The Luxury Item with Scott Kerr

Belvedere Vodka President & CEO Rodney Williams talks with The Luxury Item's Scott Kerr about how the pandemic has impacted Belvedere's business, emerging drinking culture trends, shifting customer attitudes & behaviors, and the recent launch of Belvedere's "Made With Nature" sustainability platform. Williams also discusses the home mixologist movement, how the Belvedere positions itself in a crowded vodka market, its collaboration with Janelle Monáe, and the company's commitment to diversity and inclusion. Plus: Mr. Williams settles the score on which country really invented vodka. Featuring: Rodney Williams, President & CEO of Belvedere Vodka Host: Scott Kerr (@scott_kerr), founder & president of Silvertone Consulting About Silvertone Consulting: Silvertone Consulting is a brand strategy firm that helps companies build go-to brands in changing times. Follow Us: Twitter @theluxuryitem Email: scott@silvertoneconsulting.com Newsletter: brilliantcut.substack.com

On this special bonus episode, Scott Kerr is revisited by Mickey Alam Khan, founder & editor-in-chief of Luxury Daily. They discuss how luxury brands can successfully respond to industry changes after the Covid-19 contraction and recalibrate their business. Mr. Alam Khan shares his thoughts on what brands will emerge intact from the pandemic purgatory, and why coming out of the crisis luxury brands will have to expand their value prop and revisit their business models. He also skeptical of the big luxury players joining Amazon's new luxury brand platform. Plus: Is this the end of Fashion Week as we know it? Khan weighs in. Featuring: Mickey Alam Khan, Founder & Editor-in-Chief of Luxury Daily Host: Scott Kerr (@scott_kerr), founder & president of Silvertone Consulting About Silvertone Consulting: Silvertone Consulting is a brand strategy firm that helps companies build go-to brands in changing times. Follow Us: Twitter @theluxuryitem Email: scott@silvertoneconsulting.com Newsletter: brilliantcut.substack.com

Former Rebecca Minkoff chief brand officer and strategy executive Ana Andjelic talks with Scott Kerr about her new book "The Business of Aspiration: How Social, Cultural, and Environmental Capital Changes Brands." Andjelic discusses the modern aspiration economy and how it's no longer about striving to accumulate lavish brands and experiences— status symbols are now anchored in taste, aesthetic, innovation, communities, design, environmentalism and social influence. She also talks about how brands that want to play in the modern aspirational economy should focus less on positioning and more on their identity and creativity. Plus: How IKEA's collaboration with Kanye (that never happened) is part of a bigger trend that Andjelic calls the "DJ model" of growth. Featuring: Ana Andjelic, Strategy Executive. Forbes CMO Next. Author of "The Business of Aspiration: How Social, Cultural, and Environmental Capital Changes Brands" Host: Scott Kerr (@scott_kerr), founder & president of Silvertone Consulting About Silvertone Consulting: Silvertone Consulting is a brand strategy firm that helps companies build go-to brands in changing times. Follow Us: Twitter @theluxuryitem Email: scott@silvertoneconsulting.com Newsletter: brilliantcut.substack.com

Nathan Lump, Vice President of Customer Marketing at Expedia talks with Scott Kerr about the turbulent times in the travel industry, and what's ahead for luxury travel once borders open restrictions are lifted, and a vaccine is developed. The pandemic has created major business challenges for the Expedia Group and Lump discusses some of the company's recent strategic moves to improve its operation, including revamping hot vacation rental site Vrbo. Plus: What wealthy consumers will have on their travel itinerary in a post-COVID world, whether they'll return to commercial aviation, and if Zoom has killed business travel for good. Also, has the desire for a "contactless" travel experience replaced a "seamless" one? Featuring: Nathan Lump, Vice President of Customer Marketing at Expedia Host: Scott Kerr (@scott_kerr), founder & president of Silvertone Consulting About Silvertone Consulting: Silvertone Consulting is a brand strategy firm that helps companies build go-to brands in changing times. Follow Us: Twitter @theluxuryitem Facebook: @TheLuxuryItemPodcast Email: scott@silvertoneconsulting.com

Rebecca Ross, a Watch Specialist at Christie's, talks with Scott Kerr about the luxury watch industry, and how the COVID-19 pandemic forced the world's top auction house to shift from live to online-only auctions; how the online auction format has found a new crop of luxury watch bidders, many of them under 40-years-old. Ross also discusses the success of Christie's recent innovative four-venue global "ONE" sale and the growing opportunities for women in the male-dominated watch industry. Plus: Ross shares her thoughts on how Instagram has changed the world of watch collecting and the impact of smartwatches on the luxury watch industry. Featuring: Rebecca Ross, Watch Specialist at Christie's Auction House Host: Scott Kerr, founder & president of Silvertone Consulting About Silvertone Consulting: Silvertone Consulting is a brand strategy firm that helps companies build go-to brands in changing times. Follow Us: Twitter @theluxuryitem Email: scott@silvertoneconsulting.com

Jet It founder & CEO Glenn Gonzales talks with Scott Kerr about how wealthy fliers and business executives who are worried about Coronavirus are turning to private jet services as an alternative to commercial flights. Glenn explains the growing popularity of fractional private jet ownership, and why Jet It's hybrid fractional program is a better value proposition. He also talks about how Jet It is meeting the increased demand for his services since the pandemic started, the types of customers its attracting, and how it's disrupting the industry. Plus: Gonzales gives his thoughts on how private air travel can continue to ride the positive tailwinds and grow. Featuring: Glenn Gonzales, Founder & CEO of Jet It Host: Scott Kerr (@scott_kerr), founder & president of Silvertone Consulting About Silvertone Consulting: Silvertone Consulting is a brand strategy firm that helps companies build go-to brands in changing times. Follow Us: Twitter @theluxuryitem Instagram: @theluxuryitem Email: scott@silvertoneconsulting.com

Hello, this is Scott Kerr, your host of the Luxury Item podcast. First, I want to thank my listeners from around the world for making Season 1 of The Luxury Item a huge success. The podcast would not be where it is now if it weren’t for you. I also appreciate all the positive feedback on the show. I’m also here to tell you that Season 2 of The Luxury Item launches very soon with all new episodes, and amazing guests offering fresh perspectives on the luxury industry and its uncertain future. I’m hoping the insights that emerge in Season 2 of The Luxury Item will help you rethink your strategic focus and adapt to evolving market sentiments. Season 2 drops on July 28th. If you’re not already subscribed to The Luxury Item, just hit “subscribe” and the episodes will automatically drop into your podcast feed. The Luxury Item is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever else you listen to podcasts.

Founder & Editor-in-Chief of Luxury Daily Mickey Khan talks with The Luxury Item's Scott Kerr about the impact of the coronavirus crisis on the luxury industry. He discusses his reasons why the luxury industry will bounce back (again), and which consumers will most likely not return to luxury shopping for awhile. Khan shares some of the biggest lessons he's learned from covering the pandemic since it started affecting luxury goods sales in China. He also talks about the future role of department stores, and why having strong digital, e-commerce, and customer service strategies will be key to a luxury brand's survival. Khan discusses how an upended luxury travel industry will change, and whether social media influencers will matter in a post-covid world. Plus: When the U.S. emerges from quarantine, don't expect the same revenge spending as in China, and sustainability will now have to take a backseat to safety. Follow Us: Twitter @theluxuryitem and @scott_kerr, Email: scott@silvertoneconsulting.com

Executive Editor of Wine Spectator Thomas Matthews talks with The Luxury Item's Scott Kerr about booming wines sales during the coronavirus pandemic, and if new consumption habits formed will stick around in the future; He also discusses why e-commerce is now business critical for the wine industry, and how consumers are turning to more familiar wine brands during times of crisis; He also shares his thoughts on celebrities who have wine brands or own wineries, and which celebrity wines are worth sipping. Follow Us: Twitter @theluxuryitem and @scott_kerr, Email: scott@silvertoneconsulting.com

Cigar Aficionado executive editor David Savona talks with Scott Kerr about state of the cigar business, and why the market for premium cigars continues to grow; He talks about his recent trip to Cuba for the annual Habano Cigar Festival, and the how the economic pressures from the U.S. are impacting the country and the cigrar market; Savona describes what it's like to walk through Cuban cigar factories and the lure of a fine Cuban cigar; He also talks about how cigars turned from a passing hobby in college into being one of the world's foremost experts on cigars, and writing about it in Cigar Aficionado; Savona provides his take on why the cigar market continues to thrive, despite the "disruption" of the US government, and how women are playing a bigger role in the cigar business. Plus: Savona shares how founder Marvin Shanken - who was already published Wine Spectator magazine - was inspired to launch Cigar Aficionado in the early 90's after spending a week touring the tobacco fields and factories of Cuba. He also talks about Shanken's controversial interview with Fidel Castro for one of the issues. Follow Us: Twitter @theluxuryitem and @scott_kerr, Email: scott@silvertoneconsulting.com