Receive the latest articles for free. Click here to get the Luxury Daily newsletters.

Top 10 luxury brand mobile efforts of Q1

April 11, 2012

Luxury marketers have started to move away from vanilla mobile applications and sites and have instead started to widen their mobile range including SMS, QR codes, sponsorships and augmented reality.

The majority of luxury brands are still struggling to find their way in the fastest-growing advertising channel, but the ones that have are doing so with great vigor. The marketers that developed campaigns in the first quarter of this year implemented new technology, innovated techniques and sharpened their mobile savvy.

Here are the top 10 mobile efforts by luxury brands in the first quarter, in alphabetical order.

Bergdorf Goodman – New York-based department store Bergdorf Goodman upped its mobile offerings last quarter through new digital content styled Bergdorf Goodman Vision in Zite’s mobile app.

The Zite app has a Bergdorf Goodman Vision section as a part of its aggregated content dedicated to articles that fit the taste of the brand’s luxury consumers.

Bergdorf Goodman Vision aggregates personalized content tailored for each reader as the Zite app does with all content.

Users customize their personal magazine by rating each article. The more that readers interact with Bergdorf Goodman Vision, as well as all content on the site, the more customized the content will be.

For example, if a reader gives a thumbs-up to an article about a local eatery, the user will receive more food-related content in Bergdorf Goodman Vision.

Bergdorf Goodman Vision offers content for its consumers in subjects such as runway fashion, street style, fine dining, arts and entertainment, travel and New York culture.

The retailer draws content from all over the Web and its blog 5th/58th, which covers fashion, accessories, beauty, the brand’s window displays and New York culture and people.

Bloomingdale’s – Department store chain Bloomingdale’s aimed to build brand loyalists through mobile calls-to-action in a print campaign in Condé Nast’s Vanity Fair magazine last quarter.

The retailer is pushing its new “loyallist” program through a QR code, MMS and mobile site offering.

Bloomingdale’s use of mobile as a CRM tool could be a good move since consumers are constantly on the go with their phones in tow.

The ad in Vanity Fair is a two-page spread that features Michael by Michael Kors and Marc by Marc Jacobs’ colorful spring/summer 2012 collections.

The mobile calls-to-action are in a blue box on the top right-hand side of the second page.

Consumers have the choice of scanning a QR code, sending an SMS message or entering the URL address http://www.bloomingdales.com/loyallist on their mobile phones.

The QR code leads consumers to a mobile page with a video that explains the new Bloomingdale’s Loyallist program.

Essentially, consumers receive one point for every dollar they spend in-store, online or in outlets. There are also chances to earn double points on cosmetics and fragrances.

If consumers get 5,000 points, they receive a $25 rewards card.

Since there is the promise of a reward, consumers are likely to shop at Bloomingdale’s.

BMW ad on Hulu Plus

BMW – German automaker BMW increased its mobile marketing through a variety of video advertisements on Hulu Plus’ mobile app for the iPhone last quarter.

BMW pushed the new 3 Series and its DESIR3 campaign with various short clips in between commercial breaks while consumers are watching television shows and movies on their mobile devices.

The ads connect to a mobile-optimized site where users can learn about the 3 Series and scope out a BMW dealership.

There are multiple videos that BMW has chosen to advertise on Hulu Plus, the ads of which are shown on top-rated shows from NBC, ABC and Fox.

Some of the commercials were aired during the Super Bowl, where the automaker chose to push the 3 Series originally.

The video shows a consumer using the car for various reasons – opening the trunk and using the seat memory, for example – before a small blurb pops up on screen to clarify the feature.

Viewers can click on the “learn more” feature on the top of the video that connects consumers to a mobile-optimized page.

On the site, consumers can browse through different options including vehicle highlights, special offers, efficient dynamics, BMW financial services and videos that all pertain to the 3 Series.

Jenn-Air – Luxury appliance manufacturer Jenn-Air broadened its mobile presence with a recently-launched mobile site and an augmented reality iPhone app designed to let consumers envision branded appliances in their homes.

On the app, consumers can take pictures of their kitchens and replace their old furniture with a Jenn-Air appliance, locate showrooms and contact the brand.

When consumers enter the app, it tells them about the augmented reality feature and then gives them a lists of appliances to choose from.

App users can choose wall ovens, cook tops, range tops, ranges, ventilation, microwaves, warming drawers, refrigerators, dishwashers and compactors.

Selecting one of the options brings consumers to a more specific collection of appliances where users can find the exact model and color they prefer.

The augmented reality feature comes in when consumers choose a model and place it in their homes over their current appliances to see how Jenn-Air items looks in their home.

Meanwhile, consumers can research and browse products on the optimized site, found at http://m.jennair.com.

Users can search for Jenn-Air products in addition to showroom locations, contact information and the latest promotions.

Neiman Marcus – Department store chain Neiman Marcus launched a new experience in four of its U.S. locations last quarter that served to heighten customer service and the in-store atmosphere with a personal shopping mobile app.

The app works on a few different levels.

To help entice consumers in-store, the app will send users information about new arrivals and store events.

There are targets set up around store entrances that make the app live. When this happens, consumers get notifications for new arrivals, store events and the salespeople working that day.

Consumers can choose to link with sales associates, who will know if they want to try on certain items in the dressing room or need any additional help.

The Neiman Marcus app increases its usefulness by acting as a QR code reader.

Neiman Marcus places signs and stands around the store that indicate the season’s new trends.

If users scan the code, they are able to see all of the items in the Neiman Marcus location that pertain to that particular trend.
NM Service will also work from a salesperson’s point of view.

Neiman Marcus sales associates are able to gather more inventory on customers and store them in their iPhones for easy access.

This will allow salespeople to more accurately help consumers piece together outfits or recommend products based on how well they know the shopper.

Nordstrom – Department store chain Nordstrom used the popular gaming application “Draw Something” to reach young consumers for the retailer’s scholarship program.

When consumers are on the app, a pop-up advertisement from Nordstrom reveals a short video with links to a store locator, the Nordstrom mobile site and its YouTube channel.

The scholarship program offers high school juniors a $10,000 Nordstrom scholarship.

The Nordstrom ad in the Draw Something app opens with a lime-green square with the words “Ten 4 U” across the front.

A video starts of past winners receiving checks from Nordstrom and celebrating with their friends and families.

When the video is over, another banner comes up that says “Think U have what it takes?” and shows Nordstrom’s scholarship Web site at http://www.nordstrom.com/scholarship.

There are also three icons at the bottom, where consumers can go to the Nordstrom site, its YouTube channel or check out a store locator.

When consumers get to any of the pages, there is a call-to-action to download the Nordstrom mobile app.

All of the advertising is done inside the Draw Something app, allowing consumers to exit out of the ad and continue their game without disruption.

Sotheby’s – Sotheby’s International Realty looked to encourage affluent consumers to browse through its housing listings with a new location-based iPad app.

A sister organization of the famed auction house, Sotheby’s International Realty is using the iPad’s canvas to display maps, large images, local surroundings and payment and tax information for its U.S. listings.

The app was created in partnership with Smarter Agent and is available to download for free in Apple’s App Store.

The mobile user is asked to allow the app to find its location. This will open a map of the consumer’s current location and the listings near it.

A browser can also search the listings by entering a city, state or specific address. The area surrounding the address or city will appear on the map.

Listings will pop up as small squares with the pricing in the middle. Tapping on the square opens a larger box that lists the exact address for that listing.

Additionally, after selecting a specific property, an iPad user can browse the local recreational scene by tapping on an option on lifestyle or entertainment from the bottom bar.

There are options such as restaurants, shopping, night life, winery, bookstore, cinemas, ski resort and golfing.

Tapping on any of the real estate listings brings the consumer to an information page that features content such as the property description, price, taxes and estimated mortgage.

Mobile users can also read through additional features and browse full-screen photos by tapping on one of the bottom images and then swiping their finger across the screen.

From here, the shopper can also employ a one-click email to contact the Sotheby’s real estate agent who is handling the property.

Starwood – Starwood Hotels & Resorts’ Preferred Guest program updated its mobile application to create a seamless, guest-centric experience for all nine of its brands, including St. Regis and The Luxury Collection.

SPG’s app updates include content based on whether or not the user is planning, en route or already checked-in to a specific hotel. It is available for free in Apple’s App Store for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.

The newest update includes quite a few new features, particularly a new user interface that aggregates a user-specific look and content based on the consumer’s booking and staying process.

The personalized “My Stay” interface allows fully-integrated booking, member information, hotel searches, travel details, FaceTime customer service and social media.

The updates are aligned with new SPG policies including 24-hour check-in and check-out, lifetime status and Starwood ambassadors that were also implemented just last month.

Detailed information, photo galleries, transportation options, weather and local attractions are available for each hotel at each of Starwood’s brands when consumers are in the booking and researching process.

Starting 48 hours before a guest’s stay, a push notification is sent and rearranges the interface to become reflective of the specific brand and property.

When consumers are at the property, they can check-in on Foursquare and other social media, hotel information and room number and on- and off-property dining and activity suggestions.

To appeal to a wider range of consumers, the SPG app will be updated throughout 2012 with additional versions in Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, French, Italian and Spanish, claims the brand.

Stella McCartney – British label Stella McCartney introduced L.IL.Y, its first fragrance in almost a decade through a mobile app, Web effort and partnership with London-based department store Selfridges including augmented reality, video and user interaction.

Stella McCartney debuted the fragrance via the Aurasma augmented reality app where consumers can use their smartphones or iPads to access content.

There are also two televisions in the windows that change content and video based on passer-by motion.

Selfridges provided three iPads in-store for consumers who do not have smartphones to use the augmented reality apps that are activated.

Consumers are able to watch and interact with campaign videos with a touch-responsive “reveal” effect.

Users are able to create and share collages made from the campaign through Twitter, Facebook and email. Along with that, there are unique Instagram formats to enhance the user mobile experience.

British consumers not located in London can create and submit collages on the Stella McCartney Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/stellamccartney.

The app will also use geo-targeting when a consumer is in the Selfridges area that will activate the interactive tab on the app.

When consumers are actually in-store, they can use the app on their smartphones or the provided iPads to activate a 3D display of a behind-the-scenes video or a large animation of the L.I.L.Y bottle.

The brand also created an interactive wall that detected motion and distance on the outside of Selfridges. Passersby could control the content on the wall.

Trump Hotel Collection – The Trump Hotel Collection boosted its tech skills and aimed for customer retention through employing mobile devices at its Toronto property.

The brand is using Micros Opera Enterprise Solution which enables Trump to report functionality through smartphones and other handheld devices. Since the hotel opened last quarter, the property debuted with this technology.

The Micros solution manages customer data and enables the brand to operate the property.

The main goal is customer relationship management by allowing the hotel to manage guest and owner relations not only in Toronto, but across the entire Trump Hotel Collection.

The new technology allows Trump to replicate processes to become more efficient and secure, according to the brand. It will also provide consistency of experience to the clientele.

Affluent consumers may be more inclined to visit a hotel that has a more upbeat, high-tech feel to it.

This is especially true if the target consumers are younger and more tech-savvy themselves.

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

Rachel Lamb is an associate reporter on Luxury Daily. Her beats are apparel and accessories, arts and entertainment, education, food and beverage, fragrance and personal care, government, healthcare, home furnishings, jewelry, legal/privacy and nonprofits. Reach her at rachel@napean.com.