Luxury brands push more & more video content, as Raymond Weil directs all corporate web traffic to Facebook and Christie’s auctions Andy Warhol exclusively online

Given François-Henri Pinault’s well-documented love of technology and digital communications, it is with little surprise that the French conglomerate is turning its Digital Academy project into a permanent human resources tool.

Launched in September 2011 as a pilot training scheme, the initiative is designed to foster digital culture within its luxury and sport/lifestyle brands, including Gucci, Puma, Stella McCartney and Boucheron.

WWD reports that 400 employees have as yet taken part in training sessions in eight cities on three continents, with participation not only by digital experts, but also top brand managers and chief executive officers. The workshops are designed to strengthen expertise; help brands define and seize opportunities; develop innovation and e-commerce, and create a digital community within the group.

Anya Hindmarch, Digital Campaign

Anya Hindmarch launched a multichannel campaign entitled Anyagrams to celebrate the brand’s London Fashion Week presentation. The brand launched a digital anagram generator that produced fashion-themed nicknames for consumers and attendees, where consumers could share their new identities through social media.

Website: anyagrams.com
Source: Luxury Daily

Barney’s Outlet, Website

Barneys New York has uploaded its famous outlet sale to a permanent online space. The department store chain launched the new ecommerce site at barneyswarehouse.com, seeking to match the outlet shopping experience to that of its main ecommerce site. The move will also expand the consumer pool for the Barney’s online consumer.

Website: barneyswarehouse.com
Source: Luxury Daily

Benetti, Website

Benetti is celebrating its 140th anniversary with the unveiling of a sleek new website, supported by the “Being Unique is an Art” campaign. The site has been optimised to display full screen regardless of the platform, screen resolution, browser or device, and centres itself on the bespoke services offered by the luxury boat builder.

Website:
Source: Luxury Insider

Burberry, Runway Made to Order

Burberry launched a service called Runway Made to Order, allowing customers to order products directly from its London Fashion Week FW13-14 collection, for delivery in a matter of weeks. Clients that order accessories or outerwear from burberry.com not only have the option to personalise metal plate of a jacket or bag with their name or initials, but access video of their product being made, just for them.

Website: burberry.com
Source: Fashion United

Chanel, Video

To celebrate the 1932 Chanel fine jewellery collection dedicated to diamonds, the brand has released a video detailing the heritage of Bijoux de Diamants. The short film details the way Coco Chanel paved the way for a whole new style of fine jewellery, using collage, animation, and archival footage.

YouTube: Chanel
Source: Fashionologie

Chloé, Video

French fashion house Chloé is celebrating its limited-edition 60th anniversary collection with a series of eight mini films that celebrate the designers who have contributed to the label since its formation in 1952. The first film explores La blouse that was part of the spring/summer 1960 collection by Ms. Gaby Aghion, the brand’s founder.

YouTube: Chloé
Source: Luxury Daily

Christie’s, Online Auction

Christie’s recently completed an online-exclusive auction, featuring 125 works of art by the American pop icon Andy Warhol. The auction marked the first time that Warhol’s art was sold strictly online, with prices ranging from $600 to $70,000, offering buyers “extraordinary global access to Warhol’s work.

Website: christies.com/warhol
Source: Luxuo

Diageo Reserve, eCommerce

Diageo Reserve has launched a luxury e-commerce platform, Alexander & James, named after sprits makers Alexander Walker and James Buchanan. The online portal retails premium Diageo brands and focuses on gifts and features a dedicated area offering ideas for packaged present ideas.

The portal, created in partnership with digital agency Huge, will also link to Facebook for users to share wish lists and get reminders of friend’s birthdays. Registered members can create a wish-list to share as well. It is currently only available in the UK and will be expanded across Europe in the coming months.

Website: alexanderandjames.com
Source: Marketing Week

Gucci, Facebook App

Gucci is celebrating the launch of its newest fragrance, Guilty Black, through a Facebook application that includes a video and fragrance locator. The Facebook app includes video, information about the fragrances, campaign images and an area where consumers can join Gucci’s mailing list.

Facebook: Gucci
Source: Luxury Daily

Longines, App

Swiss watchmaker Longines is tapping its involvement in the world of alpine skiing for a new mobile application that gives enthusiasts news and updates on the sport. The app, entitled Live Alpine Skiing, allows users to find out the latest about events and competitors in the area of alpine skiing.

YouTube: Longines Watches
Source: Luxury Daily

Melia, eCommerce

Meliá Hotels International has launched an online store through which customers can buy a collection of bedroom and bathroom products featured in Meliá hotels. Amongst the items available are a choice of mattresses and bed bases, pillows, duvets and bed linen, as well as bathroom towels and bathrobes.

Website: meliahotels-store.com
Source: Hospitality.net

Miu Miu, Video

Miu Miu has unveiled the fifth film in its ‘The Women’s Tales’ series, entitled The Door, directed by Ava Marie DuVernay. The director became the first African-American woman to win the best director prize at Sundance for her film Middle of Nowhere in 2012, and seeks to illuminate both the power of female bonds and the transformative function of clothing in the short.

YouTube: Miu Miu
Source: Style.com

Porsche, Crowdsourcing

German automaker Porsche is honouring its 5 million Facebook fans by letting them collaborate on designing a 911 Carrera 4S vehicle. Each week for five weeks, Porsche invites it’s Facebook fans to vote on various specifications of the special 911 Carrera 4S model, on a different part of the vehicle.

Website: porsche.com/5million
Source: Luxury Daily

Prada, Video

Prada has launched its Spring 2013 campaign video, directed by DJA with photography from Steven Meisel. The short film features ten models – including Eva Herzigova, Saskia de Brauw & Raquel Zimmermann – each representing one of the mysterious flowers represented in the collection.

YouTube: Prada
Source: Fashionista

Raymond Weil, Facebook

In honour of Facebook’s 9th birthday, Raymond Weil chose to direct all of its corporate website traffic to its Facebook page for just one day. Acknowledging the shift in consumer behaviour and consumption of social media, the gesture intends to acknowledge the power of Facebook to connect brands and fans with their larger social “hives.”

Facebook: Raymond Weil
Source: Raymond Weil

Swarovski, Multi-Channel Campaign

Swarovski, in partnership with RO New York, has launched it’s first multi-channel campaign with ’"Passport to Sparkle", a year-long project designed to engage the consumer with an interactive in-store and online initiative inspired by travel.

The result is a powerful integrated project integrating the online and in-store experience with elements including crystallized passports, customized and collectable passport stamps, a micro-site and social media content.

Website: passporttosparkle.com
Source: RO New York

For more in the series of The Latest Digital, please see our most recent editions as follows:

- The Latest Digital: Labelux, Burberry & Chanel
- The Latest Digital: Cartier, Prada & Tod’s
- The Latest Digital: Balmain, Yoox & Mandarin Oriental