Luxury brands and tone of voice

1. BRAND VOICE + TONE
FOR LUXURY BRANDS
Idea Writing

2. Do you have a luxury brand in your portfolio?
If so, this lecture may inspire you to push the brand
voice/tone, along with the look/feel
Luxury Brands: Let's look at 3 brands in the luxury
space [Bentley, Fairmont Hotels, Bang + Olufsen] their
lexicon, their visual + verbal ID
TODAY'S
DISCUSSION

3. LUXURY BRANDS
BRANDS FOR THE 1%ERS
OF THE WORLD
BRANDS YOU MAY
WANT TO WORK ON

4. LUXURY + FASHION
“Some people think luxury
is the opposite of poverty.
It is not.
It is the opposite of vulgarity.
COCO CHANEL

5. LUXURY
IN
POP CULTURE
LET'S LOOK AT
SOME OF THE
"RICHEST"
CHARACTERS

9. A BROAD, TOPLINE LOOK
AT LUXE BRAND VOICE
The C-suite would expect a tone that is highly professional, condensed into
short, quick-hit sentences and is authoritative.
You want to appear knowledgeable. You want to inspire. You want to
provide thought leadership and cultivate an executive following that looks
to you for solutions and ideas.
HTTPS://WWW.BRAFTON.COM/BLOG/CREATION/4-
BRAND-TONE-OF-VOICE-EXAMPLES-TO-USE-WHEN-
BUILDING-YOUR-OWN//

10. THINK ABOUT
YOUR PORTFOLIO
Do you have a portfolio project that would be stronger
if it had a LUXE Brand Voice and was designed with a
more luxurious visual style?
OR
Do you currently have a LUXE brand in your portfolio that
could be amped-up?

11. LUXURY BRAND VOICE
There’s a simple philosophy in branding: that a good brand is just like a
trustworthy person. The way it speaks is completely harmonious with the
way it looks – you develop a holistic and entirely consistent personality that
the target market will relate to, believe in and, most importantly, desire.
HTTPS://ZEKECREATIVE.COM/TONE-OF-VOICE-FOR-
LUXURY-INTERIOR-COMPANIES/

12. I ORIGINALLY
WROTE THIS LECTURE
ON 3/1/2020
THEN COVID-19 AND THIS ARTICLE APPEARED

14. NOW THAT WE'RE ONE YEAR
INTO COVID-19...THOUGHTS?

15. LET'S LOOK AT
BENTLEY MOTORS
LISTEN TO THEIR BRAND VOICE.
LOOK AT THEIR VISUAL IDENTITY.

16. We have a unique story to tell about the motoring experience, so let's tell it
well. Let's elevate the engineering passion, our authentic story, and our
bespoke motoring.
Color is emotion. Feelings. Attitude. Our feelings of tradition, heritage, and
authenticity, are built on brand colors, while luxury accent colors allow for
artistic and contemporary view of Bentley.
LET'S LOOK AT
BENTLEY MOTORS

17. HOW FUTURE BRAND
TALKS ABOUT BENTLEY
HTTPS://WWW.FUTUREBRAND.COM/OUR-
WORK/BENTLEY

24. PRICE OF BENTLEY:
HAD TO GOOGLE THIS
Starting at nearly $200,000; the Bentley Mulsanne
can cost $300,000.
Fun Fact: Bentley turned 100 last year.
A WEALTH OF INTUITIVE
DIGITAL FEATURES
Both the new Continental GT and the new Continental GT
Convertible are enhanced by a wealth of intuitive digital
features – including the stunning new Bentley Rotating
Display, a unique fusion of cutting-edge electronics and
artisan craftsmanship. It represents the latest in Bentley’s
forward-looking approach to technology, fusing ease of use
with exquisite, ergonomic design.

26. Bentley Car Names
THE BRAND VOICE + CAR MODEL NAMES
New Continental (deep dive on next slide)
Mulsanne
Mulsanne Speed: much more than a luxury sedan. A pure expression of
phenomenal performance and the pinnacle of exquisite luxury.
Flying Spur
Flying Spur V8: stands for its unadulterated luxury and outstanding
performance with a powerful V8 engine and an extraordinary design.
Bentayga: is unlike any other sport utility vehicle in the world.
MIKE ATHERTON RED UXD

30. Bentley Brand Voice + Tone
EXQUISITE
BRAND TONE:
Refined
Confident, yet relaxed
Passionate
BRITISH
SOPHISTICATED

31. LET'S LOOK AT
FAIRMONT HOTELS
LISTEN TO THEIR BRAND VOICE.
LOOK AT THEIR VISUAL IDENTITY.

32. At Fairmont, our passion is to connect our guests to the
very best of our destinations. From the beaches of Hawaii
and Bermuda to the deserts of the United Arab Emirates to
the heart of London, our hotels offer guests extraordinary
places, created by combining unique architecture and
structure, expressive decor and artistry, and magnificent
features. Add great service, and the result is an
unforgettable guest experience.
www.Fairmont.com
FAIRMONT
HOTELS +
RESORTS
HOW THEY TALK ABOUT
THEMSELVES

34. Fairmont
San Francisco

36. Bang + Olufsen
Speakers, headphones, TVs, and accessories
Sound system can cost: $14,000

41. RE-CAP:
LUXURY BRAND VOICE
+ TONE
Luxury brands create desire.
Economically, it’s all about price and value; culturally it’s about the magical aura the
brands radiate; socially, it’s about status and exclusivity; psychologically, it’s about how
the brand makes you feel special; and managerially, it’s about creating a culture of
excellence. Understanding these mechanisms is crucial to creating desire and seducing
consumers into your brand story.
HTTPS://WWW.FORBES.COM/SITES/ESMTBERLIN/2019/
11/20/DREAMING-UP-A-WORLD--HOW-LUXURY-
BRANDS-CREATE-DESIRE/#13118A0971AFY

42. Have a great week and keep working.
See you on BlackBoard on 3/9
for Storytelling Part II.