“Let me tell you about the very rich,” F. Scott Fitzgerald observed “They are different from you and me.”
In contrast to reinforcing loyalty through McDonald’s branded merchandise, marketing to the rich has to deliver an experience of luxurious exclusivity. That’s what Rolls Royce is doing in launching an app accessible only to owners of its cars. They call it Whispers.
The press release describes it as delivering just what was missing in the lives of Rolls-Royce owners. While they already are able to acquire just about everything money could buy, “they have been seeking a means to have more regular personal involvement with the marque – more experiences, more access, and more immersion in the luxury world open to Rolls-Royce as the world’s leading luxury brand.”
Whispers is described there as “an entrepôt to a world that Rolls-Royce intimately and uniquely understands – a digital gateway to a curated world of luxury.” Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, explains the brand’s motivation to offer this to its customers in the video below:
Given that anyone who doesn’t own a Rolls-Royce is barred from access, they can boast that “Whispers is indeed, the most exclusive members’ club in the world.” But, it also delivers on what the rich crave for their digital experience: “Private, curated, inspiring and lovely” content that is meant to appeal to the interests enjoyed by those with substantial means. That reinforces the consumer’s identification with the brand as a reflection of exclusivity, status, and good taste.