NEWS: Acclaimed fashion designer Yasmin Jiwa has signed up with Upmarkit. More details coming soon!

It’s understandable why the management at a successful luxury business becomes complacent. They’re fairly successful and they’ve done things right that’s why they’ve gotten where they are. We get it.

What we don’t get is why they don’t want to go further? Why they don’t see the need to ensure their business stays successful in the future? Why do they think that ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!’ applies to all aspects of their business?

These are some of the most dangerous thoughts a successful luxury business owner should never have. It confirms that the only way for this business is down.

When you are at the top of your game is when you stand to lose the most. If you don’t invest in a competent marketing program, when you can afford to, then chances are that by the time you realize you need it…it’ll be too late.

So plan ahead. Create a marketing department / function in your organization that delivers proven and measurable results. It’ll ensure that your business jumps from peak to peak without scraping the bottoms of all the nasty troughs in the middle.

Check out runway photos from our client Sadaf Malaterre’s latest collection: http://www.facebook.com/sadafmalaterre.

See our client fashion designer Sadaf Malaterre’s latest and critically acclaimed collection on her facebook page at www.facebook.com/sadafmalaterre. 

One of our studies, currently underway, appears to be suggesting that Pakistani consumers don’t factor in environmental concerns when making buying decisions. Hardly surprising, the Pakistani marketing community has known this for years. The surprise is that this research focused exclusively on affluent Pakistanis.

Unlike the developed world, where eco-credentials of a brand become more important as income rises amongst a target group, in Pakistan even the top earners (93% of them) confess that environmental or ethical footprint of a product don’t play any role whatsoever in rationalizing every day or occasion based purchase.

In an environment like this, does it make sense for Pakistani luxury brands to go green and be ethical? Does it make marketing or financial sense to invest in a facet of your business that your core target market has no regard for?

If you are an ambitious and forward thinking marketer…absolutely!

Pakistanis might not be ecologically aware right now but with more exposure to global media and culture, combined with the extensive foreign traveling of luxury consumers, they are increasingly acknowledging their impact on the planet and their surroundings.

It’s only a matter of time before this awareness gains critical mass amongst luxury consumers, who almost always tend to be early adapters in Pakistan, and start a chain reaction that will make inroads into mass consciousness.

While that process happens organically, intelligent marketers should lead their brands to greener pastures where swathes of consumers will start walking towards soon enough. Till enough of your consumers get there ‘green’ will raise you above the competition and place you as a leader, and we all know leaders get the first cut of the pie, specially in luxury.

And if you have international ambitions, going green is almost a necessity.

So measure your carbon footprint, evaluate your working environment, replace your process materials with environmentally friendly alternatives, plant more trees around your office, have a recycling strategy, turn down the air-conditioning by 5 degrees and tell the entire world about it; the more you do, the more people you tell, the more money you’ll make, the more your competitors will go green…with envy!

Great presence of international media including Telegraph’s @HilaryAlexander. Pakistan Fashion Week has arrived.

#Lahore has gone #cricket crazy! Wonderful city to experience this event in!

Excited to know that @HilaryAlexander and @CathyHorynNYT are coming to Pakistan Fashion Week.

Lawn is not intrinsically a luxury product but when it has a name like Sana Safinaz attached, the designer’s fairy dust elevates it higher than the average product.

Diffusion lines have been vastly successful, none more so than designer lawn in Pakistan. However, when it comes to sponsored promotions, does it make strategic sense?

Pond’s sponsoring Sana Safinaz is a unique example in the category, usually the textile mill that makes the lawn promotes it. However, Pond’s Pakistan brand team deserves a huge bonus to have the insight to invest in this partnership.

Why? Because both the brands stand for beauty and elegance, making it a great fit. A mutually beneficial relationship where Pond’s gets association with a highly sought after brand amongst their target market and Sana Safinaz get the marketing muscle that Pond’s commands.

Don’t run looking for a FMCG sponsor just yet though. To ensure success, you have to be mindful of the following:

• brand ethos for both brands must be near identical

• both brands must have similar competitive positioning in their industries

• they should should share a target market

• sponsoring brand must be willing to stand back and let the purpose shine

• partnership must not have a direct impact on product line or brand image

Provided you take care of these, you should have a great run together, just try to keep the sponsors’ logo greed in check (note to Pond’s).

Our heart and prayers go out to Japan.