Roberto Coin launches Global Brand Web Site

Leading Italian jewellery designer Roberto Coin, has launched a sophisticated global brand web site at www.robertocoin.com

There are three versions of the site for UK, USA and International markets (including Europe), and the site is available in both Flash and HTML formats.

The consumer web site is the first step in what is to become a complete supply chain solution for the Company. The next phase of development will see the Company's business processes becoming Internet enabled, allowing Roberto Coin to trade electronically with retailers, distributors and suppliers. The global stock position of the Company will be updated live online in a trade extranet, building velocity into the supply chain, and ensuring the right stock reaches the right retailers and their customers, in the right markets at the right time. The stock mobility this allows will be of major benefit to Roberto Coin brand retailers.

Key Roberto Coin Collections are presented on the site, including Appassionata, Fantasia, Classica, Opera, Nabucco, Capriccio, and Mariposa, each with different background colours reflecting the theme of the global brand advertising campaign. New items and collections are being continuously added so that there is always something new for customers to see.

Users can browse an online version of the Roberto Coin catalogue or alternatively navigate items by collection and category, e.g. Bracelets, necklaces, earrings, rings. Each item is shown individually, from where visitors to the site can combine matching items (e.g. the earrings and necklace to match a bracelet), and search for alternative items (e.g. the same item with different gemstones). A sophisticated search engine allows users to search by style of jewellery, collection or item name if they already know it.

Favourites can be saved to a wish list and e-mailed to friends or relatives as a gift suggestion. Visitors can search for the Roberto Coin retailer nearest to them, simply by entering their postcode, and are advised of the exact distance from their home to their chosen store. There is a FLASH animated 'Story of the Ruby', the hidden secret known only to the wearer of Roberto Coin jewellery, which is linked from every page of the site.

While the site is built upon a sophisticated e-commerce platform, consumers cannot make purchases from the site at the moment. The barcode number of each item is included so that they can e-mail for further details of a specific item. However, in the near future, items such as the Roberto Coin breast cancer brooch, and Roberto Coin brand accessories may be available for purchase from the site.

Global press clippings for Roberto Coin are added to the site continuously, so that visitors can see top celebrity clients like Sarah Jessica Parker and Uma Thurman wearing Roberto Coin jewellery at movie premiers and on magazine covers.

Press clippings issued by the company globally are added to the site by the Press Department, and journalists can access a private press area with a username and password to access the latest releases before general publication.

We encourage visitors to register on the Roberto Coin web site to receive a monthly newsletter from the designer himself, and details of offers sourced from other marketing partners in the luxury sector.

In order to build awareness of the site with luxury consumers, Roberto Coin is launching a major viral e-mail promotion with Vogue Online at the end May 2002 to run until the end of June where entrants have the chance to win a fabulous 18ct yellow and white gold single row Appassionata bracelet with alternate pave set diamond sections and clasp worth £6050. Each entrant is asked to nominate three friends to win a limited edition Mariposa brooch worth £675 each, which will be awarded to the friends of the top prize winner. The promotion will be e-mailed to Vogue's registered database, and banners will be rotated on the Vogue web site to encourage browsers to enter.
Roberto Coin's innovative approach to online media, in this complex marketing channel, will provide the Company with an important competitive advantage for the future. Although the site is newly launched, it is already at the number one position on most major search engines for some 100 different jewellery related search terms.

While Roberto Coin's strategies for using this channel to market are innovative and creative, they will always be driven by one guiding principal, and that is a total support of our traditional distribution channel - our retail partners. There are many notable examples of supply chain conflict in the luxury sector, such as the LVMH owned eluxury.com where brands are selling online against their retail partners. Roberto Coin strongly believe that the best way forward is to work closely with their retail partners in order to leverage incremental sales from the Internet, which the Company views as a complimentary channel to existing routes to market.

Source: Roberto Coin press release
June 2002