Georg Jensen branding and retailing

imagine.. presents

"From old luxury to new luxury: a multisited study of Georg Jensen branding and retailing"

By Dr. Fabian Faurholt Csaba Department of Intercultural Communication and Management, CBS

Time: Friday September 23, 14.00-15.30

Location: Solbjerg Plads 3, Frederiksberg, Velux Lecture Hall S.13

As part of a turnaround strategy, Georg Jensen has embarked on a rebranding process which aims to establish the century-old silver company as an international luxury brand on par with the likes of Louis Vuitton, Hérmes and Tiffany. The strategy involves a shift of emphasis from the company’s traditional focus on silverware to fine jewellery and watches, and the targeting of a younger and more modern clientele. The company’s chain of own stores located at prestigious locations all over the world is a vital element in the strategy and key to its successful implementation. The presentation will examine the process and discuss the challenges faced by Georg Jensen in attaining the status as a luxury brand. Based on interviews with key executives and managers at Georg Jensen in Copenhagen and field studies at company stores in London, New York and Hong Kong, four aspects of the rebranding process will be reviewed:

1. Changes in product assortment, design and quality.

2. Brand presentation in promotional activities and retail stores

3. Organizational processes and culture

4. Management of tradition and heritage

Drawing on the case of Georg Jensen, the presentation will turn to a discussion of which criteria and prerequisites exist for qualifying as an international luxury brand, and consider rewards and obligations of attaining this status. The presentation concludes by inviting participants to discuss to the challenges Danish companies face in becoming global players in the luxury industry (financial resources, human resources, domestic market, ‘culture-of-origin’ e.g).