During the summer, luxury brands seek out (private) beaches to set up shop. In February, they like to settle at the foot of the slopes. And at Christmas? Since department store windows and Place Vendôme are already largely occupied, they need to be even more creative.
Premium ready-to-wear brand Ami may well take the cake. To celebrate the festive season and boost its presence in people’s minds, the brand has set up a 22-metre-long ice rink in the Palais Royal gardens (December 16 to 31), with its majestic logo at the center. It’s an eco-friendly rink, made of self-lubricating synthetic tiles that doesn’t require the use of water or ice. Proof that having a green conscience does not necessarily mean giving up on everything you’ve ever known.
Second idea: make the skating rink accessible to all. But more than a generous democratic action, the aim here is to create scarcity, and therefore frustration, in order to boost the buzz. As a result, tickets were snapped up as soon as reservations opened. So there will probably be as many people around the rink as on it. Frustrated fans can console themselves by posting numerous proofs of their presence, and can always head for the ephemeral boutique featuring an exclusive capsule collection (accessories, bags, clothing, windbreakers, down jackets…) or the Ami café, a variation on those already owned by the brand in China, and stocked with Instagrammable logotype mugs. Allowing frustrated fans to avoid resentment is not something every brand can do. A lesson in relationship marketing.
For the occasion, the brand has also designed
a digital Mystery box, published in 999 copies and on sale on its website for 250 euros (!), giving access to exclusive digital content, its private sales and a surprise gift (one emblematic piece of the brand, two tickets for its next Paris fashion show, a private moment with Alexandre Mattiussi, the brand’s designer…) which will only be revealed on December 25, as Christmas is upon us.
Ami is a reminder, if one were ever needed, that a brand no longer exists merely on the basis of its products, but above all on its ability to create moments of sharing, both playful and original, between its fans. Imagination is the key.
