Confession: Alexis Bittar, You Will Always Be Famous!
How an underdog luxury jewelry brand made its comeback & what it can teach us all about marketing in a digital age?
Hi, Marketing Nerd clocking-in here!
Im going to make an argument for perhaps the best social media campaign we’ve seen from a luxury jewelry brand in recent years. Is that dramatic? Perhaps! But I promise I won’t steer you wrong, walk with me…
What and Who is Alexis Bittar?
Alexis Bittar (eponymous) is luxury jewelry brand that was founded in 1990, when its founder at age 22 set out to design his own jewelry line. After years in the industry the brand was sold to the Brooks Brothers in 2015 and has recently made it’s comeback after being bought back from the Brooks Brothers in 2021. The brand’s identity is rooted in Bittar’s (designer) early fascination with art and design, which inspired him to create bold, handcrafted pieces that challenge traditional jewelry conventions. Over the years Alexis Bittar has become synonymous with luxurious and innovative jewelry that merges modernity with artisanal craftsmanship. Check out more about Bittar’s career the brands journey here: AlexisBittar.com
Margeaux & Jules (aka Hazel): The Campaign
Margeaux & Jules (aka Hazel): The Campaign
As I was scrolling through instagram in early December 2023, avoiding the pressing demands of my final projects and presentations for Grad school, I came across an Instagram reel that I couldn’t keep my eyes off of nor scroll past. In a matter of seconds I was introduced to and invested in the quick witted story line of Margeaux, the long-term Upper Eastside resident & Jules (aka Hazel), her abused Personal Assistant as they did their Holiday Shopping along 5th Ave.
As a first time New Yorker experiencing the magic of Manhattan in December for the first time, it didn’t take much to grab my attention because it was easy to resonate with the scene that was set, as both characters could easily be anyone you’d see out and about any day.
Honestly, thats what caught me. The campaign was so personable and entertaining, I didn’t even question how the campaign came across my timeline. I was nine episodes into the mini series, when Margeaux’s character mentions having to find a gift for her Mother in law and says, “I think we should get her one of those Alexis Bittar bags!” It was in that moment I realized I’d just spent 30 minutes watching an ad campaign for a brand I’d never even heard of. GENIUS!!!
What we can learn from Margeaux & Jules?
Keep the audience wanting more
Even though the mini series is posted on Alexis Bittar’s main social media account, the brand name itself isn’t mentioned until the ninth episode. I personally thought that tactic was so thoughtful and intentional becuase it keeps you wondering, “what am I watching, why am I seeing this, and why can’t I stop watching?” but then before you know it you’re scrolling through the page bookmarking jewelry that catches your eye. Its a very organic engagement.
Tell a Story People Can Follow
Bittar (designer) built his brand as an extension of himself: Authenticly New York, unconventional in style, rooted in artistic and personal expression. All the elements of what we see displayed through S1 & S2 of the Margeaux & Jules mini series. The brand story and its values leap off the screen. Margeaux & Jules aren’t just actors, they are brand abassadors reimagined through a style of storytelling that is new to the luxury and designer brand ecosystem. They are now associated to the brand in a way that feels more genuine and less commercial.
Use Technology to Work Smarter Not Harder
Alexis Bittar (brand) exemplifies how a brand can leverage audience data through analytics and SEO tools, to derive core insights that enable them to precisely connect directly to their target customer. Shopify defines Search engine optimization (SEO) as a marketing strategy aimed at improving a website’s visibility on search engine results pages (SERP). In the increasingly digital world we are in today SEO augmented algoritms on social media platforms are the key to the success of campaigns that brands launch. As the target audience for Alexis Bittar, we didn’t have to go out of our way to find them, the brand found us.
As a Marketing Nerd…
I’ll put it this way, when was the last time we saw an ad campaign from a luxury jewelry brand that was this fresh, witty, provacative, progressive, inclusive, and entertaining?
I’ll wait… Exactly!
Margeaux & Jules are perfect extensions of a cohesive brand identity established between Bittar(designer) and Alexis Bittar (brand & products). All elements come together to tell a story while teaching us valuable lessons about how luxury marketing can be reimagined through storytelling that captivates, analytical tools that take the guess work out of marketing, and a level of suspense that keeps the audience wanting more.
Afterall, They didn’t win a Webby Award for no reason! ;)
