Luxury marketing: the art of creating a dream

By: Raphael Vercott

Luxury marketing is an art. The art to capture an initially hidden desire, crafting a fascinating narrative, and igniting the dream. A luxury brand must offer a multisensory experience, and elevate its presence beyond what is tangible.
In today’s visually saturated (social) media landscape, the ability to express luxury through its most refined nuances has become a decisive factor in evoking personal pleasure.
But what truly makes a luxury experience extraordinary? What confers exclusivity to a value that defies conventional measure, rendering it absolutely unique and exceptional? It is the creation of an object of desire that stands out from the masses with an exceptional aura. Something capable of embodying wishes, ambitions, and individual lifestyles. Something that can enhance a business, a personality, or simply a special moment.

Why are certain objects able to reach values that exceed all estimates and comparisons?
Certainly, they may be rare, even unique, or customized. In some cases, they might be old. Of course, they have a story, or at least a crafted storytelling. Ideally, their journey to the present is marked by many stories.
From what I have consistently encountered and applied in my work, some of the most fascinating and successful luxury brands embody a mysterious suggestion, that leaves room for individual interpretation, at least as broad as the message the brand communicates explicitly.

In my experience, the most successful luxury brands share one essential characteristic: they possess a specific depth, whether evident or hidden. An artistic, cultural depth that allows a brand to become an outstanding protagonist of the Zeitgeist. It is this depth that renders a luxury brand timeless.

The ability to become timeless is what allows a brand not merely to establish itself in the market and endure, but to cultivate a loyal customer base; and within it, strong brand ambassadors capable of forming an authentic symbiosis with the brand. Timelessness is what enables a brand to become a protagonist of any era, rather than a passive subject to its fluctuations, passing fads, and fleeting trends.
Moreover, an exceptional identity allows a brand to leave its mark on every single era. How? Through a congenial and coherent storytelling that embodies - or subverts - in a distinctive way the most quintessential features and contrasts of the time.
So, what should an effective marketing strategy for a luxury brand consist of? Primarily, in the ability to position the brand’s current image within the aura of its own legend, whether real or carefully crafted, and to present it simultaneously through its most contemporary reflection.

Yes, this is an art, and it goes far beyond the standard principles of marketing. In fact, it often requires overturning them.
A luxury brand must constantly renew itself without becoming subject to fashion or trends. It needs to remain rooted in its heritage. Or, if none exists, in its ideals and vision, while projecting itself into the avant-garde. All of this must be bound by unimpeachable coherence.

Yes, it is indeed an art. And that is why so few brands in the luxury world truly succeed.

One of the questions I am most frequently asked by brands is: who faces the greater challenge: a new brand or an already established one?
A new brand does not possess its own heritage. Of course, it can draw inspiration from something remote: an era, a spirit, that can be revived through its existence. It’s certainly not uncommon for luxury brands to reference their geographical origin, or to align themselves with certain traditions and values associated with their place of origin.
These principles are perfectly in line with a luxury strategy. However, realizing them cohesively requires a great deal of artistry in developing a compelling storytelling capable of shaping an authentic brand identity. And that’s precisely why I enjoy this process so much, and why I chose it as my profession.

Established brands, on the other hand, often face the challenge of avoiding the appearance of being outdated. They turn their tradition into a depth to be explored, not a weight to be carried. A depth rooted in values the brand has cultivated with consistent care, innovation, and originality, and that find their freshest expression in the present.

In the end, this is not simply an art. It is the convergence of many arts, united in the discipline of marketing.