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David Yurman uses foursquare to promote Summer in the City collection

August 10, 2011

David Yurman on Foursquare

Jewelry designer David Yurman is the latest luxury brand to use foursquare to interact with New York consumers as they check-in and out of famous landmarks to promote its Summer in the City collection.

The brand is promoting the collection’s bracelets and rings through the location-based mobile application. Foursquare is becoming an increasingly common tool among luxury brands to connect with consumers at the local level with the potential to drive in-store sales.

“I think the main point of geolocation services is to get the right offer in front of the right customer at the right time,” said Mark Dority, San Francisco-based strategy director at ICLP.

“Like all marketing initiatives, it all depends on data and now, more than ever, technology,” he said.

Linking in
When a consumer checks in to different cultural urban hotspots, David Yurman will tell the consumer what type of jewelry would be appropriate of the setting, or if a particular collection was inspired by the location.

For example, when a consumer checks in to the Brooklyn Bridge, she can read a tip from David Yurman that says, “Did you know David Yurman’s classic cable bracelet is inspired by the cables of the Brooklyn Bridge?”

The Foursquare tips link consumers to the collection Web page

In addition, if a user checks in at the top of the Standard Hotel, she gets a tip from the brand that reads, “Slip on an Albion ring for rooftop cocktails against a twinkling skyline.”

Also, consumers who check-in to Times Square are alerted that they can also “unlock the city’s glimmering mysteries in Midnight Melange,” one of the brand’s collections.

David Yurman's Facebook Post about Foursquare

David Yurman alerted its social-media savvy fans of the foursquare tips through its Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/DavidYurman.

The brand has also tweeted about the foursquare application to its more than 6,000 followers.

David Yurman tweeted the news

However, just having a presence on foursquare might not be enough for David Yurman.

It is also likely that the heavily product-oriented tips are obviously a marketing ploy and turn luxury consumers away.

““In order to encourage actual luxury customers, not just aspiring, to participate, it’s important to offer real-world incentives, an area where luxury brands have a difficult time,” Tamar Koifman, a senior social media strategist at Digital Luxury Group in Geneva, Switzerland and contributor to Fashion’s Collective.

Reality check
Other luxury brands have used foursquare even more extensively to host contests and offer additional brand information.

Apparel and accessories brand Marc Jacobs used foursquare during fashion week, allowing consumers to follow the brand around New York, Britain, France and Italy by checking-in at any Marc by Marc Jacobs store.

Consumers unlocked the brand’s “Fashion Victim” badge when they checked in at enough places (see story).

Also, Louis Vuitton used foursquare when promoting its London store, offering tips on what to do in the city, which is very much in line with their focus on Art of Travel.

“Additionally, and the most exciting part for many, they offer a branded LV Foursquare badge for users that check into the London boutique three times,” Ms. Koifman said. “It’s the most affordable Louis Vuitton logo you’ll ever wear.”

In addition, Four Seasons used the Gowalla platform to curate experiences for customers at its Beverly Wilshire location in Beverly Hills, CA.

The hotel’s concierges created experiences at venues surrounding the hotel and encouraged customers to go to them (see story).

It can be challenging for luxury brands to find the right incentive offers, since discounts and 2-for-1 sales often do not align with a luxury brand’s image.

However, foursquare can prove to be a powerful driver and engagement tool for luxury brands and consumers.

Location-based apps such as foursquare can allow brands to collect important data that can allow them to better-service that particular customer in the future.

“If the data is there, the client needs to know how to make it usable in order to predict the outcome based on the data driven targeted offer to that individual customer,” Mr. Dority said.

Final Take
Rachel Lamb, associate reporter on Luxury Daily, New York

Kayla Hutzler is an editorial assistant on Luxury Daily. Her beats are automotive, consumer electronics, consumer packaged goods, financial services, media/publishing, software and technology, telecommunications, travel and hospitality, real estate, retail and sports. Reach her at kayla@napean.com.