Chapter 16. Integrated Marketing Communications

Let's start by saying that Louis Vuitton is a legend in the luxury market. Legend is one element of a product's appeal which tends to be overlooked. Lineage, origin, and history provide anesthesia for the "pain of spending." As far as luxury brands are concerned, the excellence of the sheer quality, exceptionalness of design, and appeal of fashionable trends due to the contemporary efforts of those in the management ranks, artisans, and designers are important elements. In addition to these, the previous history of the house brand and mythical episodes are also valuable components of a brand's appeal. General marketing looks to "mass advertising" in its efforts to sell at high volume.

Television commercials typify that approach. Louis Vuitton, however, did not advertise on television until 2007. It's first commercial was an institutional commercial and since then the company has continued that line. It's TV commercials appear on golf and traveling channels and target a specific audience such as the business people who travel often. While Louis Vuitton does advertise in newspapers and magazines, these consist mainly of image ads rather than "aggressive" sales ads, and more focus is given to publicity (being taken in the media). The age of the House of Louis Vuitton cannot be said to have been rabid about promotion, meaning that most of the principles for promotion likely originated with the luxury brand strategy of the holding company LVMH. At Louis Vuitton the main stars are the products themselves, and it encourages customers to pledge their allegiance to the products. The photographs and text in Louis Vuitton advertisements position the products in the starring role. "Louis Vuitton trunks are solid." "Vernis and monogram mini-bags are adorable." "How functional is the business briefcase?" "Who should you entrust the repair of your bag to?" Talk of matters aside from Louis Vuitton products does not appear.

Ogilvy PR decided to use the launch of the new French Louis Vuitton web site (featuring André Agassi and Stefi Graff) to start a conversation among relevant online influencers. Louis Vuitton is also giving an enormous importance to the social media. When it opened the flagship store in London, Louis Vuitton sent an invitation to all the fans and showed the event live in its Facebook page.

Louis Vuitton's use of personalised e-commerce shows marketers how luxury brands can preserve their exclusive shopping experience and aspirational brand image online. Louis Vuitton is able to offer its traditional personalised service to its community of Facebook users via its Mon Monogram app. Users discuss purchase to a much greater extent than for other post topics, suggesting the app can act as a call to action while maintaining Louis Vuitton’s luxurious brand image. Alongside its posts about culture and travel, Louis Vuitton's Facebook page features the Mon Monogram app. which allows members to fully customise their bag with hand-painted personal initials and stripes on the colour and direction of their choice. They are then prompted to visit the Louis Vuitton store to purchase their customised bag. Users of the app can also send “virtual” gifts to each other, adding a social dimension to the experience.