Targeting the same premium segment... with different advertising strategies

Nespresso Print Campaign

Lavazza Print Campaign

The analysis of these two ads above will enable us to understand the different branding strategies of the two premium brands: Lavazza and Nespresso

First of all, what is striking in these two ads is that they seem to advert for a luxury good. Whether the black and sophisticated atmosphere of the Nespresso ad, or the historical and arty references of the Lavazza one, both ads tell us that we are dealing with a classy and prestigious product. This, could seem surprising, coffee is common, affordable and available everywhere which are the exact opposite values conveyed by luxury goods (beyond price, rare, reserved to selected places). So why choosing these specific codes? 

As we have seen in some part of our overall market analysis, the demand for coffee is evolving, more and more consumers want a coffee which is unique, tasty and of high quality. This trend has been well understood by premium brands : they have to target their segment with specific and new codes that are far from the common and down-to-earth image of coffee. 

However there are also striking differences in these two ads. Nespresso chooses a well-know and admired actor: Georges Clooney is staring at us with a cup of coffee. He seems at ease and natural, he embodies coolness and classiness and so does the coffee he is drinking. The baseline "what else?" is simple and short and is meant to tell the consumer "this coffee is unique, you do not need to go any further, to test any other product" . The global atmosphere of the ad is thus simple, classy and very efficient. The promise is easy to get and the consumer tends to believe it because of the celebrity endorsement strategy (which acts as a proof). 

Meanwhile Lavazza gives us a really different approach. The sophistication of the ad is not derived from a personnality or a catchy baseline but by a cultural universe that is strong enough to evocate values such as : italian quality, high-quality savoir-faire. Lavazza base his all its promise on the fact that they product italian coffee. As Leonard Da Vinci is great italian artist, worldwide recognized, Lavazza coffee is meant to be prestigious. Lavazza use a cultural endorsement strategy. 

It appears thus that we have too different strategies but delivering the same promise : "our coffee is unique".