Whirlpool luxury appliance maker JennAir has unveiled a new brand campaign for the Canadian market, one designed to offer more “proof points” of the brand’s commitment to innovation and progress, according to Janice Ryder, senior marketing manager at Whirlpool Canada.
The hero spot features the premium brand’s new line of luxury kitchen appliances, but through an approach it has previously described as being more “rebellious.” Whereas the spot begins with nods to traditional luxury (fine dining and high-end vehicles) the tone shifts to a more modern, sleek approach to the category.
JennAir first launched the “Bound by Nothing” campaign last year as part of a brand refresh tied with the unveiling of two new product designs, the JennAir Rise and JennAir Noir. That work was led by Darkhorse, the agency that serves as AOR for JennAir in the U.S.
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The decision to relaunch the brand first came after noticing “significant changes” within the luxury market, Ryder says.
“It used to be that luxury consumers would all follow the same path and choose these stereotypical status symbols to show that they’ve made it in life. Now the luxury consumer has a lot more confidence to chart their own path, and they are really looking for progressive, innovative products that can be customized to their specific lifestyle. They really want to be in the know, they do their research, they want to find products and brands that deliver value back to their lives.”
The company points to a couple of studies that illustrate a trend that has taken shape at a global level over the last couple of years. A 2016 study by Ipsos Affluent Intelligence in the U.S., for example, found that 81% of ultra-affluent luxury consumers believe the definition of luxury is changing. Another 2017 survey by Deloitte Global found that 45% of luxury consumers are asking for more personalized products and services – a finding reinforced by its 2019 trend report.
Ryder says “Bound by Nothing” aims to position the brand as a “leader of progress” within the appliance industry, which has seen less innovation than some other categories. Research conducted locally revealed Canadians responded well to the key messages of the “Bound for Nothing” campaign. However, consumers here wanted to better “understand the proof points of how JennAir stands for progress,” Ryder says.
To that end, JennAir worked with agency Zulu Alpha Kilo, which named AOR for Whirlpool Canada in 2016, on two additional product-focused videos for the Canadian market. It has also partnered with influencers, including chef Rob Gentile from The King Street Food Company and Calgary designer Nam Dang Mitchell, on a launch event and social push to help show the progressive nature of the brand from both a design and performance perspective.
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The campaign launched this week and will be in market through October.
JennAir targets consumers who have shown an affinity for luxury goods. To help reach that niche segment, the brand is working with Cossette Media on a media plan based predominantly on digital buys, in addition to some print and OOH. Hill+Knowlton Strategies is leading PR.
