The very definition of luxury is changing, especially for younger consumers; new values outside the traditional framework of ‘high-end and high-status’ are starting to emerge.
On this basis, De Beers wanted to explore how it could most effectively engage Gen Z consumers in China and the US through delivery of distinctive assets and brand codes.
First, the category itself. Utilising AI-powered quantitative semiotics we mapped the visual language of the luxury jewellery landscape, analysing 1000s of pieces of content from 35 brands to identify clusters of cultural meaning and whitespace.
By revealing different semiotic territories, we identified the brand’s most distinctive assets.
Next, expanding the lens out to wider culture. Qualitative engagement with 40 Gen Z members of our Ignite Collective, individuals who are passionate about different aspects of luxury– from cars and jewellery to sneakers and NFTs. Sharing aspirations and evaluating branded communications, we could identify opportunities to dial visual codes up or down.
By understanding how consumers prioritise and demonstrate self-expression of luxury, we could how to effectively optimize and deploy expressions of the brand – its heritage, iconography and brand codes, across marketing channels at a global and local level.