Luxury Marketers Build up Lifestyle in Spring Imprint of Bentley Magazine

April, 2014 – This article from Luxury Daily discusses how Bentley is using its quarterly magazine to promote the affluent lifestyle through content and advertising partners. (http://www.luxurydaily.com/luxury-marketers-build-up-lifestyle-in-spring-imprint-of-bentley-magazine/)

By Jen King

With support from Harry Winston, Breitling and Gulfstream, Bentley Motors’ quarterly publication keeps owners of the British automobile up-to-date on the brand’s happenings in an intimate way that is hard to achieve online.

The 92-page spring issue of Bentley’s branded magazine aims to connect the automaker’s range of models to a broader lifestyle through content and advertising partners. Due to its limited distribution to owners, Bentley dealerships and brand partners, the publication is able to maintain a sense of exclusivity that its digital campaigns cannot keep.

“The Bentley magazine contains advertising and editorial content consistent with the interests of Bentley buyers, people who live an upscale lifestyle and appreciate learning about products designed for such consumers,” said Ron Kurtz, president of the American Affluence Research Center, Atlanta.

“Such a magazine has at least two benefits for Bentley,” he said. “First, it gives [Bentley] a method for maintaining contact and communications with its owners in a way that the owners appreciate, thus strengthening the relationship.

“The magazine is also probably a profit center, given the revenue derived from the advertisers.”

Mr. Kurtz is not affiliated with Bentley, but agreed to comment as an industry expert.

Bentley Motors did not respond by press deadline. The spring edition is number 48 and was distributed to approximately 48,000 customers worldwide as well as Bentley brand partners such as St. Regis hotel properties.

Petal to the metal
The spring issue featured Bentley’s Continental GT V8 S convertible on its cover in Kingfisher blue. Parked in front of a pair of palm trees and a bright blue sky, the issue evokes feelings of going for a springtime drive after the winter thaw.

Bentley’s spring issue opened with a Clive Christian advertisement for its kitchen designs on the inside front cover. The ad’s copy reads, “Opportunities now exist in certain locations to open a Clive Christian showroom,” suggesting that the reader’s home has the capabilities of being transformed to showroom quality by the brand.

The following pages are dominated by watchmakers. Patek Philippe promoted its women’s Twenty-4 Steel watch with matching ring and earrings in the page before the table of contents.

Although no ad appeared opposite the table of contents, the automaker placed a mosaic of images pulled from the content of its features. By doing so, the reader has a visual of the lifestyle topics covered by the issue.

Next, Harry Winston showed off its Ocean Triple Retrograde Chronograph while Ulysse Nardin featured its Sonata Streamline wristwatch. These watch efforts were followed by Breitling’s collaboration with Bentley for a line of watches fronted by soccer player David Beckham.

Additional watch brands also appear throughout the issue, including Graff Diamonds, Backes & Strauss, Bovet and Chopard on the outside back cover.

Luxury lifestyle management and concierge service provider Quintessentially Lifestyle used the magazine to promote its membership program. To stay consistent with previous content, Quintessentially Lifestyle used a quote reading “Quintessentially sells time. The one thing we all lack, but also the hardest thing to give someone.”

The Home Trust, an association for purveyors of premium and luxury products or services for the home, continued the issue’s lifestyle focus.

Like Quintessentially Lifestyle, The Home Trust membership works to limit the time readers would spend searching through designers, builders and other interior professionals while designing a new space.

To play to the reader’s travel affinities, Bentley magazine included campaigns from Global Jet, Victor Jet and Intrav Jet. Also, the magazine featured a Hasselblad DSLR camera ad to capture the travel destinations of said readers.

Content in the issue includes a round-up of Bentley events throughout the world since the publication is distributed to a worldwide audience.

Bentley also included features on its new home collection, a short piece on the two new color combinations for its handbag range, a showcase of Crewe craftsmanship, an interview with glass artist, Dale Chihuly and the restoration of Bentley’s Saoutchik Speed Six.

Driven success
Each quarter, Bentley magazine explores various facets of its owners’ affluent lifestyle.

For example, Bentley accelerated its status as a full lifestyle brand by promoting its non-automotive product range in its branded magazine’s winter issue.

In addition to Bentley-endorsed products, luxury marketers advertised in the automaker’s magazine to display a full range of products reflecting the affluent readerships’ lifestyle. Bentley took this association further by sponsoring a Harper’s Bazaar art supplement that illustrates the preferences of its core consumers supported by content that its readers will find interesting and valuable.

Also, the automaker heeds consumer preferences through initiatives like introducing its first hybrid concept.

The concept vehicle will be unveiled at the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition April 20-29. Many luxury brands have been contemplating and executing hybrid vehicles to respond to a growing preference among consumers and the obvious need to address carbon emissions.

With awareness already established, the magazine works to fortify the bond between automaker and owners.

“Since the magazine is sent only to Bentley owners, it is not likely to increase brand awareness,” Mr. Kurtz said.

“The primary role of the magazine is to strengthen the bond between the brand and Bentley owners,” he said.