Honesty is the foundation
and credo of the new decade
The paradigm shift currently underway in the marketing sector poses a major challenge for brands. This change is the result of increasingly hybrid consumer behavior, volatile markets and the dissolution of classic target group models. Conventional brand definition and marketing models are simply no longer relevant nor serviceable. To strengthen their position in the current marketplace brands must adjust their approach, attitude, and presentation in respond to the new complexity.
In our branding process, the term character replaces the idea of “values” in conventional brand definitions. For us, brand character is a constant: the fundamental aspect based on unchanging factors, such as origin. Brand personality, on the other hand, describes the flexible components that are always changeable and adaptable. This spirited agility, or great personality, is the natural expression of a solid core, or strong character. With a profound grasp of brand character, we develop coherent codes that consistently reappear throughout the brand world – products, packaging, communication and so on – regardless of the current expression of personality. Strong character is reflected in a clear position, and a multifaceted, authentic personality is honest and flexible. Such brands are able to respond with resilience to short market cycles in ever-changing times.
» To strengthen their position in the current marketplace brands must adjust their approach, attitude, and presentation in respond to the new complexity. «
Honesty is the foundation and credo of the new decade, certain to supersede “sustainability” in focus and importance. Brands that truly live the new watchword in external and internal activities will be able to allow strategies to simply arise organically from the substrate of their own identity and products. The dictates of credibility in the era of honesty are thus both strict and liberating.
In this scenario, the product consolidates its role as the embodiment and communicator of brand character and personality. In the new decade, the brand no longer functions as the sole means of value creation, because it is no longer a value in and of itself, rather an outer shell that must be animated. It is the product that breathes life into the brand, giving it value, integrity and a credible charismatic expression. A compelling product genuinely encompasses the entire storytelling of the brand.
Launching the same communication on all levels is an inflexible practice that undermines rather than underscores the brand idea. Brand communication does now, of course, occur simultaneously on all the different levels that make up the modern marketplace, but the measures must be carefully and individually composed and harmonized. It is the expert orchestration of all channels that creates successful brand communication.
The real art lies in apprehending the mood, emotion and stance of the brand and communicating the character and personality in a bespoke adaptation through each of the relevant channels. The aim is to move the consumer emotionally, anchoring a positive, personal identification with the brand in the individual’s memory.
BRAND CONSULTANCY
As specialists for the fashion, watch and jewelry, fragrance and cosmetics industries, we develop new brand and product concepts with distinctive profile and sales relevance – always tailored to the precise market in question. Our brand development expertise is built on two decades of experience in the definition, positioning and management of a broad scope of international brands, from high-volume players to exclusive niche offerings. Our in-house divisions Boks and Venue enhance the service spectrum: direct access to bespoke packaging and retail design solutions enables us to deliver harmonious holistic concepts in line with our signature standards of quality, individuality and intelligence.
We believe that true brand integrity rooted in a solid intrinsic brand character is key. We strive to thoroughly refine brands, rather than reposition them. Our methodology starts with a “deep dive” on the fundamentals, which enables us to then adapt the brand approach to current and future market needs. Here, too, the product is the focal point of our entire scope of work. The brand refinement process results in an intelligent dovetailing of character and personality for a vibrant brand profile with potent “nowness” appeal.
Putting the strategic cart before the brand definition horse is a common mistake. But common sense and experience tell us that a successful brand strategy can only be derived from a well-defined and refined brand. Our brand strategy measures are developed on the basis of a solid grasp of the current status quo of the brand, with a keen awareness of timing issues and company resources. We also believe that strategic goals must be pursued in tandem with operational targets, the two must then be adapted, where necessary, to developments along the way. The right pacing and process coordination is key to long-term market success.
BRAND COMMUNICATION
We develop holistic CI concepts, enabling our customers to profit from the added value of our product, packaging and retail expertise. Our comprehensive design capabilities enable us to deliver corporate identity programs that encompass all necessary areas of application, such as on-product branding, packaging and retail animation.
We create campaigns with compelling, on-target content, from broad-based to eclectic. After 20 years in the premium and luxury fashion and lifestyle sectors we are right at home in these markets. Deep knowledge of these brands and products informs our comprehensive brand communication concepts, from the brand campaign to PR-related communication measures and content. When it comes to realization, we enjoy direct access to an active international network of top photographers, film directors, artists, et al. to ensure that every campaign makes the right impact.
In the context of a current fashion and lifestyle market characterized by surplus, brands can only perform successfully when they stand for genuinely attractive, convincing and relevant goods. In our opinion, a consistently credible product must always be the focal point. The art lies in skillful multi-channel product staging: each measure is designed specifically for the channel in question, all harmonized in a holistic overall orchestration. Experience has shown that to achieve truly effective brand communication in the digital area, the relevant product-related parameters must be defined and realized at an early stage, i.e. during the manufacturing phase at the latest. Instead of an “afterthought”, bespoke digital content is then an actual extension of the product, acting as an authentic driving force for its market performance.
Our extensive online marketing services spectrum encompasses everything from classic web platform creation to digital display advertising, from social media content development to concepts for influencer initiatives – individually or in combination, according to the needs of the brand in question.
Deeply rooted product affinity with proven brand and market expertise, we develop especially original, high-value content and storytelling that captures the imagination of consumers for lasting positive impact. The two prongs of content marketing – the prerequisite for successful PR-marketing – and direct-to-customer marketing are key among our inbound marketing focal points. Our special strength here is the ability to distill the brand image down to the smallest personal denominator. Whether in the form of customer gifting, which we serve in our division Onehundred, or via bespoke personalized mailings, our creative concepts are directed at the individual customer, cultivating a personal relationship with the brand that results in organic loyalty.
In the age of fleeting digital communication and the image flood, we believe that high-value print media is now regaining importance. It does, in fact, remain the simplest, most direct means of communicating on many levels, appealing to both visual and tactile senses, and thus more effectively bringing the brand to bear. We are specialists in the concept design, development and production of distinctive print products. Well-known for our signature print processing expertise, our goal is to build a bridge of intrinsic value between the transient, fast-moving digital world and the longer-lasting, well-considered analogue one.
In the digital communication ‘universe’ the static image is increasingly losing ground, especially in regard to younger consumers. Our service spectrum here includes the concept development and realization of films and cut-downs as well as quick, simple stop-motion and 3D animations, mainly produced in-house.
KURZ - Visual Campaign
Brand and product campaign for the KURZ Jewels collection of the Swiss jewelry and watch house. The theme ‘Everyday Fairytales’ was designed to appeal to a mainly young, cosmopolitan target group.
Lost Suitcase - Fashion Editorial
Launch Campaign
Audemars Piguet &
carolina bucci
Bel Epok Brand devised and realized a print campaign and an accompanying clip to support the launch of the limited Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Frosted Carolina Bucci Edition 2018.
Swatch - Global Lookbook
We were responsible for the entire concept development, design and realization of the Swatch PR lookbook. The result united all seasonal collection themes in an engaging overarching story: “Greetings from...”
C.F. Bucherer - Promotional Mailing
Bucherer - Print Collateral
For Swiss watch and jewelry retailer Bucherer, Bel Epok Brand has designed and realized a variety of bespoke print products including mailings, greeting cards, invitations, always created to optimally support the brand and its product offering.
PR Campaign
m2 beauté &
klodin erb
For researched formula beauty brand M2 Beauté, Bel Epok Brand designed a year-long communication and PR campaign with the theme: The Art of Beauty. Celebrated Swiss artist Klodin Erb collaborated with us, creating a limited-edition leather clutch bag, hand-painted by the artist.
Ruth Martens - Print Editing
Together with Cologne art gallery Van der Grinten, Bel Epok Brand designed and co-published a limited edition art book presenting the work of acclaimed New York artist and illustrator Ruth Marten.
M2 Beauté - Promotional Campaign
Under the motto: ‘Best-in-Class Effective Eyecare’ Bel Epok Brand developed a multimedia, 3D animation featuring the brand’s three key products, now acclaimed global bestsellers.
Métro - Fashion Editorial
Created to showcase the new faces of renowned modeling agency Viva Models Paris. After styling and make-up, models were instructed to take the Paris métro to a nearby stop and wait to be escorted to the location. But the actual shoot occurred “surreptitiously”, as the models emerged from the station and waited outside.
Visual Identity
Parfumerie spitzenhaus
Applying characteristic attention to detail and a refined sense of color, Bel Epok Brand created a unique and luxurious corporate design for the luxury Zurich perfumery Spitzenhaus.
Ode Magazine - Editorial Design
The Bel Epok Brand concept for ODE: a thematic design collage expressing the experience of scent in word and picture. ODE explores how the strong associative power of fragrance works on different levels.
M2 Beauté - General Campaign
Bel Epok Brand created this campaign for print/digital media and display scenarios. It featured our choice of a new campaign model, selected to communicate the M2 Beauté ideal: natural, fresh and individual beauty.
Mafalda von Hessen - Image Campaign
As brand consulting and creative agency for nascent fashion label Mafalda von Hessen, Bel Epok fulfilled wide-ranging responsibilities, including strategic focus definition, collection consultation and design of communication measures for all channels.
Promotional Campaigns
m2 Beauté
Bel Epok Brand has worked in close collaboration with researched formula beauty brand M2 Beauté for many years. We regularly develop campaigns designed to continuously promote the brand’s key products and bestsellers.
C. F. Bucherer - Inbound Marketing Campaign
For our design of a special C.F. Bucherer sales campaign we were able leverage the deep product and customer knowledge of our Bel Epok Onehundred division, which had regularly created bespoke customer gift products for Bucherer. The campaign: selected customers received a personal mailing containing a golden key, only one of which opened a display case in the Geneva store containing a Bucherer Manero Flyback Chronograph. The lucky key holder won the watch.
M2 Beauté - General Campaign
Bel Epok Brand is responsible for all moving image content for the M2 Beauté brand. With easy access to an active, international network of creative artists, we are able to realize these projects with consistent efficiency to our trademark high quality standard.
Seidensticker - Brand Refinement & Corporate Design
As lead agency for consulting, marketing and retail services within the framework of an overall repositioning Bel Epok Brand developed a new brand book for German heritage shirtmaker Seidensticker.
Naturoyale Relaunch Campaign
Annemarie Börlind
When pioneering German natural cosmetics company Annemarie Börlind repositioned its premium anti-aging skincare line Naturoyale, Bel Epok Brand was responsible for the entire enterprise, from concept development to design and production management.
Mafalda von Hessen - Image Campaign & Lookbook
The photo shooting Bel Epok Brand designed and directed for the spring/summer Mafalda von Hessen campaign, together with our companion lookbook product, established a distinctive calling card for the unique new brand.
Adidas Originals - Lookbook
The original lookbook Bel Epok Brand created for the Adidas Originals Collection was a striking branding product featuring a special binding technique and went on to win a top design price.
Brand Development & Visual Identity
Bruno Delgrange
We were delighted to lend our Bel Epok Brand expertise to the relaunch of a fine French saddle brand: Bruno Delgrange, a true champion saddler, the preferred choice of some of the world’s top competitive equestrians.
Swatch - Lookbook
Bel Epok Brand was an partner for the conception and design of the Swatch collection lookbooks that were distributed to global PR partners.
M2 Beauté - Product Launch Campaign
When M2 Beauté launched its revolutionary hair growth activating serum, Bel Epok Brand developed the entire launch campaign, from visual concept to product claim to image film.
Façonnable - Brand Refinement & Corporate Design
Bel Epok Brand developed a new CI concept and logo for the relaunch of French fashion brand Façonnable. We reinvented the existing word logo to modernize the brand image in a design optimally adaptable to print media, textile and store architecture applications.
Brand Refinement & Corporate Design
fogal
When high-end hosiery brand Fogal wanted a “facelift” and corporate redesign of the brand, our comprehensive knowledge of the luxury market and our ability to take brand heritage into account were of key interest.
Hugo Boss - Lookbook
Bel Epok Brand was responsible for concept development, layout and production of a collection of Hugo Boss sales books to support sales personnel in promoting the repositioned collection under then new Creative Director Eyan Allan.
Burlington - Christmas Animation
For sock brand Burlington, Bel Epok Brand regularly develops concepts for digital animations used at POS and in social media contexts.
Luxus - Fashion Editorial
Our two-page editorial concept paired a womenswear fashion shot with an artist’s illustrated rendition of a matching (nonexistent) menswear silhouette.
Brand Refinement & Visual Identity
De sede
Within the framework of repositioning the Swiss luxury furniture brand De Sede a key element of our concept was the development of distinctive, evocative and luxurious visuals to strengthen the emotional component of the brand.
M2 Beauté - Editorial Campaign
Bel Epok Brand regularly creates M2 Beauté editorial campaigns used in magazine “advertorials”. We also design and produce accompanying film material deployed in digital communication alongside the publishing campaigns.
Seidensticker - Image Campaign
Bel Epok Brand creates the seasonal image campaigns for Seidensticker, which includes the concept development, design and realization of photo, film and collection lookbook productions.
Humiecki & Graef - Brand Development & Visual Campaign
The Bel Epok Brand concept for artistic perfumery brand Humiecki & Graef is based on profound fragrance industry expertise. The result is a unity of exquisite product/packaging and a distinctive brand communication featuring haptic elements, striking photographic imagery and a unique overall visual character.
Whatever our role, the work of Bel Epok always centers on the product, which must be coherent and harmonious. We must first fully apprehend the project emotionally and aesthetically, always in respect to brand cultural heritage.
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