Versace's Sparkling Christmas ball
Italian apparel and accessories brand Versace is looking to boost awareness for its home collection through an email campaign sent as affluent consumers begin to anticipate their holiday guests.
Although sent right before the Christmas holidays, the email emphasizes that Versace interiors can be purchases for everyday life, not just for the rare occasions. That said, Versace’s email drop is timely, but may go unopened due to the amount of shipping confirmations and other brand emails received during the holiday season.
“Email blasts this time of year are easily lost in inboxes and never opened,” said Marie Driscoll, CEO and chief consultant of Driscoll Advisors, New York.
“But email is generally for an older demographic,” she said.
Ms. Driscoll is not affiliated with Versace, but agreed to comment as an industry expert.
Versace did not respond by press deadline.
At home with Versace
The subject line of Versace’s email reads, “Discover Versace Home textile collection.”
Embedded in the email body is a photograph of a living room couch adorned with throw pillows in a gold and white baroque print. Resting on the couch is a matching breakfast tray and tea set.
In the upper left-hand corner of the couch photo, Versace invites consumers to “Decorate your everyday life with precious silk and soft velvet fabrics.”
Embedded email image
Below the image are four categories that include furniture, lighting, textile accessories and art de la table. A fifth category, find a boutique, links to Versace’s store locator.
Three throw pillows from the couch are displayed beneath the category prompts. Each are a different style but feature a baroque print. Including these images within the email creates a shoppable feel for the consumer.
A click-through on the pillow images directs to Versace’s textile accessories page where various pillows, carpets and throw blankets can be viewed.
Versace’s textile accessories Web page
By clicking on the couch image, the consumer lands on Versace’s home collection page. From there consumers can browse tablewares and additional prints of Versace pillows.
Home collection’s main page
Although there is no clear reference to the holidays, the home collection on Versace’s Web site features two Christmas ornaments from the brand’s “Sparkling Christmas” collection. Both ornaments, priced at $65 and $125, display traditional holiday symbols combined with Versace’s jewelry designs.
The two ornaments are painted with the colors red, black, gold, green and white, with designs meant to resemble holiday brooches. Both the bell-shaped and bulb ornament feature a design of decorated Christmas trees.
Versace’s Sparkling Christmas bell
Emailed effort
Versace has relied on email blasts to promote collections in the past.
The fashion house tapped the sensibilities of millennials with an email campaign that touted the arrival of its Versus Versace capsule collection in collaboration with British-Sri Lankan recording artist M.I.A., whose real name is Mathangi “Maya” Arulpragasam.
Versace’s urban, street-style of the collection is likely to interest younger consumers looking to experience the apparel brand on a relevant level (see story).
A brand is likely to see more interest from its core consumers if an email blast is sent out at an appropriate time.
For example, Italian label Giorgio Armani scouted out local athletic events to pique consumer interest in its EA7 sportswear collection through a timely email blast sent in the days leading up to the Nov. 3 New York City Marathon.
The email campaign gained a localized flavor by mentioning the label’s One Night Only NYC event on Oct. 29, but still appealed to a global audience of Armani fans (see story).
Such emails can irritate consumers who are bogged down by constant messages.
“Emails have lost their marketing power because we are inundated with them,” Ms. Driscoll said. “A brand would have to do something special to stand out.”
Final Take
Jen King, editorial assistant on Luxury Daily, New York