The fickle world of high fashion is famed for more than its fair share of bitchy drama and behind-the-scene plotting. But a world away from the frenzy of Paris' fashion shows, Leigh Tung has quietly crafted a marketing strategy to position Christian Dior couture as a brand that conjures up images of carnal desires, indulgence, and shock.
Tung joined Dior as regional marketing director in 1999 as the label prepared to smash its bourgeois image. Under the creative direction of fashion's wild child, designer John Galliano, Dior was being recrafted as younger, fresher and naughtier.
As Dior prepares to unveil its spring/summer collection in the coming weeks, its bold attempt to rock the boat appears to be paying off. The once-stuffy label is enjoying a wider appeal, from ladies who lunch to hip young things, drawn no doubt by advertising visuals which look like they've popped straight out of an MTV video.
As with other regional marketing drives, Tung's latest effort for Dior promises to cause a stir. It should give the fashion house an edge in the battle to be the king of couture. Hailing from San Francisco, Tung has experienced first hand, the wrath of Asia's uncompromising audience while juggling Dior's sexy image and local sensibilities across 30 boutiques and 12 markets, from Muslim Malaysia to Korea.
The label fell foul of the Hong Kong public last year and was forced to re-adjust an outdoor campaign featuring a grease-covered scantily-clad woman with a hand down her crotch after a censorious public complained.
Tung admits that in hindsight the ad might not have appealed to everybody, and that provocative advertising stands on shaky ground in Asia. Shortly after, the marketing team hit back at critics with a tongue-in-cheek campaign for its Street Chic line, which featured a supermodel besieged in bubbles, holding a Dior bag.
The sexy image projected by the remade Dior is a far cry from the 'preppy' Gap brand that the thirty-something marketer worked on when she joined the US clothing giant's international development group in 1996. She was tasked with developing new retail formats for the Gap without losing sight of the brand's integrity or identity.
The Gap was beginning to experiment with Duty Free Shoppers in Hong Kong for its foray into Southeast Asia when the Asian financial crisis hit.
While the slump put a stop tothe Gap's expansion plans, the experience provided Tung with the insights for creating an entire brand package for a new market, from fixtures to advertising and marketing and merchandising.
"My greatest challenge at Dior is forecasting market conditions. Things change very quickly and you have to be flexible. At the Gap, it was much more programmed and you had a set process, whereas here one of the great joys of my job is that we have a lot more flexibility."
Working with media agency CIA regionally, Dior's strategy is to produce localised communications for regional markets. In Hong Kong, that meant turning the colonial barracks of Murray House into a catwalk in a juxtaposition of the old and the new.
While fashion obviously plays an important role in her life, Tung manages to balance work with outdoor pursuits. When she's not jet-setting around the globe, hanging out with Galliano, or attending high-society events, Tung spends time with her husband and family.
And, for Dior, the tills are ringing in. The label bucked the flat trend for luxury goods, with sales in stores rising this year, and an overall increase in 2001 of 18 per cent for Dior couture. Adds Tung: "Maintaining the momentum of the brand is going to be a big challenge."
TUNG: ON THE RECORD
Shock advertising: We take local sensibilities into account and are very sensitive to local needs. Our ads are meant to be fun. They are not meant to be derogatory or harmful. The intention is very whimsical.
Brand makeover: In the 80s Dior was considered an older brand. It was seen as matronly and for more classic, older consumers. Now, we have re-energised the brand, giving it a younger, hipper and trendier look.
Fashion trends: Dior's success is being able to see people and cultures on the street and translating those to future fashion trends. Galliano is always right on the money.
Copycat products: I think it's flattering; if you are being copied in the market, you know you are hot. Consumers know the difference in quality, and personally, I can spot a fake a mile away.
Media buzz: We don't use television advertising. Outdoor has had great success for us in this market specifically. Dior was one of the first luxury brands to use outdoor globally. Direct marketing and CRM have also become integral to our business.