INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS PLAN OF PEARLS AT LOUIS VUITTON (Coursework Sample)

INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS PLAN OF PEARLS AT LOUIS VUITTON By [Name] Course Professor Institution Date Executive Summary The Louis Vuitton "Pearls for Everyone" campaign redesigns pearls as unisex accessories. It puts them into the men's fashion line to break and change the traditional gender norms of luxury fashion. This campaign will run from June to August 2024 and is based on a comprehensive, integrated marketing communications strategy. The campaign's primary goals are to raise global awareness of the men's pearl collection by 30% and increase customer engagement on social media by 25%. Some main tactics to be used are targeted digital advertising, a major PR event with Harry Styles as the star, collaborations with fashion influencers, strategic product placement, and tailored direct marketing. Social media platforms are crucial; through personalised content and interactive engagements, they can create closer relations with the audience. The exact KPIs, for example, social media impressions, engagement rates, event attendance, and media coverage, are the indicators that measure the effectiveness of the strategies. This robust system is created to make Louis Vuitton appear an open and creative leader in luxury fashion. Introduction The Louis Vuitton "Pearls for Everyone" campaign is a creative project that aims to alter the image of pearls as a unisex accessory, thus destroying the limit of the gender rules in the luxury fashion industry. This campaign is per Louis Vuitton's tradition of elegance and innovation and is aimed at a modern, fashion-conscious audience. This report will cover the whole marketing communication plan, explaining the specific goals, tactics, and ways to make sure the campaign will be a success from June to August 2024. Louis Vuitton's Integrated Marketing Communications Plan The marketing and communication objectives for the Louis Vuitton pearls campaign are set up to increase the visibility and desirability of pearls as a unisex fashion statement within the target population. The first target is to raise global awareness of Louis Vuitton's men's pearl collection in a significant way by 30% by the end of August 2024. This will be accomplished using a strategic mix of digital advertising, influencer partnerships, and high-visibility PR events, which will be leveraged on the media platforms commonly used by a young, fashion-forward audience. The second aim is to make the customers more involved in the campaign by achieving a 25% increase in social media interaction rates, including likes, shares, and comments. The campaign will reach customers and encourage active involvement through tailored content, including Harry Styles, interactive social media posts, and live broadcasts of launch events. Marketing communication message and content strategy. The Louis Vuitton campaign "Pearls for Everyone" innovatively positions pearls as a unisex accessory, deliberately challenging entrenched gender norms in fashion. This message is articulated through a dynamic narrative featuring Harry Styles, who perfectly encapsulates the campaign's ethos with his history of gender-fluid fashion choices (Giuffre and Hayward, 2023). Styles are depicted wearing pearls across various settings, from high fashion events to casual day-to-day activities, highlighting pearls' versatility and relevance in contemporary fashion. This portrayal starkly contrasts traditional views where pearls were often associated with feminine aesthetics. Historically, pearls symbolised rebellion against rigid societal norms, a narrative pioneered by fashion icons such as Coco Chanel. Chanel's use of pearls was a form of social commentary, reflecting a break from the opulent, inaccessible fashion of the past (Cabigiosu, 2020). Today, Louis Vuitton's campaign reconnects pearls to their rebellious roots but reinterprets this for a modern audience, merging historical richness with contemporary trends. According to Social Identity Theory, individuals define themselves based on social and personal aspects (Harwood, 2020). Hence, wearing pearls now may serve as a personal and social identity marker, bridging old and new perceptions of luxury. However, while pearls traditionally symbolised exclusivity and affluence, their evolving representation in fashion challenges this notion. The campaign's approach prompts a critical reflection on how luxury fashion brands like Louis Vuitton reshape consumer perceptions around products and the societal roles these products symbolise. Sudirjo (2023) argues that such campaigns might still cater to a niche market. However, the visible shift towards inclusive marketing is a strategic move to broaden consumer bases and foster greater inclusivity within the industry (Kaya, 2021). Therefore, Louis Vuitton's strategic use of Harry Styles not only leverages his celebrity influence but also signifies a more profound cultural shift towards greater acceptance of fluid fashion identities. To maximise engagement, the campaign strategically employs storytelling that resonates on both emotional and aesthetic levels, effectively aligned with the Elaboration Likelihood Model. This approach leverages impactful imagery and narratives that encourage deeper cognitive processing, potentially increasing the likelihood of a positive reception among target audiences (Cyr et al., 2018). Harry Styles, being the centre of the campaign, yields the popularity of the campaign through celebrity endorsement. However, the problem of the reliability of celebrity influence in marketing today is also considered. In the age of social media, celebrity endorsements are still the reason customers are influenced, as Norah (2024) states. Nevertheless, Hani, Marwan, and Andre (2018) discovered that celebrity endorsements can increase ad memory and that purchasing habits are improved but not brand loyalty. Thus, there is a difference between initial engagement and sustained customer relationships. Therefore, while Harry Styles helps spread the campaign's inclusive message "Pearls are for Everyone", Louis Vuitton's position as a progressive, trend-setting luxury brand must not depend on celebrity influence. Marketing Communication Tactics Advertising The campaign thoughtfully combines print and digital advertising to enhance the message and increase its reach and relevance. Print ads show Harry Styles with different models, demonstrating that pearls are unisex and making people think that pearls are not only for women anymore. Digitally, the targeted ads on Instagram and YouTube are based on the large number of users on these platforms and their advanced segmentation tools. Thus, the ads are highly accurate and effective (Dwivedi et al., 2021). This dual-channel strategy is the best way to maximise the engagement of different audiences (Kotler & Keller, 2016). Nevertheless, it assumes the same effectiveness for all the groups, thus ignoring the differences in consumer behaviour, which indicates the necessity of further customisation to make the campaign appeal to everyone. PR Events The PR approach is based on the Harry Styles launch event to get media coverage and create interest, increasing reach and impact. The Experiential Marketing theory stresses memorable brand experiences to create consumer-brand interactions (Larocca et al., 2020). Nevertheless, the success of such events is based on the attendees' involvement levels, which can vary (Same and Larimo, 2012). Hence, there is a need for adaptive techniques to maintain interest after the event. The adaptability may guarantee event participation and long-term impact. Online PR Using fashion bloggers and vloggers in the campaign's online PR strategy effectively magnifies its narrative on unisex fashion. These platforms foster organic discussions about the versatility of pearls (Percy, 2023). This method enhances community engagement and broadens reach. However, its reliance on influencer credibility and audience alignment poses risks (Rasha, Abdul, and Alsharairi, 2023). Mismatches can dilute the message's authenticity or limit its persuasive power. Thus, selecting influencers whose audience demographics align closely with the brand's target market is crucial for maximising impact. Product Placement The strategic product placement of pearl accessories in popular TV shows and films showcases pearls in various contexts and promotes their suitability for all genders. It leverages the mere exposure effect, where increased visibility enhances consumer preference (Hekkert, Thurgood, & Whitfield, 2013). While this approach normalises pearls as everyday accessories and subtly integrates Louis Vuitton into daily life, boosting brand recall, its success critically depends on the context and relevance within the storyline (Nugzar and Giorgi, 2023). If misaligned, it could detract from the intended brand image Sponsorship Louis Vuitton's sponsorship of fashion events emphasising inclusivity broadens campaign outreach and aligns the brand with contemporary values. This portrays it as a progressive leader in the luxury market (Roggeveen et al., 2021). While these sponsorships showcase commitment to diversity and create opportunities for live engagements, the effectiveness of such initiatives can be contingent on the perceived authenticity of the brand's involvement (Kapferer, 2012). Hence, ensuring genuine integration into these events is crucial to avoid perceptions of tokenism that could undermine the brand’s credibility. Direct Marketing Louis Vuitton employs VIP invitations and exclusive incentives. These techniques are based on relationship marketing principles and aim to develop long-term loyalty through personalised and valued interactions (Johanna and Von, 2017). Adapting the messages to consumer preferences and previous engagements raises the relevance and value of the brand. However, the success of the personalised approach depends on the quality of th...