When Vertu launched in 1998 it was, frankly, a bit of a laughing stock. Why would anyone pay thousands of pounds for out-of-date Nokia mobile technology wrapped in carbon-fibre and gold?
It’s a question that is probably even more valid in today’s economic climate. Yet somehow over the last 14 years Vertu has established a whole new category, complete with pretenders and dodgy online fakes.
But while Vertu has done an unexpectedly good job carving out a space for itself as a luxury brand it has been held back by the one thing it’s owner Nokia should have been providing; technology. The Symbian running on Vertus may have been “tweaked” but it hardly rivals iOS.
However, I’ve been fortunate enough to meet Vertu’s Chief Designer Frank Nuovo and his passion and vision are contagious. I’ve also had the opportunity to see Vertu handsets being painstakingly hand crafted. Both experiences were eye opening and demonstrated that Vertu has the culture and excellence to rival some of the great luxury brands.
Nokia unloading Vertu could just be the best thing that has happened to the brand.
Diagnosis
Make sure the product has technical parity with the competition. It doesn’t necessarily need to be better than Apple, HTC, Blackberry et al, but it does need to be equally as good.
Reinforce the total luxury customer experience. The experience of owning a Vertu is going to be compared with that of owning a Rolls Royce. It needs to feel like it. A concierge service for people who can afford a Vertu doesn’t seem like the answer.
Create a new language. Vertu communication has slavishly borrowed from the established language of luxury brands. From colour palettes to photographic styles, they have built luxury by association. To shift the brand forward it’s time to step out of the shadows.
Published as part of Marketing’s Brand Health Check by Kim Benjamin. To see the full article on Brand Republic
