Neiman Marcus’s Fantasy Gift Guide understands the power of packaging a story better than most, putting together seemingly disparate items in an act of storytelling marketing that increases the average order value. As Nabil Aliffi, chief brand officer for Neiman Marcus, explains, “Through our comprehensive 360-degree marketing strategy, we will take our customers on a remarkable journey that transcends traditional shopping, immersing them in a world of fantasy both in-store and online. We invite our customers to step into this extraordinary realm, where every interaction is an opportunity to experience the excitement of the season, no matter how they choose to engage with us.”
For luxury brands who know high ticket sales are less about transactions and more about storytelling, this season offers a wealth of opportunity to tap into the emotional impact of a carefully curated shopping list. It’s the narrative that matters most for the gift recipient; the story that unfolds after receiving something long desired.
We’ve taken notes on how Neiman Marcus creates this remarkable journey. In three acts, you’ll see how to turn a customer into a protagonist for the adventure ahead. Since we’re still in the holiday gifting season, each act serves as a fantasy gift guide in itself to inspire the generous tastemaker with ambitions of becoming the world’s greatest gift giver.
Storytelling Marketing Act 1: Into the Water – Where Adventures Begin
Storyline: A high-octane adventure into the sea for adrenaline seekers and adventurers with refined tastes.
Tagline: “Every great journey begins with a dive into the unknown.”
Young handsome woman in wetsuit wakesurfing on the board and riding down the river wave against the … [+]
Our protagonist begins their journey behind the wheel of Hammacher Schlemmer’s Panther, the world’s fastest amphibious car. One moment, they’re conquering the road, the next skimming across shimmering blue ocean waters. The hand-built Panther, with its chromoly steel chassis and custom-engineered fiberglass hull, knows no bounds in where our protagonist can go.
“Accomplished entrepreneurs, executives, or innovators who’ve moved beyond traditional status symbols and seek products reflecting their pioneering spirit,” are, according to Ann Marie Resnick, vice president, marketing and creative, characteristics of our protagonist.
Firmly anchored in their aquatic playground, our protagonist trades the Panther’s marine vinyl seats for the sleek embrace of the Kabuki Wetsuit, a “second skin” engineered with state-of-the-art materials for performance. The Japanese handcrafted wetsuit from Orca Sportswear moves like liquid silk, adapting to every motion and priming the protagonist for the high-octane thrill of Lift Foils’ Lift4 eFoil Electric Surfboard. The hydrofoil board, favored by Tom Brady, seemingly defies gravity at speeds up to 25 mph, with or without waves.
“Our customers crave moments that make them feel alive,” shared Nick Leason, Lift Foils Founder. “Whether it’s carving through glassy waters, riding ocean swell, or simply finding peace gliding above the water’s surface. LIFT4 is about giving people the ability to create those moments effortlessly.”
The Fantasy Gift Package:
- Kabuki Wetsuit: $1,119
- Lift4 eFoil Electric Surfboard: $12,995
- Panther Amphibious WaterCar: $159,000
Total Price for the Generous Tastemaker: $173,114
Storytelling Marketing Act 2: The Art of Reinvention – Luxury in Motion
Storyline: For adventurers and tastemakers alike, the journey becomes an experience—off-road, bespoke, and on the track—where craftsmanship meets the pursuit of personal identity.
Tagline: “Where the journey is yours to define.”
Land Rover Defender parked with mountains in the background in Sani Pass, between South Africa and … [+]
“The road to success is all uphill,” Warren Henry, owner of Warren Henry Auto Group told me when I attended one of their driving events.
Which is perhaps why a Land Rover Defender is our protagonist’s optimal vehicle on this journey. After placing a call to the South Florida dealership to secure a certified pre-owned Land Rover 110 or a Mark IV Beach Cruiser, our protagonist is met with the dealership’s white glove service that includes home delivery now, and for the future, maintenance pick-ups and drop-offs as needed.
For some, the Land Rover Defender is enough. But for our protagonist, it’s a canvas on which to craft something unmistakably their own. The desire for reinvention speaks to the pursuit of identity, the pursuit of luxury. Luxury isn’t exclusively about the high price tag of a superior product. It’s also in what you make of it, the custom details no one else has.
Enter Blackbridge Motors, master artisans who deconstruct vehicles to rebuild them as bespoke masterpieces of engineering, design and the whims of their customers. For our protagonist’s Defender, this could mean a reengineered suspension, a custom-built V8 engine for increased power, hand-finished interiors with commissioned detailing, upgraded technology systems, and anything else our protagonist could possibly want.
“Everyone wants a great story,” Scott Gilbert, founder of Blackbridge Motors, said, agreeing on how storytelling marketing crystallizes emotions. “There are few things more exciting than telling your friends and family about the custom car you have commissioned. It’s a great conversation piece, a good-looking vehicle and an even better ride. The entire process, from initial design to final quality control sign off, is relayed to the customer and they can follow along on their client portal. It makes sharing with friends and family super easy and, again, creates such a lasting memory and story for our clients even before they take delivery.”
With their newly upgraded Defender delivered in nine or so months, our protagonist now returns to Warren Henry Auto Group for their twice annual sponsored track days to fully test the vehicle’s performance after the new additions. These track days are where customers access South Florida-area professional racetracks to push their cars to limits that would otherwise attract flashing sirens. They are one of many events the dealership hosts to keep customers engaged long after a sale. The company’s focus on creating multigenerational customers through these touchpoint events means that, by design, our protagonist’s children will eventually become Warren Henry customers.
The Fantasy Gift Package:
- Land Rover Defender: Certified pre-owned starting at $60,000 at Warren Herny Auto Group
- Blackbridge Motors Custom Redesigns: Custom pricing upon request.
Total Price for the Generous Tastemaker: Infinite possibilities, starting at $300,000.
Storytelling Marketing Act 3: The Ultimate Bride – A Legacy Written in Silk, Gold, and Stars
Storyline: The ultimate wedding begins with legacy—stitched into silk, forged in gold, and written in the stars.
Tagline: “For love that goes beyond this world.”
Extrasolar planet, star cluster and nebula in outer space
After the yes, then comes the dress. And a meeting with Charles Dieujuste, the celebrated Haitian designer and founder of Scorcesa, who loves to stitch stories into silk. Figuratively, of course. The bride – our protagonist — steps into a studio where Dieujuste listens, sketches, and actualizes the bride’s dreams into a gown that will live eternal for generations to come.
“The process of creating a custom gown is designed to be an intimate and memorable experience, allowing brides to feel cherished and understood,” Dieujuste shared. “I aim for each fitting and consultation to be filled with excitement and anticipation, ultimately culminating in the emotional moment when brides see their dream gown come to life. I want them to feel celebrated, beautiful, and empowered as they embark on their wedding journey.”
While Dieujuste performs one act of alchemy, Jeremy Hoye, renowned British custom jewelry maker, performs another in his Brighton, England studio as he melts ten bars of .9999 pure gold from Prepper Bars into bridal jewelry. Chrysmela, “the world’s most secure earring backs,” will keep the bridal earrings in place, from vows to the last dance. And after that last dance, the bridal jewelry’s home will be in a Mikutowski Woodworking SELECT Sophisticated Jewelry Chest, a one-of-a-kind, handmade wooden box as intimately crafted as our protagonist’s story arc.
“Each one of our boxes goes through an extensive hands-on process that starts with picking the lumber,” attested Jessie Chernetski, co-founder of Mikutowski Woodworking. “The SELECT boxes have various intricate details, such as hand lamination and hand sanding to a smooth buttery finish and are clear coated with an eco-friendly, water-based finish. In pursuit of a superior product, handmade jigs, custom pieces, and even equipment are all designed by us. Our woodworking techniques are often described as ‘old school,’ but it only adds to the character and vouches for our craftsmanship.”
Thereafter, the jewelry will remain brilliantly radiant using Shinery’s plant-based Jewelry Wash® and Radiance Brush, safe for every gemstone and metal, including gold-plate, vermeil and brass.
“We believe jewelers should focus on creating the most perfect pieces, and we’ll worry about the aftercare,” said Brea Fullerton, who founded Shinery after seeing how easily dirt accumulated on her engagement ring. “By integrating seamlessly into handwashing, Shinery allows customers to clean their jewelry without removing it or dealing with harsh chemicals. This effortless, daily ritual fosters an emotional connection, making the experience of maintaining jewelry both satisfying and empowering.”
No wedding is complete without the honeymoon, and for our generous tastemaker who wants to be crowned emperor or empress of gift giving, a visit with Griffin Bruehl, founder of BRUEHL and part of Global Travel Collection, is the best way to procure that crown. Bruehl will send our protagonist and partner to the moon and back aboard Space Perspective’s Spaceship Neptune, where the couple will ascend 100,000 feet above Earth. Suspended in a pressurized capsule propelled by a high-performance SpaceBalloon™, they’ll go to the edge of space for six hours, toasting their vows with champagne as they gaze at the curvature of Earth and the vastness of the cosmos.
“For decades we have watched space travel from earth and it has always been viewed as a complex, intensive, dangerous thing,” said Bruehl. “Even for those who have wanted to go, it requires time and wasn’t worth the risk. Now, we are creating an environment in which anyone can experience space travel and experience something that very few have had the honor of experiencing.”
The Fantasy Gift Package:
- Charles Dieujuste Custom Wedding Gown Experience: Starting at $2,500
- Jeremy Hoye Custom Designed Jewelry: Price upon request
- Prepper Gold Bars: $7,199 for 62.204 grams of pure .9999 gold
- Chrysmela Earring Backs: $55
- Mikutowski Woodworking SELECT Jewelry Chest: $1,199
- Shinery Radiance Duo Jewelry Cleaner: $56
- Space Perspective’s Space Travel: $250,000 for two
Total Price for the Generous Tastemaker: Starting at $261,000
The Finale: A Blueprint for Storytelling Marketing
There are two types of gift givers in this world: those who give items without considering its long-term influence, and those who gift stories, mindful of the gift’s impact for years to come. Is the gift a wetsuit because the recipient asked for it? Or is the gift a thoughtful invitation to conquer the waves while exploring the deepest reaches of the ocean? It’s this long-term consideration at the heart of storytelling marketing.
Atmosphere at the Neiman Marcus Fantasy Gift Event at Sunset Tower on October 24, 2023 in Los … [+]
When done correctly, the consumer is lured into buying more than initially intended in hopes of recreating the brand’s stories shared in:
- Social Media Teasers: Bite-sized visuals and taglines introducing products through aspirational storytelling.
- In-Store Displays or Digital Landing Pages: Interactive storytelling guiding customers through curated experiences and connecting products to personal milestones.
- Email Campaigns: Personalized journeys segmented by interests and behaviors, presenting stories aligned with customer aspirations and life moments.
- Luxury Gift Guide: A cohesive editorial positioning products as solutions to aspirations, combining storytelling with lifestyle imagery and clear calls to action.
By turning customers into the heroes of their buying journeys through storytelling marketing, brands encourage them to see products as integral chapters in their lives. This narrative approach helps cultivate emotional investment — as those who’ve been keeping up with Neiman Marcus’s Fantasy Gift Guide since its 1958 debut can attest.
