Ideas shaping our perspective on brand marketing in 2024
Photo by Jose Villa, of Laurie Arons Masterclass
Every year, we enjoy sharing a compilation of articles, providing insight into our must-read-and-listen rolodex. As we look back at the significant changes our world has seen over the past three years, it is clear that the publishing, media and brand management industry is experiencing a massive shift. A theme that we’re seeing across sectors of high end events, hospitality and lifestyle is this; the discerning client expects even more from the brands they are choosing to work with and invest in. And the way those brands choose to market themselves can define their success and growth in 2024. Here are some brilliant things we’ve read and listened to in 2023 that continue to shape our evolving perspective in the New Year.
A poignant read on the ongoing convergence between the luxury and hospitality sectors, Vogue reports on in the article “Unpacking luxury sectors growth drivers, a global look.” A snippet:
Brands that once offered only products are now evolving towards experiences and hospitality, says Federica Levato, senior partner and EMEA leader of fashion and luxury at Bain, who co-authored the annual Luxury Goods Worldwide Market Study. The luxury hospitality market has surpassed pre-pandemic levels and is expected to grow between 13 and 15 percent this year. Alongside cafes and restaurants, the number of hotel partnerships has ramped up. Levato points to Givenchy at the Topping Rose House in the Hamptons; the Fendi Beach Club at Puente Romano Beach Resort in Marbella; and Dioriviera at The Beverly Hills Hotel. In April, Tiffany & Co. reopened its Fifth Avenue flagship with a Blue Box Café. “There is this convergence, and it’s very positive for the industry and for the customer. This has led to a further expansion of this market… so we see this as a base for fundamental future growth,” says Levato.
The synergy that exists within the hospitality and luxury lifestyle and retail world is clear, but quality remains the focus as these brands continue to partner. Will the quality of interactions a particular someone may have at a hotel be aligned with what they'd receive at a private boutique or luxury design house? We will be interested to see how this trend continues to take shape well into 2024.
The Grand Tourist from the brain of veteran journalist Dan Rubinstein, is an editorial and podcast platform that highlights a selection of burgeoning hotels, neighborhoods, restaurants, and museums and an exclusive view into the arbiters of taste driving these projects.
Listen to designer and Tony Award-winning David Rockwell. I love this section at about 36:45, where he talks about designing Nobu and many other subsequent hotels, hospitality brands, and restaurants – "finding your unique perspective on a project and leaning hard into that" was spot on for us. And David speaks to creating environments that actually attract people to want to be together and how environmental comfort is often overlooked when we think about hotel design – or, for that matter, event design. This means that the lighting, acoustics, textures, etc… matter greatly, down to the systematic and mechanical function of those moments while they are being experienced. This is a new form of luxury. Understanding that luxury may differ from one person’s viewpoint to another. David references this as 'design as a discipline.' Very cool.
We also loved The Travel Edition with writer Maura Egan, which included her exciting lineup of places and spaces to explore and delights like Meredith Erickson’s “Alpine Cooking” which is a cookbook-slash-travel-slash-coffee table book as described by Maura.
NYT: Condé Nast, Publisher of Vogue, Will Cut 5% of Its Work Force
Condé Nast has let go of 270 employees due to industry pressures, shifting audience behavior, and declining social media traffic. The company is refocusing its efforts away from the lofty goals of its in-house studio, Condé Nast Entertainment, towards multimedia production, especially in short-form video, offering better monetization on platforms like TikTok and YouTube Shorts. CEO Roger Lynch clarifies that while they won't close Condé Nast Entertainment, they will redirect efforts to areas within their control, such as subscriptions and e-commerce. This strategic shift aims to address challenges posed by platform algorithms and AI-driven search traffic beyond their control.
This situation serves as a valuable lesson, underscoring the importance of staying ahead of trends and diversifying marketing efforts. Be mindful of how you can maintain and treasure the relationships you have with writers who have pulled long nights working on a feature, or to pitch a story to their editor that you’ve worked on collaboratively for months. Understand that there are factors outside of their control and that there will always be a way to tell your story - just think outside of the box.
In a time when virtually every social media platform is saturated with sponsored content, brands like Hootsuite, Intel, Zendesk, and Teal are turning to LinkedIn to sponsor influencers and promote their products to an audience more receptive to their messaging. These software companies are adopting a new approach to influencer partnerships, cultivating long-term relationships with their partners to showcase their services to other platform users.
In contrast to the preference for short video clips on platforms like TikTok, Instagram reels, and YouTube shorts, text-heavy LinkedIn posts perform well. This indicates that users on LinkedIn tend to have longer attention spans, making it a platform where software companies can effectively market and highlight the capabilities of their technology. It has become a new frontier for businesses looking to enhance their B2B marketing efforts. Our team’s viewpoint is that LinkedIn has never been more important in terms of brand visibility, business development opportunities and expansion. We use LinkedIn regularly for our clients and have seen major business partnerships come from just being present on this platform.