In the latest financial report released by Kering Group, it was specifically mentioned that “the strong growth of the jewelry brands is primarily driven by the French high jewelry brand Boucheron.” Kering stated that Boucheron “has exceptional momentum.”
In the first and second quarters of fiscal year 2024, Boucheron achieved double-digit growth for two consecutive quarters. Such performance is remarkable feat in the entire high-end jewelry market.
High jewelry brands are usually known for their intricate craftsmanship, precious gemstones, priceless value, and prestigious customers. However, to achieve success in a broader market, the decisive factor often lies in one or several highly iconic designs. These icons are the condensed expression of the brand’s DNA and philosophy, and also the foundation for the brand’s growth. The ability to identify and amplify differentiated classic designs, making them a true icon, tests the skill of the brand’s operators.
Boucheron’s new advertising campaign for the 20th anniversary of Quatre: a cape made of 320 Quatre rings.
Born in Paris, Boucheron has had its own unique style since its creation. From its store in the Palais-Royal in 1858 to becoming the first modern jewelry brand to open a boutique on Place Vendôme in 1893, Boucheron, now 166 years old, needs a more “youthful” icon to introduce itself to new consumers.
This year, Boucheron launched a global limited-time experience event to celebrate the 20th anniversary of its iconic Quatre collection. After Paris and Seoul, the third stop of the event came to Shanghai. The Boucheron Quatre 20th anniversary party on Weibo had 25.34 million views, and topics such as #HowToPronounceBoucheronQuatre# and #BoucheronQuatreExhibitionGuide# garnered over 30 million views.
Boucheron Quatre Collection
“Quatre is very important to us because it is our icon, just like Cartier’s Love and Van Cleef & Arpels’ Alhambra. The 20th anniversary is a great opportunity for us to tell the Quatre story,” said Hélène Poulit-Duquesne, Boucheron’s Global CEO.
In China, how can Boucheron make Quatre more well-known? How can the Quatre collection empower the brand’s development in China? This is a case worth analyzing.
Boucheron’s Quatre 20th anniversary limited-time experience space
Why Has the 20-Year-Old Quatre Become the Icon of a 166-Year-Old Brand?
“You cannot create an icon out of thin air; only after being tested by time and resonating emotionally with people can it truly become an icon,” Hélène once remarked.
So, why has Quatre, at only 20 years old, become the icon of a classic brand like Boucheron, which has a 166-year-long history?
A Legacy of Innovation Spanning Centuries
Hélène pointed out, “We need to have a very specific position in a crowded market, so we focus on differentiation points: innovation, creativity, and style.”
This differentiation is rooted in the brand since its inception:
In 1879, Frédéric Boucheron created the “Question Mark” necklace, a clasp-free design that could be easily worn with a simple twist, offering a new interpretation of “freedom in adornment” in the history of jewelry.
The “Question Mark” necklace created by Frédéric Boucheron
“This was crazy. I think he was the only one to wear jewelry this way.” Boucheron’s Creative Director, Claire Choisne, once described the unique creativity Frédéric Boucheron brought to jewelry in an interview.
This perhaps explains why, as the first jeweler to set up shop on Place Vendôme in Paris, Boucheron still stands out among high jewelry brands today.
More than a century later, the Quatre collection continues to uphold this spirit, constantly breaking the boundaries of jewelry.
Looking back at the first Quatre ring created in 2004, its simple, neutral, and modern style immediately caught many people’s attention. Today, the Quatre collection has become Boucheron’s best-selling series.
Historical poster of the first Quatre ring in 2004
When we focus on the Quatre collection, its four circles—the diamond circle (Line of Diamonds) and the Clou de Paris motif with their sharp facets and dazzling brilliance, the Grosgrain motif, and the Double Godron motif with their strong, structured lines—immediately stand out.
Boucheron skillfully blends four distinctly architectural aesthetics from its archives into the Quatre collection, showcasing a unique neutral style and unleashing a deeper inner strength.
Boucheron Quatre Collection
What Is the Deeper Meaning Behind the Four Circles of the Quatre Collection?
To trace the source of this strength, we must follow these four circles back to Boucheron’s archives.
The diamond circle was the first to be used in Boucheron’s jewelry design. As early as 1892, diamonds, symbolizing eternity and strength, shone brightly under Boucheron’s exquisite craftsmanship.
A year later, Boucheron became the first modern jewelry brand to open a boutique on Place Vendôme. Today, Place Vendôme has long been known as “Paris’s jewelry box,” and Boucheron’s store there has become a spiritual symbol of the brand, showcasing the wisdom and keen insight of Frédéric Boucheron.
Historical photo of Boucheron’s boutique at 26 Place Vendôme
The bricks laid on Place Vendôme inspired the Clou de Paris motif, which Boucheron first used in its designs in 1911. Incorporating it into the Quatre collection was Boucheron’s way of paying homage to the bold and pioneering spirit and sharp insight.
In the 1960s, the Grosgrain motif and Double Godron motif were recorded in Boucheron’s archives. The former was inspired by the Grosgrain ribbons popular in the 1920s, paying tribute to Frédéric Boucheron’s family of fabric merchants, while the latter was derived from the decorative sculptures of ancient Roman and Italian architecture, adding a layer of classical depth to the Quatre collection.
Boucheron Quatre Collection
Finding Emotional Resonance with Contemporary Consumers
It can be said that each motif in the Quatre collection responds to a different imprint in Boucheron’s century-long history.
However, Boucheron has given these imprints eternal vitality with more modern ideas and avant-garde aesthetics—and this is the deep-seated reason why the Quatre collection resonates with an ever-growing audience.
The power that bursts forth from the combination of history and innovation, classic and modern, is embodied in the Quatre collection’s strong, neutral appearance. In today’s context, it interprets a bold, modern, and free-spirited attitude, attracting consumers who resonate with it.
The Quatre collection has become a symbol of strength and protection, with consumers who seek to stand out using it to express their personality and life attitude, creating an emotional and value connection between them and the brand.
Boucheron Quatre Collection Never Enough advertising campaign
From the increasingly rich forms and designs of the Quatre collection, consumers freely mix, match, and layer the pieces, creating their own unique styling effects.
“Consumers like to try mixing and layering jewelry, which is one of the reasons for the success of the Quatre collection,” Hélène once said.
If, a century ago, the “Question Mark” necklace represented Boucheron’s high artistic achievement in the field of high jewelry, today, as the brand deepens its connection with the contemporary consumer base, Boucheron needs an icon that both carries on the spirit of innovation and meets modern aesthetic and practical needs.
“The success of the Quatre collection jewelry reflects the recognition of our brand strategy in the global market,” said Hélène.
Boucheron Quatre Collection Never Enough advertising campaign
How to Tell the Quatre Story Well in China?
High jewelry brands do not only rely on their existing clientele; they also need a steady influx of new customers.
With classic designs in place, what else does a brand need to do to reach a broader audience and younger demographics? Successfully doing so will bring significant opportunities for the brand’s future in the Chinese Mainland market.
After taking office as the brand’s global CEO in 2015, Hélène Poulit-Duquesne immediately prioritized the development of the Chinese Mainland market.
At that time, Boucheron had not yet opened a single directly-operated boutique in the Chinese Mainland.
In January 2018, Boucheron opened its first boutique in the Chinese Mainland at Shanghai’s Plaza 66. Later that same month, the brand’s second boutique in the Mainland opened at Beijing’s China World Mall.
Today, Boucheron has opened 17 boutiques in the Chinese Mainland, in 12 cities including Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Chengdu.
The newly opened Boucheron boutique at Shanghai IFC Mall in May this year
“We need to hold exhibitions because the younger generation needs to connect with brands through entertainment and experience,” Hélène emphasized in an interview with Luxeplace.com.
In late July in Shanghai, walking around the Jing’an Temple area on West Nanjing Road, you could see large billboards featuring Boucheron’s global brand ambassador Xiao Zhan. Many fans came to take photos, and on Weibo, the #XiaoZhanBoucheronBillboardCheckIn campaign went viral, with related keywords trending in the top 11 and the original post receiving over 48,000 shares.
Sean Xiao Boucheron billboard
On July 25, Boucheron’s Quatre 20th anniversary party kicked off, with global brand ambassador Zhou Dongyu, as well as celebrities like Li Bingbing, Wei Daxun, and Jiang Qiming in attendance. The party’s live broadcast had 25.34 million views. The hot topics surrounding the stars, the brand, and the exhibition spread on Weibo, converting the traffic from the live scene into continued attention for the event.
On July 27, the Boucheron Quatre 20th anniversary limited-time experience space officially opened at 1018 Yuyuan Road in Shanghai.
Leveraging strong digital platforms in key strategic markets to release the impact of events is a powerful tool for brands to be seen and resonate with more consumers.
The overall tone of the space echoes the gold tones of the Quatre collection. In the Freedom To Create exploration space, visitors can try on classic designs and new releases from the Quatre collection for spring and summer. In the Iconic Exhibition Space, consumers can explore the classic heritage and evolution of the Quatre collection.
The fun interactive elements in the space received praise from many visitors, who eagerly took photos and posted about it. The selfie area is decorated with gold sequins, echoing the classic tones of the Quatre collection. In the glass-walled corridor, the motifs of the Quatre collection are presented in surround lighting; the personalized tattoo experience is inspired by the geometric patterns of the Quatre collection, and even the special coffee is topped with latte art in the shape of the Quatre pattern.
How Did Boucheron Amplify Its Marketing Impact Through Weibo?
As China’s leading social media marketing platform, Weibo is a digital reflection of mainstream attention and trends. It is also a crucial platform for luxury brands to communicate with consumers, accumulate brand momentum, and build brand equity.
By increasing visibility on Weibo, the brand can be seen more by end consumers, including the younger Gen Z audience.
Boucheron collaborated with Weibo to conduct a series of in-depth co-creations around the Quatre 20th anniversary limited-time experience space.
Innovative Interactive Experiences
Boucheron’s spirit of “freedom in creation” is reflected not only in its brand philosophy and jewelry design but also in all aspects of its brand communication, bringing consumers a novel experience through individuality and creativity.
During the Qixi Festival, Boucheron partnered with Weibo to incorporate the Quatre collection into the festive setting. When platform users searched for “Qixi jewelry,” “jewelry gifts,” or “Boucheron,” “Quatre,” these keywords would turn into unique shapes, visually capturing the user’s attention. With the added function of one-click access to the brand’s special zone, every moment of attention from users was converted into brand traffic.
Interestingly, when users commented with the brand’s keywords in celebrity comment sections, clicked on the #BoucheronQuatre# brand topic, actively searched for the brand, or liked posts with the brand’s keywords, the image of the Boucheron Quatre ring would pop up. These surprise “Easter eggs” cleverly captured users’ attention, leaving a vivid impression.
Custom-shaped Starlight words (left), Quatre ring pop-up like effect (middle), Quatre ring pop-up search Easter egg (right)
Leveraging “Hot Topics” and “Celebrities”
Before the event began, Boucheron launched the #XiaoZhanBoucheronBillboardCheckIn campaign, leveraging the influence of its brand ambassador to reach a broader online fan base. The live broadcast of the party featured global brand ambassador Zhou Dongyu, as well as celebrities like Li Bingbing, Wei Daxun, and Jiang Qiming, further amplifying the impact of celebrity traffic.
Whether it was billboards, promotional films, or the live event, there were fashionable men showcasing the modernity of the Quatre collection, and dynamic, individualistic female stars conveying the youthful vitality of the Quatre collection. Different styles of celebrities demonstrated the diversity of the Quatre collection, and Boucheron hopes to use their influence to convey the brand’s gender-neutral avant-garde aesthetics, encouraging infinite possibilities for self-expression.
In the promotion of the full media chain, Boucheron fully integrated the brand’s offline assets with online communication, leveraging the platform’s advantages in “hot topics” and “celebrities” to build more efficient and accurate connections with users, thereby conveying the brand’s iconic works and core philosophy to a wider young audience.
#XiaoZhanBoucheronBillboardCheckIn event (left), Boucheron Quatre 20th anniversary party live broadcast (right)
Boucheron’s global brand ambassador Zhou Dongyu and other celebrities at the Iconic Night party
In-Depth Content Co-Creation
While increasing brand visibility, Boucheron also engaged in in-depth collaboration with Weibo Fashion, establishing a fashion dialogue within the consumer context and effectively telling the Quatre story.
The #HowToPronounceBoucheronQuatre# interaction attracted many curious viewers, with lively and interesting content featuring celebrities, KOLs, and street interviews. Using sound as a medium, this activity reinforced brand recognition from another dimension.
After the exhibition opened, Boucheron collaborated with KOLs in fields such as fashion and illustration. The #BoucheronQuatreExhibitionGuide# hashtag accumulated rich exhibition content and secondary creative content, attracting users from online to offline and leaving the brand with valuable assets.
#HowToPronounceBoucheronQuatre# (left), #BoucheronQuatreExhibitionGuide# (right) hashtag pages
Conclusion
Despite the current “cold wave” in the luxury market, the high-end jewelry market remains active. Erwan Rambourg, Global Head of Consumer and Retail Research at HSBC, stated, “High-end jewelry buyers are more resilient than general luxury consumers.”
High jewelry brands are investing more in events, exhibitions, and pop-ups, and their quantity, quality, and media coverage are reaching new heights, hoping to connect with more consumer groups.
In an era of diverse and complex information on social media, how can luxury brands continue to convey and amplify their core spirit beyond offline settings?
Through the classic design of its iconic products, Boucheron has deeply interpreted and communicated its brand essence comprehensively. With the help of online social media platforms like Weibo, it has successfully expanded its audience, allowing consumers to gain a deeper understanding of Boucheron through the Quatre collection.
丨Image Credit: Provided by Boucheron, Weibo, and Boucheron’s official Weibo account
丨Editor: Zhuo Ruoyu
