providing aer-sales
support and servicing. he Harley example shows
that investing in loyalty and encouraging shared
passions among customers can multiply brand
awareness and anity.
Smma
xperiential marketing views consumers as
emotional beings who are ocused on the pleasur-
able and meaningul aspects o brand interaction.
orking with the customer journey model can help
marketers develop a competitive, dierentiated
luxury brand awareness. s ior, Herms, udi,
and Harley-avidson all demonstrate, the ocus
on customer experience enhances perception,
encourages purchase, and builds brand loyalty.
he ability to create and deliver innovative brand
experiences has become an important core
capability or luxury goods. rands who go beyond
oering more than product excellence and position
themselves in the market experientially will achievea sustainable competitive advantage in ndia.
The author would like to thank Fritz Kranenborg for his
valuable research and input.
The customer journey rameworkallows marketers to make criticalstrategic decisions about the delivery
o luxury experiences that can makea real diference to a brand.
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9Landor ssociates
Above ritish irlines created a unique
check-in service that was so streamlined
and hassle-ree, business customers
overlooked other blips in service.
Left ior invests heavily in the awarenessstage o the customer journey. or example,
celebrity actress Sonam Kapoor wore
ior dresses in the ollywood lm isha.
right hrough local Harley wners roup
chapters, Harley-avidson is able to orge a
deep loyalty with its customer base.
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