July 17, 2014
Maserati Quattroporte Zegna Limited Edition inside
Italian automaker Maserati is continuing its collaboration with Italian fashion house Ermenegildo Zegna to celebrate the launch of the Quattroporte Zegna Limited-Edition.
The celebration will lead the brands to international locations to bring awareness to their vehicle. The brands will also focus on the photos taken at each event for photography books that will commemorate the events and likely create future awareness of Maserati and its ideals.
"Since this cross promotion involves Zegna, obviously this exercise is supposed to resonate with the fashion conscious male with high disposable income,” said Bob Prosser, CEO of Auto World Marketing Corp., San Diego.
“I suppose the reception and reaction of the audience will differ depending on where the show is, be it Shanghai, New York, Dubai or Milan,” he said.
Mr. Prosser is not affiliated with Maserati or Zegna, but agreed to comment as an industry expert.
Maserati was unable to respond by press deadline.
International touring
Ermenegildo Zegna and Fiat’s Maserati are cross-marketing their Italian brands through a long-term design partnership to produce 100 limited-edition vehicles and offer Zegna customization options (see story).
With only 100 vehicles made, the brands are bringing the ‘One of 100’ concept with them on the international tour. The tour will include Shanghai, New York, Dubai and Milan.
The four stops will be among the first events the brands have done with their collaboration and will focus on the hand craftsmanship of the brands.
Maserati Quattroporte Zegna
The handmade notion will be celebrated through photographs of guests' hands shot at each event. The guests at these events will be musicians, chefs, athletes and artists from the local area.
Fabrizio Ferri, an Italian photographer, will be present at the events and will capture 100 unique images, 25 from each venue, along with the photographs of the hands. His photos will be compiled into a ‘One of 100’ book.
The book is meant to highlight the uniqueness, exclusivity and excellence of both brands.
Quattroporte Zegna Limited-Edition
Also, Maserati and Zegna are supporting the restoration of the Fountain of Neptune. This fountain depicts the mythological god Neptune holding a trident, the original inspiration for the Maserati logo. The fountain is located in Piazza Nettuno in Bologna, Italy.
Car celebrations
The centennial of Maserati is being celebrated widely by the brand. The ‘One of 100’ concept for the cars and the photographs is just one way the brand is commemorating its past.
Maserati is honoring its centennial with an exhibit at the Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena, Italy.
The exhibition rewinds through the past 100 years of the most important road and racing cars from the brand. Hosting the historical celebration in the Enzo Ferrari Museum will likely attract individuals who are fans and consumers of luxury cars and racing (see story).
Other brands have similarly celebrated their storied pasts.
For instance, Rolls-Royce celebrated the 100th anniversary of its iconic hood mascot, The Spirit of Ecstasy, with a grand procession of branded vehicles in London.
The Spirit of Ecstasy had been fitted to Rolls Royce vehicles since 1911. The drive celebrated the brand’s British heritage, as well as the rich history of the mascot (see story).
The notion of celebrating an anniversary is not a new concept, but the way in which each anniversary is celebrated changes. The international tour and emphasize on hand-crafted products may help Maserati stand out.
“If the photo book was of the actual hands of those who built the cars, e.g., mechanics with grease under the fingernails, women's hands that worked on the leather, maybe a scar here or there, etc., then I would be fascinated,” Mr. Prosser said. “But photos of hands of musicians, chefs, athletes and artists? Eh, not so much and I don't see the relevance.
“Realizing that this exercise has little to do with performance driving and more about brand awareness, market positioning, lifestyle, cachet and an obvious focus toward male demographic, this seems to me more of a quirky art project than anything else,” he said.
“Of course, I see value in the exercise because in the world of advertising, the use of hands has always helped express ideas, communicating non-verbally as the bridge between promoted products and audiences.”
Final Take
Nancy Buckley, editorial assistant on Luxury Daily, New York
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