LONDON COPYWRITER
COPY • STRATEGIC CONCEPTS
BRANDING • LUXURY RETAIL
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FEBRUARY 2021
I’ve learned a thing or two during my tenure as luxury retail copywriter and developer of personalities for niche and start-up luxury brands. I thought I’d share.
1. Be honest
So many brands try to be something they’re not. The biggest, the best, the most skilled… A client recently spent two hours telling me they made every single component in-house; by the end of the meeting they admitted some bits were made by other companies and just assembled in-house. Consumers sniff out a fake story. Remember how Avis turned their number two position in the market into a benefit? Always be honest.
2. Take a stand
A lot of clients tell me they’re ‘different’ and want to stand out from the crowd, but when it comes to it they wnat to retreat into the shadows and look like everyone else. Volvo has been all about safety since it launched in the early 1920s, Louis Vuitton has revolved about travel and adventure for 170 years. Decide what you stand for and tell the world about it. Branding is all about nailing your colours to the mast and sticking with them.
3. Find your voice
So many clients make fun of their competitors and how boringly similar they sound. Then they decide they want to replicate exactly the same messages and language in their communications! Luxury brands need to establish a tone and use it. Viktor & Rolf don't worry about standing out. Dare to be different; if it doesn’t work, we can change it further down the road.
4. Agree from the bottom of your heart
When I worked for Harrods, half the company thought that it the brand’s essence was about its heritage; the other half thought it was about the new, innovative and exclusive: it was like a designer tug-of-war. I came up with a positioning concept of the store ‘adding to its history every day’, respecting the past but moving into the future. Everyone in the company felt comfortable and could relate to it. Internal agreement is paramount: without it, your brand will be sending out different, conflicting messages.
5. Share the message
Tell everyone what your brand stands for, it’s story and how it uses language. Customers, employees, your mum. And make sure it's simple and crystal clear. When people understand what makes you different and can repeat it back to you, you’re on to something.
If you want to talk about giving your niche luxury brand a fresh voice or just renew your language, contact me today.
