SINGAPORE: Branding consultancy Interbrand has snagged the Lee Hwa
business, helping it to create and launch its jewellery label Aspial
internationaly.
The local jeweller has been prodded to launch its jewellery label after
discovering a gap in the market for a sub premium jewellery brand. It
expects to position Aspial between mass-market choices and the top
premium brands such as Cartier.
Aspial's core target will be 25-35 year-old women with monthly
disposable incomes of Sdollars 3-5,000 (USdollars 1,660-2,770) who can
afford to spend Sdollars 1-2,000 on jewellery. The company will retain
Lee Hwa as its entry level brand, with prices averaging Sdollars
300-dollars 500.
Aspial - which is derived from a Latin word meaning "pathway to
inspiration" - has been selected for international markets because the
Chinese name Lee Hwa is seen as inappropriate for Western markets, said
Kim Faulkner, managing director of Interbrand Singapore, which developed
the brand name.
"If you marketed Lee Hwa in London, for example, people wouldn't think
it is a luxury brand," said Faulkner.
"They'd say it's Chinese and think it was made in China. Sadly people
don't associate fine jewellery with China."
Faulkner said the objective is to create a brand identity that is
distinctive and difficult for other jewellery companies to copy."
Four ad executions - created by Interbrand - are appearing in Singapore
women's fashion magazines - Female, Her World, Peak and Tatler - and the
local English daily. Each ad tells a story about the inspiration behind
particular pieces of Aspial jewellery.
To develop its overseas presence, Aspial is expanding distribution
overseas.
Aspial is available in seven overseas cities, including Dubai, Hong
Kong, Beijing and London. In Singapore, the company has revamped 11 of
its stores for the Aspial brand while the remaining 10 are Lee Hwa
outlets.
