While meetings and events are the glue that holds the membership of the Council together, partnerships and collaborations are the fuel that drives member business. To that end, Council officers facilitate routine and regular “matchmaking” of members interested in working together on joint promotions targeted to a shared customer base, as well as marketing collaborations and partnerships. Brokered introductions are also made to Council members world-wide, as are business liaison services in cities where other Council chapters exist.

The following are routine examples of recent partnerships and collaborations initiated or facilitated by the Council’s San Francisco chapter:

• Developed and executed more than 50 meetings and events involving co-sponsorship with Council members and non-member organizations
• Made numerous introductions of Council members to members and influentials in other Council chapters
• Instigated feature publicity for an interior designer in a prominent lifestyle magazine
• Introduced a private jet company to clubs, wineries, concierge services and resorts resulting in media coverage for one of the parties involved
• Introduced wineries to private jet companies in order to source product on flights
• Introduced a prominent architecture firm to sister chapter in London to discuss European opportunities
• Enabled two members each independently conducting business in Indo-China to explore joint opportunities in that region
• Introduced a prominent hotel group to the Council’s financial services contacts in Canada
• Referred interior design members to a potential client seeking remodeling services
• Brought together players involved in the marketing and communication of the high-rise condominium sector with an emphasis on the Rincon Hill/SOMA area
• Introduced an on-line media aggregator to a major offline publishing group
• Introduced a real estate consultant to major Bay Area real estate brokerage for the purposes of investigating high-end foreclosure and short-sale opportunities
• Introduced a prominent interior design firm to Las Vegas market via Council connections in the Las Vegas sister chapter
• Introduced a potential client seeking high-end home systems installation to Council member specializing in that market
• Initiated exchange “fam” trips between members in interior design and hospitality industries
• Promoted and prompted winery tours at member wineries
• Suggested unique location alternatives for members seeking event venues
• Facilitated joint promotional activity between wineries and leading retail jeweler
• Recommended and secured expert presenters for member-initiated events
• Generated major “front cover” publicity in leading lifestyle magazine for new travel provider
• Facilitated website link between member company and the most authoritative website in the wine industry
• “Moved” a member’s conference lodging contract from a non-member hotel to a member property
• Secured representation of a member’s products in two winery tasting rooms and retail outlets
• Facilitated a member introduction to a resort group resulting in the member securing a contract for the provision of high-end gift items for resort member clients and guests
• Secured extensive media coverage for a member in a prominent international hospitality magazine
• Supported the sale of an $8,500,000 million home represented by a Council real estate member
• Provided leverage for a significant charitable donation from a member to a San Francisco-based museum
• Referred a member providing credit card processing services to a potential client in Southern California
• Facilitated charitable giving of product and services (donations, auctions, etc.) by members to Bay Area charities
• Introduced winery members to various hotel and resort facilities resulting in hosted wine tasting events
• Introduced member in the jewelry industry to Virtuoso travel company resulting in the member’s inclusion in group tour events

It’s important to note that as a benefit of membership, members can take advantage of a reciprocal relationship with each chapter of The Luxury Marketing Council.

The Carlyle & Sotheby’s
The President & Managing Director of The Carlyle has offered a number of benefits to all of their hotel guests. Each guest received a complimentary copy of the latest Sotheby’s catalog, a Sotheby’s bookmark and direct telephone link to their hotel room phone with complimentary invites to all auctions and previews.

Bang & Olufsen
The President of Bang & Olufsen made a strategic location decision based on advice from a Luxury Marketing Council member. The member had a recent and not very profitable retail experience in the exact location that Bang & Olufsen was considering for a new store. Bang & Olufsen re-evaluated their move taking this key information into account.

Seabourn Cruise Line
The Seabourn Cruise Line offered all council members VIP customer status, which gives members significant discounts and travel privileges on all of Seabourn’s cruises worldwide.

The Carlyle & Seabourn Cruise Line
Working closely with the President and Managing Director of The Carlyle, the Director of Marketing for Seabourn Cruise Line designated The Carlyle as the exclusive venue for all Seabourn visits to New York City. Seabourn would also use The Carlyle for all their special events including regular press briefings, special announcements and marketing and promotional initiatives.

Adam Tihany & Carnegie Hall
All members attending the Adam Tihany hosted gala at Remi received two premium tickets to a special performance at Carnegie Hall where young musicians were coached by Isaac Stern and other musical masters. Members received the invitation compliments of the Director of Development at Carnegie Hall.

Stanley Marcus & Bang & Olufsen
Stanley Marcus, honorary council member and president of Marcus Consulting, along with partner Carole Collins Sweet of Narrowcasting, which targets direct mail services to highly affluent customers, explored the possibility of working with Bang & Olufsen.Marcus and Collins Sweet provided direction on the management and development of Bang & Olufsen’s best customer mailing list.

Troutbeck & Neiman Marcus
The President and Proprietor of Troutbeck, the exclusive executive retreat and conference center in Dutchess County, booked two executive offsites as a direct result of member referral: one with senior management of the White Plains Neiman Marcus store and one with the operating committee of the board of directors of Business Publications Audit of Circulation.

New York City Opera & Seabourn Cruise Line
The Executive Director of New York City Opera worked with Seabourn Cruise Line to create a “New York City Opera Afloat: High C’s on the High Seas” Cruise. The two-week “voyage of musical discovery” departed London in July 1996 and had ports of call in Hamburg, Stockholm, St.Petersburg, Helsinki and Copenhagen. The cruise featured performances aboard ship by the “New York City Opera Quartet” who performed favorite arias, duets and ensemble pieces. Bridget Paolucci, eminent writer and lecturer, spoke aboard ship and led private tours of some of the most beautiful opera houses in Europe.

JP Morgan
The Managing Director at JP Morgan and her team prepared a very rigorous report of the Luxury Marketing Council Member survey. The survey provides an overview of members’ promotional and marketing practices and opinions of future directions of the Council.

Bang & Olufsen & Cartier
As a result of a Luxury Marketing Council panel on “incredible customer service,” Bang & Olufsen’s President referred Cartier’s Assistant Vice President of Marketing to the Professional Audio/Video Retailers Association (PARA). Cartier’s Assistant Vice President spoke on a PARA panel on upscale/luxury/specialty positioning.

Seabourn & Departures Magazine
Seabourn invited the Editor-in-Chief of Departures Magazine and the Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for Canyon Ranch to speak at a special senior management and board briefing program at Seabourn. The issues covered included “Affluence in the Nineties” and “The Philosophy of Wellness and the SPA Culture.”

Seabourn & Steuben
Council members from Seabourn and Steuben planned a gala reception at Steuben’s Fifth Avenue Showroom. Attending were Seabourn Club members and Steuben VIP customers from the greater New York area. Seabourn flew in a Captain and an onboard chef from one of its cruise ships for the occasion.

Bang & Olufsen & Departures Magazine
The President of Bang & Olufsen and the Publisher of Departures Magazine worked together to develop a mailing list of cardholders within a 20 mile radius of Bang & Olufsen’s store in Short Hills, New Jersey. Bang & Olufsen sent out a mailing to these cardholders and invited them to the grand opening of the store.

Departures Magazine & Godiva
Through the American Express platinum card Concierge program, Godiva had an opportunity to present an overview of its products, gift services, and packaging to 30 platinum card counselors. These counselors handle some 26,000 gift giving requests a year from platinum card members.

Bertlesman Music
Bertlesman Music offered the services of the BMG Video and Audio Studios, Video Production Company, and Live Event Production Company to members of the Luxury Marketing Council for in-house rates. Members could use these services for creating and producing marketing films, corporate or product presentations, television and radio commercials, live events, or any other type of media production.

Monaco Government Tourist Office
Monaco Government Tourist Office gave complimentary memberships in the exclusive Le Club Diamant Rouge to all Luxury Marketing Council members and to all passengers on Seabourn Cruises worldwide. Le Club Diamant Rouge allows members to receive special treatment when visiting Monaco and the opportunity to take advantage of other benefits such as hotel, rental car and airline savings in Europe and the U.S.