From now until mid-February, Monaco shopaholics can get great deals on coveted items a full week ahead of the sales in France.
Local merchants looking to liquidate post-holiday stock and make room for spring lines are slashing prices for the next six weeks in an effort to lure shoppers in with amazing deals.
Many shops are advertising their sales with window dressings announcing major cuts in prices, generally ranging from -30% up to -70% off regular prices, hoping to lure customers in before the official sales in France begin on 8th January. This one week advantage gives Monegasque merchants, who are not legally bound to the same laws that dictate the French sales periods, a serious leg up.
Early-bird bargain hunters can take advantage of amazing finds at prices that fit a post-holiday budget, and as the weeks go on, even further discounts are often given in efforts to continually entice shoppers not just from Monaco, but from around the region.
Major high street brands and boutiques are offering discounted pricing, though if you’re looking for a deal on luxury brands, you may be disappointed. The top shelf brands, for example the ones dotting the Carre d’Or, rarely – if ever – have sales, so ardent shoppers may have to continue to lust after that Kelly bag from afar.
The renowned art auction house Artcurial will be holding its winter auction this month at the Hermitage Hotel, featuring jewellery, watches and special limited edition pieces by Hermes.
Founded in Paris in 2002 by three well-respected auctioneers, Artcurial started as a multi-faceted auction house presenting the market with master’s classics, 20th century modern art and contemporary pieces from in-demand street artists, as well as high end commodities such as collector’s cars, jewellery, watches, fine wines and decorative art.
For three days in January, the Hermitage Hotel will be the site of the annual winter sale, with auctioneer François Tajan at the helm offering rare and beautiful watches, exquisite jewellery, and Hermes Winter Collection pieces.
Artcurial opened its doors in Monaco in 2015 and has become the go-to for confidential and complementary valuations, as well as their twice yearly summer and winter sales, offering luxury items accessible nowhere else, such as cars from Prince Rainier III’s personal car collection and sculptures by Philippe Hiquily.
These Monaco and Parisian keystone venues, along with the brand new outlet in Marrakech, are at the heart of the house, with representatives based all over the world scouring the globe for the best and most interesting pieces going under the gavel for true art lovers and connoisseurs to obtain and enjoy, and this past year saw sales reaching over €200 million.
Artcurial saw 11 millionaire’s auctions in 2019, with 24 lots going for over €500,000, 82 acquired pieces that were bought by museums, and 34 record-breaking sales.
The auctions will be held 14th, 15th and 16th January.
Kimi Raikkonen is known for his moves on the track. Now, he’s also known for his moves on camera. The notoriously brusque pilot is starring in a new ad for his team brand, Alfa Romeo, with Monaco sharing in his leading role.
In the advertisement, the Finnish pilot listens to music and confidently traverses the streets of the Principality, following much of the Grand Prix track he has done so many times before, only this time, instead of driving in his Formula 1 race car, he is driving an Alfa Romeo Stelvio. At the end, viewers see a beautiful woman waiting and looking at her watch. Raikkonen leaps out of the car and apologises to the lady for being late, saying it was his “first time in Monaco”.
The joke of course being he is very familiar with the streets, having raced the Monegasque course many times, even winning it in 2005.
The hope is that by associating the “the Iceman” with the Stelvio, Alfa Romeo will be able to shift more of the cars, which have seen a tumble in sales of nearly 25% over the last year in the United States. They are also hoping to revive sales of the Guilia, which have seen a marked 30% drop in the same time period.
The ads aren’t the only enticement for customers to take a look at the cars. Both models have received facelifts for 2020, including high-tech features such as a larger 8.8 inch (22cm) touch screen infotainment systems, improved graphics, and faster processing power. It also boasts improvements in active driver assistance, adding a new highway assist system that integrates adaptive cruise control, lane centring and stop and go.
Digital marketing is the most cost effective, targeted form of marketing available today. But how many businesses truly understand its value in the face of traditional advertising platforms?
Monaco Life spoke to JP Goodwin, CEO of Design Centre in Monaco, to get the lowdown on creating a successful business identity, from the branding to posting pictures on Instagram.
Monaco Life: Many business owners are wary, confused or don’t know where to start with their digital marketing. What should they know?
JP Goodwin: Firstly, people are confused because I think digital marketing hasn’t been handled very well to date. It is often offered as an after thought, and responsibility is given to juniors or trainees who have used social media, but who don’t necessarily know how to use it as a business tool or, more importantly, don’t have any marketing expertise.
Think about it this way: if you are going to have billboards printed, invest in radio or magazine advertising, you would use a marketing professional to do those for you, right? So why would you trust your digital marketing to a junior or intern? Digital marketing carries an equal if not greater weight of importance nowadays. And that’s how you need to approach your marketing opportunities. Whether it is traditional marketing or digital marketing, they must both be handled professionally – the organisation, planning, idea generation, design and marketing. It is about making sure you have the right target audience and, above all, that you are getting a return investment.
Secondly, digital marketing is the easiest form of marketing to enter into, because it is a start-stop service. You are not committing to buying 100,000 brochures or an annual contract, for example. You can edit, review, adjust, and see instant return on investment. You can track where your users are coming from, what’s working and what’s not working. But you need a team who can actually show you that data and interpret it; professionals who can advise you on how to amend your strategy to further maximise return on investment, optimise click through rates, engagement and visibility.
In fact, the one thing that is rarely promised with digital marketing is return on investment, but it should be a measuring stick. If you’re good enough you should stand by your word. If you commit 1,000€ on a marketing budget, what are you going to get back? 10,000 likes or thousands of impressions? That doesn’t guarantee that you are going to sell more tickets or more handbags, for example. I think return of investment (ROI) is an essential part of the package and it is absolutely possible with digital marketing. If I was choosing a digital agency I would insist on some measurable returns, then hold the agency accountable. If not, you may be taken for an expensive ride by the agency who will happily run up a bill in the thousands per month, needlessly creating content which doesn’t directly result in any returns.
Why is digital marketing so targeted and effective?
It is scary how much data that is actually available on the customer and user. If you tick a box to accept terms and conditions on a web page and social media platforms, you are sharing your age, gender, location, likes and dislikes. So, the next time you like a picture of a fine dining restaurant, I – as a restaurant owner – can target you as a potential customer, I can see if you clicked on my advert, and then follow up with a message directly, or a special offer. This is just one very easy, direct way to seek out a potential customer and, more importantly, convert that customer.
Would you recommend people try digital marketing on their own?
I have clients who have tried social media and it was to the detriment of their business. Sometimes not doing it properly is worse than not doing it at all. Did you know that around 70% of the top richest people in the world use Instagram? They tend to have more time on their hands and do more interesting things, which is why they are probably on Instagram. If you don’t get your Instagram image right, you will not only be damaging your brand but you will be missing out on a nice target market.
Also, we often see people start with a lot of good intentions and all guns blazing, posting a lot of pictures. But then they run out of ideas and photos. By that stage, they have generated some interest in their profile, but they can’t back it up because they’ve run out of ideas, energy or time. Planning and strategy are all part of the work that a digital agency should be doing for you. Making sure you are sending out quality photos that all have the same feel, then ensuring that they are posted at the right time of day and to the right audience. This structured approach is the only way it can work, there’s no two ways about it.
What are your qualifications when it comes to branding and digital marketing?
I studied at Bauhaus University, Weimar, which is one of the most prestigious design universities in the world. I worked at various companies, large and small, initially in the UK, fine tuning my design skills with some high-profile brands including BP, Marks & Spencer and O2. I then headed up Monaco Print, and after 10 years at the helm, I sold out to a family run business in the Principality. My passion and skill are design, so it was a great opportunity to exit the manufacturing side and concentrate purely on design.
For the past two years I have been growing my company, Design Centre sarl in Monaco which specialises in branding, logos and corporate identity. However, we are seeing more and more demand for full design and marketing services, from designing brochures, magazines, and websites through to digital marketing, online stores and social media marketing.
Can you explain for us the process in creating a company identity?
Firstly, it is important for a brand to have a clear story. We would ask questions of our customers like what is the industry you are in? What are your goals for the company? What is your style, and who are you customers? What is the future of your company? Where do you want to be in five years? Once that’s all been defined, it is important that the styling and logo fit within the spectrum of what the company stands for. Even down to the naming of a company – how does it look in another language? How does it look printed in one colour rather than full colour? How does it sound on the radio? Can it be confusing?
It seems like an easy process, but there is a grid that we personally check off to make sure every logo meets these criteria. It is important to have a great logo along with full brand guidelines for your company, right down to the choice of papers and the pantone colours. A brand isn’t just a flat logo on a page. It is the style of photography, the style of writing, the feel of the business cards.
Your logo is a silent ambassador for your business. One that is working for you non-stop, whether on your business card, brochure, website, or social media. It represents who you are, what you stand for, and what industry you are in. You should be able to pick up essences of all these in your logo and brand guidelines.
So, after the logo has been created, what comes next?
Once a logo and brand guidelines have been achieved, a brochure and website are the next logical steps. A website is just a more dynamic version of a brochure. We have a full-time developer, a full-time web designer and considerable in-house expertise in digital marketing, traditional marketing as well as design. All of these are important for a successful branding and marketing campaign.
Can you name drop some of your clients in Monaco?
While there are many clients we can’t disclose, I can mention that we have produced a book for a Phillip Starck yacht, we have been working with Bugatti, Aston Martin and more recently the Monaco Ambassador’s Club. When Christian Moore took over as president, he wanted a completely new look for the club including brand and logo, in an effort to attract a younger demographic. So, we started with a new logo – which was approved by HSH Prince Albert II – and then a new website, with a full private and secure member portal among its features. It’s a modern approach for quite an old club that was established in 1973.
Additionally, we are proud to be working with Monaco Life. Eric Brundage, the publisher, inherited an old, out of date website, so it was nice to create a new website design which makes it easier for readers to navigate and find the news that they’re really interested in. It was also key that the website and distribution was easy and consistent with the brand. I think it’s a great success, especially the daily stories on Instagram, and I hope that your readers think so too. I would love to hear their feedback and for them to let me know if we should do anything differently, like adding other features or improving on what we are offering.
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