Swarovski: ‘Igniting’ their new brand identity
A name that we all know, but not one that we’re ever really that excited about (well, when it’s solo at least) — Swarovski. There’s a location in just about every mall, in every country, and the brand has done countless collaborations with major players such as Nike, Gucci, and Supreme. I guess that’s what I find interesting about the brand — the fact that it’s not really considered trendy or cool in its own right, but it always manages to associate itself with the MVPs in fashion, and other categories of retail. How I see it, this is essentially how they stay relevant.
So, onto their re-brand. Just a few weeks ago in late February, Swarovski launched their new logo, along with their new “Wonderlab” digital campaign. I have to say, after basically commenting on how unremarkable I thought Swarovski was in my opener — this is a pretty cool campaign. Made for social media, the short film features model Adwoa Aboah, in a futuristic ‘Alice in Wonderland’ type scenario. She enters into the ‘Wonderlab,’ a seemingly alternate reality, where interesting characters with purple and hot pink hair serve her crystallized candy. Swarovski states for themselves that the Wonderlab campaign “represents a modern crystal lifestyle, where magic and science meet, instilling a sense of wonder in anyone who experiences it.”
It’s probably no coincidence that this massive re-brand came several months after they appointed their first ever creative director, Giovanna Engelbert. The new logo features only the swan, with his (or her) head and wings elevated — in motion, ready to take flight. Which, as far as logos go, is considerably different from their former swan, shown head down, and in a resting position. The campaign’s hashtag “Ignite Your Dreams” seems to coincide with the whole ‘taking flight’ vibe from the new Swan. The brand is trying to show us that they’re ready for movement, change, and taking action. I feel that this also speaks to our current political environment at the moment as well — in the sense that necessary changes are finally happening for some marginalized groups, and things are ‘in motion’.
So why exactly do I find this exciting? I think it’s interesting to see a brand take a chance and step completely away from what they have always been, and to ultimately change their identity. Their image has always been about prestige, ever-lasting, and beauty — which is almost the opposite of their new look. It seems that the re-brand is aiming to grab the attention of none other than Generation Z’ers — it’s colorful, trippy, futuristic, and just plain different. Another cool factor — the brand introduced last year a line of lab-grown colored diamonds, a relatively untapped market. I think the idea seems pretty unique, and something many would be interested in. Apparently there are certain colors of diamonds that are so rare, they’re basically hundreds of thousands — if not millions of dollars. I guess Swarovski is aiming to provide us with these colors, for a much smaller price tag (j’adore!)
Overall, I actually am excited to see what Swarovski brings to the table in the near future. It seems to have made some bold changes, but good changes. I like the virtual/AI vibe, and I think that their new products seem vastly different from anything that they’ve had in the past. Well done, Swarovski!
