Publicis Worldwide, which services over 40 of the world’s most exclusive luxury brands by agencies Publicis 133, AR New York and Publicis EtNous, has launched La Maison. This is a premium service platform to provide client marques with unique insights, innovation and content at the scale needed to increase their global brand leadership.
The creation of La Maison is underpinned by an exclusive collaboration between Google, Condé Nast and Publicis Groupe digital networks, to ensure that luxury brands stay at the forefront of trends and experiences – whether that is in fashion or digital innovation – as competition shifts to new markets and digital channels.
La Maison supports luxury and premium brands as they face multiple challenges: understanding consumers in emerging markets; global competition; and the evolving digital landscape. Recent Bain & Co* research in the luxury sector predicts that global growth in 2014 will increase by up to 6%, with rising online payment and 30% of purchases made by Chinese consumers playing an increased role. In these changing times, Publicis Worldwide is providing clients with the tools to ensure they ‘lead the change’ and stay at the forefront of consumer knowledge, experiences and technology to capitalise on these market shifts and growth.
The foundation of La Maison services are a result of strong relationships with Google and Condé Nast providing expertise across four pillars of collaboration:
1. Insights – La Maison and Google insights will include the latest data showing digital habits of affluent consumers, including interests for brands and products, while also breaking down activity by desktop, mobile and tablet devices. It will also explore YouTube video consumption and search query trends on luxury brands to build monthly reports to help clients understand the latest market insights within the high net worth community.
2. Content – The Condé Nast relationship brings content strategy and planning, original content creation and licensed editorial content to La Maison clients. Condé Nast has global expertise with its iconic lifestyle media brands – Vogue, Vanity Fair, Glamour, Brides and GQ, to name a few. The publisher’s award-winning content producers will create provocative and innovative content programs with local market customization that build relationships with consumers. The Condé Nast Branded Content group specializes in cross-platform content engagements, ranging from film and premium digital video programming, as well as the photography and written work that has been the hallmark of its print and digital portfolio.
Google and Condé Nast will use their expertise in content distribution to work with La Maison and their clients to distribute their branded content across the best Google, YouTube and Condé Nast media channels. Agencies will also look at the best channels and platforms globally for their clients.
3. Innovative digital solutions – La Maison acts as the interface with Publicis Groupe Digital networks to give clients access to the world’s best digital agencies – including: Digitas LBi, Razorfish, Rosetta and Publicis Modem – to create innovative digital solutions that maintain the premium experience. These agencies have the scale to develop global platforms for the brands and ensure that they maintain market leadership on digital channels.
Arthur Sadoun, CEO of Publicis Worldwide, commented: “La Maison marries our expertise and heritage in luxury marketing services with our unique technology and content partnerships to provide clients with a platform to understand and reach globally the most prized consumers. Publicis Worldwide is committed to ensuring our clients are at the forefront of their sector and this latest innovation will help redefine marketing for luxury brands. La Maison is a total end-to-end service: from understanding how high net worth audiences navigate digital channels with Google, and devising content with Condé Nast, to building platforms with our digital agencies and distributing across relevant channels.”
Carlo D’Asaro Biondo, President of Southern & Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa Operations, Google, said: “We are excited about working with Publicis Worldwide and their creative agencies to demonstrate how we can make the web work for their luxury clients. We’re also extremely honored to work with Condé Nast who can bring to the web the quality of content that has driven brand value and appeal for the luxury industry for over 100 years now. Our platforms from Google Search to Google+ and YouTube generate billions of consumer signals that will combine perfectly with the creativity of Publicis and the ideal content of Condé Nast to deliver meaningful, digital, brand engagement strategies for clients.”
Lou Cona, chief revenue of Condé Nast and president of Condé Nast Media Group, commented: “We are pleased to partner with Publicis Worldwide and Google to provide clients with creative, effective and innovative solutions that connect and make a lasting impact with premium global audiences. Our content is widely recognized as best-in-class and we are looking forward to bringing our expertise to even more luxury brands.”
La Maison is headed up by Charles Georges-Picot, CEO of Publicis 133 and the global expert in luxury brand marketing. Raul Martinez, Design Director of Vogue USA, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of AR, will be responsible for the creative output. A global luxury team within Google under the management of Ariane Rivier will contribute trends analysis and content distribution advice. It will be supported by La Maison team across all offices. Clients will remain with their independent agencies but have access to these services, avoiding a network structure.
Charles Georges-Picot, CEO of Publicis 133 and head of La Maison, added “La Maison is a true innovation in the world of luxury marketing. We have unique access that brings fresh insights to our clients – whether it’s understanding the behaviours of Brazilian luxury buyers and spotting the next big social channel in China to providing unique fashion films and exclusive editorial content, we will ensure premium brands are at the forefront of innovative marketing and consumer knowledge.”
Publicis Worldwide has a portfolio of boutique agencies (Publicis 133, AR New York, and Publicis EtNous) which offer La Maison services across offices in Paris, New York, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore. They specialise in understanding premium and luxury brands to deliver strategy and execution that meet the high standards needed to maintain their exclusivity. There are over 30 brands served by these agencies that remain independent within Publicis Worldwide.
