THE CARTIERS – By Francesca Cartier Brickell

A must read for people who are students, operators and connoisseurs of luxury brands or heritage brands, brands that have stood the test of time and are yet thriving amidst years of struggle adapting, innovating and finally coming out on tops. Having worked with a heritage brand such as Villeroy & Boch and also having represented brands such as Montblanc, Cartier, Montegrappa, Dunhill and more, I was fascinated with this book. A truly well researched book by a 7th generation member of the founding family, it reinforces the simple yet at times overlooked aspects of brand building and running an enterprise. Cartier, the brand was built over three generations and even though it was sadly and reluctantly sold by the family, it is still thriving under a professional management. This speaks volumes of the founding years of the brand. Below I have highlighted the principles and beliefs the family obsessively followed from 1848 until 1974 when the brand moved out of the family. The same beliefs and principles are relevant in the 21st century where everything is short term. A lesson for the modern leaders.

1.      Be very kind to your employees, partners and customers

2.      Worship your customers

3.      Be quick to adapt and innovate

4.      Work hard, work honest

5.      Never copy, only create

6.      Marry well

7.      No compromise with product quality

8.      Heritage is a powerful marketing tool

9.      Sell an experience and not the product

10.  Hard work pays….always

In the coming weeks, I will elaborate on each of these principles that have been detailed in the book. Thank you Francesca for this lovely read.