Lifestyle, aesthetics and narrative in luxury domain advertising

Abstract

This study investigates a pattern observed in recent lifestyle advertisements. In the domain of luxury goods a certain type of advertisement has emerged that relies almost exclusively on the evocation of pure sensation. Only in part do the depicted scenes, characters or objects trigger these sensations. Rather, aesthetic features of style-such as depth of field, diffusion, colour or light-enhance the spectator's sensorial response. In the context of the avant-garde of the 1920s, similar strategies were employed. While these avant-garde films combined a modernist hope for utopia with a democratisation of aesthetics and taste for the masses, contemporary lifestyle advertisements tend to be suffused with nostalgia. However, this nostalgia is ahistoric, offering only the most pleasurable aspects of an imaginary experience. 1. See internet sources for these commercials at the end of the text.

European luxury fashion brand advertising and marketing relating to nostalgia

“…However, luxury fashion brand advertising is more concerned with protecting the exclusivity of luxury products (Hines & Bruce, 2007), aesthetics, and narrative (Flueckiger, 2009) of the advert, presenting the product in a story since it is not completely product focused, but mainly experience focused. Luxury adverts provide an abstractness (Hansen & Wanke, 2011), and "mythical history" (Freire, 2014) of the luxury brand to the audience.…”

“…Fashion, and luxury fashion advertising frequently adopt semiotics since they use various symbols. Especially luxury fashion advertising which is more concerned with the narrative (Flueckiger, 2009), having an abstract representation (Hansen & Wanke, 2011), representing brands' heritage, and mythical history (Freire, 2014).…”

“…As Flueckiger (2009) suggests in luxury domain, the advertisement relies exclusively on the evocation of pure senses, aesthetics, and narrative. This research is in keeping with this as, according to the findings, aesthetic values such as symbols, representation of important themes strengthen the narrative, and also these aspects rely on evocation of senses.…”

“…However, it is different than regular advertising since fashion advertising includes, and uses specific techniques such as shock advertising (Andersson, Hedelin, Nilsson, & Welander, 2004), and extraordinary and discrepant images (Phillips & McQuarrie, 2011). Furthermore, luxury fashion advertising has content, and techniques, which are more concerned with the aesthetics, tonality, and narrative (Flueckiger, 2009). Common characteristics of luxury fashion brands are focused on a distinct brand identity: country of origin, heritage, and craftsmanship: role of the designer (Hines & Bruce, 2007).…”

“…Thus the difference in advertising approach of luxury fashion products occurs as a necessity for representing luxury products in an appropriate way by emphasizing exclusivity, rarity, and brand heritage characteristics (Okonkwo, 2007), however also focusing on the experience by the aim of selling the experience as a lifestyle (Hansen & Wanke, 2011). While luxury advertising represents a lifestyle experience (Flueckiger, 2009), it also includes traditional, and cultural symbolic values (Freire, 2014) which are different, and specific to each luxury brand generated in advertising by using specific types of nostalgia: personal, historical (Stern, 1992a), or collective (Baker & Kennedy, 1994) as a theme to persuade the customer via reminiscing his/her past. Nostalgia generated in advertising invokes familiar-ity (Van Laer et al, 2014), so that the audience empathizes with the content.…”