Advanced Video script Unit 2

Luxury superbrands

N = Narrator, Int = Interviewer, MWC = Man in a white cap, MBC = Man in a blue cap,

DT = Dana Thomas

N: Fashion superbrands. They have the power to drive us crazy with desire. They've

invaded our wardrobes and our minds, these are the huge global organisations that

touch all our lives, and which have turnover in the billions. So what is the secret of their

power? How can, for example, a belt made by Gucci seem so different to a belt made

by Louis Vuitton?

Int: And you've got a Gucci belt, is there any – I mean, would you wear a Gucci belt?

MWC: No, he wouldn't, no.

MBC: And I wouldn't wear Louis Vuitton.

Int: Why not, why wouldn't you wear a Gucci belt?

MBC: I don't know, it just doesn't – for me it just doesn't, it's not smooth. I think Louis

Vuitton's a bit more feminine, it's a bit more slick.

Int: Right.

MWC: Yeah, I agree. Gucci's a bit more tackier - that's my look, man - it's a bit more tacky. I

like that.

Int: How much was that?

MBC: Two sixty.

Int: Oh, for a belt?

MBC: Yeah.

Int: Well this, this was about eight quid this one, it's great, it's still keeping my trousers up,

in't it?

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 Advanced Video script Unit 2

N: Known as The Pyramid Model, this is how luxury brands keep us hooked. At the top of

the pyramid, you have limited edition products for the very, very wealthy. In the middle,

you have well-made products that you can buy in store. And at the bottom, you have

the high volume money spinners: perfume, wallets, belts, scarves, umbrellas, key

chains, things aimed at the masses. And that's how they manage to appeal to

Hollywood stars and royalty at the same time as selling to the rest of us.

N: Dana Thomas, Luxury Fashion Journalist, has studied the process.

DT: It's a delicate balance of selling masses to the masses whilst still remaining exclusive

to the, to the rich.

Int: So the top of the pyramid is, is where you build the image, where you build the, the

kudos, and then the rest of the pyramid is where you exploit it and turn it into cash.

DT: Exactly.

N: And, of course, the trick is to keep everyone's eyes firmly fixed on the top of the

pyramid.

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 Advanced Video script Unit 2

World view

Sop = Sophie, Ju = Jurgen, K = Keith, Lu = Luis, C = Clare, Say = Sayful, Imo = Imogen

Sop: I think luxury brands encourage people to work for what they would like to spend their

money on, I know that I have an expensive taste in some ways, so I would like to work

hard and be able to afford the thing that I would really like to buy.

Ju: I don't necessarily think luxury brands are either good or bad, I just think they're a

waste of money. I tend not to buy luxury brands myself unless it comes to things like

food because I think it's important to eat healthily. But other than that electronics, cars,

etc., I wouldn't buy luxury brands necessarily.

K: I don't really trust, ah, luxury brands and maybe I don't really trust brands in general,

ah, because I think that, um, where you're talking about big brands I think companies

have often spent so much on the marketing to get to that position where they've got a

big brand, that they haven't spent quite as much on the product itself and on the quality

of the product.

So I'm not really, ah, a believer in brands and, and the idea of buying brands myself, I

think there's a very good quote about, um – ah, that kind of thing, ah, by a singer, and

I'm trying to remember who, who said the best firms advertise the least, and I think

there's a lot of truth in that.

Lu: I think luxury brands are good in some ways and bad in others. Good in the sense that,

um, it's great to get – innovations – of one kind or another, it's good to get the

economy going and getting those who can afford it to spend money and to recycle in

the economy.

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 Advanced Video script Unit 2

Bad in the sense that people who can't afford it aspire to have luxury branded goods,

which in effect, ah, makes them spend a lot of money on some things that they may

not need. So from that point of view it's not a very good thing.

C: I think luxury brands are a good thing, I think it's really nice sometimes to treat yourself

to something a little bit special, um, I don't think they're an essential thing, I think good

old value packs are – have their place, um, but it is nice to treat yourself now and then

to something luxurious.

I like luxury brands, I like to treat myself now and then. But I don't think that they're

necessarily any better than the good old value packs, um, I'd buy a little bit of both, so

my orange juice might be value, but then my bread might be luxury. So I try to mix it up

a bit and have a bit of everything in my life.

Say: I think it affects, um, society in such a way that people look at each other, ah, with envy

and jealousy, um, wishing that they had something that they can't afford. Um, my own

attitude would be that I – if I can afford it, if I like something then I'll buy it, um, but

otherwise I'd choose to go for cheaper options.

Imo: Um, personally I'm not a huge – but I'm not really into luxury brands in a big way but I

have friends who are and they say that it's terribly important and, um, I had a friend the

other week who was, we were talking about what one looks for in a partner she said,

“Oh if they don't wear the right trainers, I'm simply not interested” - which was baffling

to me, but, she explained it that, you know, this was a symbol of being into the same

sorts of things as she was so, yeah.

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