Although the Karma Beads jewellery range, featuring 72 beads that signify “positive energy, joie de vivre and fortune”, was the feature of the media launch, the event was also used as an opportunity to showcase the 2014 items from the established Glam & Soul and Rebel at Heart collections.
The event was held at the recently opened O Lounge at Waitan on Tuesday 4 February and attended by around 80 media professionals and a selected group of celebrity guests.
While Thomas Sabo already has an extensive product offering including charms, watches and the Glam & Soul and Rebel at Heart ranges, Celeste Ferraris, head of marketing and communications for Duraflex Group Australia (DGA), which distributes Thomas Sabo, insisted that there was a demand for a dedicated beads collection.
“Beads are now very much a category in their own right,” Ferraris said.
“The Karma Beads collection is a completely new offering from Thomas Sabo; however, they can be combined perfectly with the existing and new designs of the sterling silver Glam & Soul and Rebel at Heart collections.”
She added the new range was inspired by a “positive attitude towards life and an appreciation of the beautiful things in life,” and that the collection’s key piece was the Wheel of Karma pendant.
Attendees were also able to view the new spring/summer 2014 campaign, shot by acclaimed fashion photographer Ellen von Unwerth and featuring international model Georgia May Jagger as the new global ambassador for the women’s collection and Formula One racing driver Nico Rosberg returning as the men’s global ambassador.
It’s a social event
The Karma Beads launch proved popular through social media, with industry experts, bloggers and celebrity guests taking to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to spread word of the event.
As reported previously by Jeweller, social media has become a popular and useful tool for brands to communicate their message to a local or specified audience.
“As Thomas Sabo is an international brand and has only one official website internationally, having a local online presence is essential to communicate directly with our Australian customers,” Ferraris explained.
“Our main focus is still Facebook, where we can communicate directly to more than 50,000 fans. Facebook is used primarily to strengthen the relationship between the brand and fans but it is also a very effective way for us to share news and, most importantly, hear what our fans have to say.”
Ferraris added that the media launch generated an exceptionally high level of support from attendees – particularly through Instagram where it achieved more than 1,000 new authentic followers to the Thomas Sabo Australia page.
BRAND AMBASSADORS
THE EVENT AND THE GUESTS