Meridian vs Bang & Olufsen

Surround sound Luxury

Investment consortium MUSE ( an investment consortium including Swiss luxury goods group Richemont's subsidiary, Columbus VC and the principals of Consolidated Media Holdings and Trian Fund Management ) to invest in High-end audio/ video home entertainment company MERIDIAN.

The partnership creates an industry precedent in closely aligning high-end technology with luxury for the first time in the history of the premium goods industry.

Polishing and marketing the company's already reputed equipments, MERIDIAN will be directly in competition with the likes of Bang & Olufsen.

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Which Wine When?

The age of devination, wondering, supposing is over... no more lingering in quaint wine stores, chatting with the owner about the merits of this region as opposed to the neighbouring one. Trying to remember if the 04 is better than the 05 (or was this vice versa?).

When in doubt.... SCAN! Just grab the bottle, zap the label and the touch sensitive screen will enumerate its many qualities.

According to CNNMoney.com:

"That's just the problem Kevin Dunleavy, 42, is trying to solve with Super Marketing Promotions.
The 20-year veteran of the food marketing industry had spent a whole career giving customers food and recipe information. But then he noticed the market beginning to change.
A 2005 Gallup poll showed wine overtaking beer in popularity with Americans. And according to British firm ISWR/DGR, the United States is expected to have the highest wine consumption in the world by 2008. At the same time, however, people are more confused than ever,
So Dunleavy created something called the Virtual Wine Selector and began testing the interactive kiosks in Meijer grocery stores this year, with a bigger rollout planned throughout the year.
Customers can scan in a bottle of wine they're interested in and receive not only the pertinent information about the wine itself - maker, flavors and so on - but also cheese and food pairings. "

Full article

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"Bonjour - t'es où?"

According to all, the high end mobile phone industry is booming. With phones up to 1 M € (120 carats of diamonds and 18 carat gold) from Swiss luxury personal communications brand Goldvish
Another such brand, Vertu does not call these "mobile's" anymore but "personal communications instruments".

Now the luxury apparel industry has appropriated this market and is branding these new accessories with their logos. Expectations of these products are high (as high as let's say other derivatory product sales eg sunglasses and watches)

Technology is moving fast. Fast in our culturally "impervious-to-new-tech" countries like France. At lightening speed in emerging luxury brand markets like India. Large luxury groups will have to be very reactive when it comes to developing these items, product credibility being an essetial criteria for luxury brands.
Unfortunately today's branded phones will be outdated quite rapidly. This fact being even more relevant in "tech-hungry" markets.
Skype has annonced that it will be encouraging hardware manufacturers to integrate their software into their mobile phones. Perhaps the next luxury/high-tech adventure will be more visionary.

Mobilemag

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e-chanel

Chanel will relaunch its Web site with the help of online services firm FatWire Software. This software gathers data at the e-commerce store and then personalizes content, product placement and promotional offerings that apply to the specific customer.

Chanel is also using the FatWire platform to gather customer information to tailor offers and content to online visitors, as well as better equip its regional sales forces. Visitor data can be based on demographics, preferences or purchase history. Local Chanel sales people have access to all the reporting and analytics to enhance their own marketing efforts.

Translating impeccable and personalised service into the netsphere Chanel is moving one step closer to creating a rich virtual luxury enviroment, complementing and not competing with it's retail locations.

Chanel

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Is Christie's going "E-bay"?

Christie's is opening up to client lambda. No need to be in the know on auction house etiquette. Not only this but really, how many of us have seen sales catalogues and dreamt of attending a particular auction? Now we can comfortably participate from the privacy of our home (or offices).

Since mid July 2006 Christie's has opened a new era in auctioning. Online bidders to their mice!!! Watch and hear the auction online. Bid if the price is right.

I can't imagine that bidding for an NK€ painting whilst chewing on pizza, in your track pants behind the screen translates "glamour" (or if that watch you have had your eyes on for aaages seems that attractive through lcd).
The good news is that you can scratch your nose freely without being mistaken for a bidder.

RdV online on the 5th of december (remember that "little black dress on sale"?)

Christie's

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