The essence of survival of luxury brands over decades, even centuries lie in their mythic value. It is the mesmerising effect of a myth that becomes the elixir for the brand. It embodies contradictions. In the recent MET Gala when you appreciated Diljeet Dosanjh dressed as Maharaja of Patiala Bhupinder Singh with a copy of the iconic Patiala crown necklace, crafted by Cartier a century ago, what you witnessed was mythic value. Cartier, in all its strategic boutiques, including the one in Milan, very prominently displays the B/W picture of the Maharaja sporting the crown necklace adorned with 2,930 De Beers diamonds with a center-piece diamond of 234.69 carats for its mythic value – a man adorning a woman’s best friend. According to news reports, Cartier refused to loan the necklace to the singer for the show. That is the power of brand arrogance and exclusivity.
And in a parallel universe, Cartier’s cinematic narratives on YouTube echo timelessness in a 60-second scroll.
Isn’t this a dilution of the brand? The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind.
Enter New Media and the entire media and communication universe undergoes a transformation of digital-first. From transforming traditional media such as newspapers and TV into digital formats to creating digital platforms for communication, New Media is now the king.
The luxury industry has had reservations towards digitisation of their communications as well as acceptance of New Media, however, with the increasing engagement of the changing demographics of luxury consumers they have realised that New is the Order.
Burberry, a traditional brand known for its trench coats that Humphrey Bogart wore in ‘Casablanca’, is now dependent on TikTok Fashion Week showcasing how heritage can be fluid, agile, and youth-facing.
For luxury brands, PR is no longer arrogant and exclusive publicity, in the age of New Media it is digital diplomacy.
Traditionally, luxury PR meant cultivating relationships with legacy editors and society columnists, showering them with gifts, even sponsoring their lifestyles. In the age of New Media, these brands are courting digital connoisseurs—influencers, stylists and creators. Imagine Hermès scarf styled on a minimalist Instagram feed.
From the need of luxury goods as a status symbol, GenZ is demanding substance, sustainability and soul. So naturally the PR narratives need to shift to new ego-benefits such as emotionally immersive, digitally native and value-aligned.
The transformation of seasonal campaigns into perpetual stories results in a Balenciaga show becoming a digital experience or a Fabergé launch becoming a social justice statement. A Narayan Jewellers’ designing Miss India crowns with real yellow diamonds, precious rubies and emeralds or Tanishq’s Diwali campaign ‘Nav-Raani’, a national conversation.
A few other examples of the changing narratives include Prada launching its first collection of fine jewellery — a near 50-piece genderless offering, made from 100% recycled gold and certified, verifiable, traceable pavé diamonds — as well as both Bulgari and Tiffany making their Web3 debuts with respective Non-fungible tokens (NFT) collections, Beyond Wonder and NFTiff.
There are pitfalls in dabbling with New Media such as cancel culture, risk of over-exposure and the temptation of popularity leading to unethical influencer alignment. Therefore, one needs to remain vigilant guarding brand sanctity while luring cultural relevance.
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