Luxury crystal brand Swarovski has awarded its media planning and media buying to Alliance Advertising.

The precision-cut lead crystal company's account is estimated to be in the region of Rs4 to Rs5 crore. Austrian Swarovski AG is a global brand name in crystal art objects, candlesticks, jewellery and gifts.

Alliance Advertising's portfolio is comprised of UK-based retailer Marks and Spencer (M&S), Videocon group's retail arm Next, fashion company Guess, Body Shop, and clothing and limited edition fashion accessories store Debenhams.

India is a key market for Swarovski, one where rising disposable incomes is creating phenomenonal demand for the crystal maker's designs as spend on luxury brands increases year on year. Swarovski is going to be looking at a more focused targeting, both in the consumer and corporate segment.

Alliance Advertising's forte is known to be an indepth understanding of the special needs of brands operating in the luxury space. The agency's expertise in handling some of the lifestyle brands that have enjoyed patronage in India for many years, even when they were absent from the Indian market, has stood it in good stead in bagging the Swarovski account.

Industry sources says that the agency successfully managed some luxury brands that were totally new to the consumers in India, taking due care to understand the diverse tasks that were at hand to address the different consumer sets. 

Arshad Nizam, director, Alliance Advertising says that the challenge in working with luxury brands is to address each of their needs in a very complex market, where each day more and more premium brands are launched. He said his agency was ''very excited with the prospect of working with Swarovski'' as it gives the agency an opportunity to create fresh landmarks.

Apart from a Rs4 crore on advertising, Swarovski is also looking at events as a brand push. Two new segments in India for Swarovski are the home accessories segment, and the corporate gifting segment. 

The events route holds promise for a niche brand like Swarovski, as it would provide a greater assurance of returns in the absence of well-targeted communications to its target markets. 

Ad spends of most luxury brands in India have been growing in recent times, with a focus on product advertising in fashion and lifestyle magazines.