Nina Kaminer is a true veteran of the public relations business, founding her agency Nike Communications over 30 years ago. Since its inception, the agency has worked with a who's who in the luxury field, including the likes of Bang & Olufsen, Bentley, Bvlgari, Buccellati, Lalique, McIntosh, Mouton Rothschild, Rolls-Royce and Vacheron Constantin among others.
What does your company do?
We are brand story tellers! We work closely with brands to define their brand narratives. Then we tell those stories through the media, as well as through events, partnerships and influencer relationships.
How did you start the business?
In 1984, the world of luxury brands was beginning to change. Bernard Arnault bought Christian Dior to build the world’s first luxury conglomerate. American Express launched its Platinum Card in response to the burgeoning HNW buying power. Luxury brands were starting to hire strategic thinkers from other industries in order to build corporate cultures out of what was previously family business cultures. I wanted to be a part of that luxury brand evolution. Since there were no agencies at that time which specialized in that, I decided to start one.
Tell us about some of the highlights of your career thus far
We have helped Montblanc evolve from a small European pen brand to a fully diversified luxury brand. We have helped Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, a small jewel of a brand, become one of the top 5 global hotel brands. We helped Champagne Krug, a brand known only to wine connoisseurs, capture the spotlight and get bought by LVMH. Much of our work has been devoted to heritage brands and we are so fortunate to have worked on the best of the best including Bang & Olufsen, Bentley, Bvlgari, Buccellati, Lalique, McIntosh, Mouton Rothschild, Rolls-Royce, Vacheron Constantin among others.
How has the PR business changed since you started out?
Celebrities play a much bigger role in brand communications than they did in the 80s. And of course social media has changed the game. Social media influencers have become as important as journalists, and even become celebrities in their own right.
What are some of your current projects that you’re excited about?
I’m excited about the upcoming Breeders’ Cup, where American Pharaoh has the chance to win the first ever Grand Slam of horse racing. We are on the precipice of a new era for horseracing! I’m excited about the opening of the Master Villa at Las Ventanas al Paraiso, which will be the ultimate resort villa in the world. I’m also excited about the opening of The 14th Factory exhibition next year. We just announced the exhibit plans with a private dinner created by the NOMA team from Copenhagen.
What are your tips for success?
To be strategic. And to think long-term, even in the smallest of details.
What are some of the biggest changes you predict for the industry in the next 5-10 years?
Victoria and Albert held an exhibition this spring exploring the definition of luxury. It asked “What is Luxury?” and I think we will all agree that the advancement of digital and social media platforms will continue to have a great impact on this answer. How do we define this term -- which is about exclusivity, connoisseurship and discretion – in a digital world that is creating access to millions in a single post?
