BuroCreative has recently created a new campaign to re-position Wedgwood, the WWRD owned pioneering English tableware and home accessories brand, as a global luxury home and lifestyle brand. Launching this month with a global advertising campaign, which will introduce new product lines and a new e-commerce site, Wedgwood will place an emphasis on its unique English heritage to appeal to a new identified audience.
New collections for 2013 include Ashlar, a white minimal contemporary stackable range and Butterfly Bloom, a range that is playful, elegant and designed for an elaborate afternoon tea.
Built on craftsmanship, Wedgwood dates back to 1759 and is one of England's most cherished brands. Many of the handcrafted techniques that its founder Josiah Wedgwood pioneered during the industrial revolution are still used in its Staffordshire factory today. Arguably one of the first truly global brands - they've seen commissions by Empress Catherine the Great of Russia, President Theodore Roosevelt of the USA and for Queen Elizabeth ll's coronation - Wedgwood continues to attract consumers from around the world and increasingly so in Asia.
Keen to appeal to a new, aspirational demographic, Wedgwood is seeking to shift its perception as makers of high-quality traditional tableware to a luxury lifestyle brand.
"We needed to rejuvenate and widen the brands' appeal to capture the attention of our new identified target consumer; the Style Conscious Woman," commented Anne-Catherine Verwaerde, Global Brand Director of Wedgwood. "These new consumers are discerning shoppers who delight in quality and craftsmanship and in the unexpected touches that are the hallmark of true luxury. And this is exactly what Wedgwood represents."
"We wanted to apply a more high-end, fashion-led approach and accentuate and celebrate Wedgwood's Englishness," said Roly Grant, founding partner and Creative Director at BuroCreative. "Many brands would love to have the heritage that Wedgwood has, from its roots in the industrial revolution, to its romantic vision, its vast archive of iconic print and the associate appeal with overseas consumers. So we began to build a context around the 'House of Wedgwood' through photography shot (by Rebecca Miller) at Barlaston Hall, an 18th Century manor house on the original Wedgwood Estate. By injecting a bit of eccentricity into the new campaign, which feature quirky cabbage jellies and witty contemporary propping idealised in an English country home, this marriage of heritage and modernity seemed a perfect summary of Wedgwood's appeal to a new customer base."