As the popularity of luxury brands grow so is the demand for luxury counterfeit products. Not taking the rise of fake imposters lightly luxury brands are fighting back to protect brand credibility. Luxury brands have always depended on exclusive consumer relationships to combat counterfeit demands.
Now that more luxury brands are open to online luxury marketing and social media exclusive experiences have also changed. Resulting in a new niche market that has emerged creating a vast demand for counterfeit products. An association of 75 French luxury brands has launched a campaign against knockoff designer products, warning people in seven European countries of the high costs of fake goods to the industry — and potentially to buyers and sellers.
The anti-counterfeiting group, Comite Colbert, put up posters Wednesday in Paris featuring photos of fake phones, shades, watches and horse skin handbags next to printed warnings of potential high fines and even jail time. One reads: “A bet on the wrong horse can be very expensive.” Another advises, “Buy a fake Cartier, get a genuine criminal record.”
Might I add here that it is not realistic to assume that you can scare a buyer or seller from exchanging in luxury counterfeit… This will never work.
Though it is a global phenomenon, counterfeiting is especially rampant in France, the capital of the luxury and cosmetics industries, which employs some 131,000 people, and is home to the world’s premier fashion shows. The new campaign aims to highlight serious criminal activity that the national anti-counterfeiting committee estimates costs French industry billion ($7.46 billion) a year and between 30,000 and 40,000 jobs.
Though counterfeit-sellers often target foreigners in Paris’ tourist hot spots, the growth of fake goods on e-commerce websites is making it even more difficult to track, Comite Colbert’s president, Elisabeth Ponsolle des Portes said.
French Customs seized some 8.9 million counterfeit products in 2011 — up from 2.3 million in 1998, said Ponsolle des Portes. But, that doesn’t mean they aren’t still readily available: In tourist spots around Paris, fake Louis Vuitton bags, Gucci watches and Christian Dior shades are ubiquitous.
The best defense against luxury counterfeit is luxury PR. By using luxury public relations luxury brands gain exclusive communications to their target audiences. Luxury PR is a strategic plan and approach to educate consumers on luxury brands. Incorporating online luxury marketing and social media enforces luxury PR to better engage luxury consumers.
When it comes to building a demand for authentic luxury brands awareness is the essential element. Luxury brands must enforce luxury PR campaigns for brand awareness and loyalty. How much efforts luxury brands focus on luxury PR and communicating with their target audience will influence the perception of brand value.
If you would like some help with a luxury PR campaign to build brand awareness and credibility please contact MosnarCommunications.com at 1 (404) 416 – 6009 or ann@mosnarcommunications.com; we understand luxury PR, online luxury marketing, and social media for luxury brands.