Bombardier wants to compete with Rolex and Chanel by offering a book at US$1,200

Bombardier is seeking to position itself among the world’s great luxury brands – such as Rolex, Chanel and Louis Vuitton – by offering a US$1,200 book that is so precious that you literally have to leaf through it with white gloves.

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“Soar into the sky with Bombardierthe definitive work on the prestigious private jet manufacturer,” we read on the website of New York publisher Assouline.

“Discover the legacy of Joseph-Armand Bombardier, who started with snowmobiles and personal watercraft before revolutionizing business aviation,” we continue.

Handmade in Italy

Published only in English, the book is handmade in Italy and offered in a limited edition.

“Bombardier is a company that always looks forward, that never thinks it will reach its goal, because the goal is to always go further, to push, to innovate and to stay ahead,” says the builder of the modern Bombardier, Laurent Beaudoin, in one of the rare excerpts from the book accessible to the general public.

The luxurious work crowns the spectacular transformation of the Quebec company, which nearly went bankrupt in 2015, according to its former CEO, Alain Bellemare. The Couillard government had then given it a serious boost by investing $1.3 billion in the C Series aircraft program, sold to Airbus in 2018.

Since the sale of its rail and commercial aviation activities in 2020 and 2021, Bombardier has refocused on private jets, which are the prerogative of the planet’s ultra-rich.

New York agency

In the spring, the aircraft manufacturer unveiled a new brand image that was developed at great expense by the New York agency Lippincott, designer of the famous Campbell’s soup can and the famous red Betty Crocker spoon.

“We wanted to create a unique and personal gift for our customers in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, designed especially with them in mind as an audience,” explains Ève Laurier, vice-president of communications and in marketing at Bombardier.

“The book expresses in words and images Bombardier’s values ​​and brand identity: family heritage, tradition of innovation, the excellence of its employees,” she adds. “The book also speaks to the great brand that we are, among the most illustrious of our time.”

Not possible here

According to Bombardier, no Quebec or Canadian publisher could have produced the book. “The collaboration with Assouline is also an opportunity to partner with another major brand with an international reputation in its field,” says M^me Laurier.

The author of the book is Montrealer Michael Stephen Johnson while the numerous photos found there are mainly the work of Guillaume Plisson, son of the controversial French photographer Philip Plisson.

Bombardier and Assouline are exploring the possibility of “releasing the book in several languages, including French, and in different ranges,” assures Ève Laurier.

Founded in 1994 by the French Martine and Prosper Assouline, the publishing house specializes in beautiful books, particularly works designed on behalf of major brands. Its clients include Cartier, Burberry, Tiffany & Co and Saudi Arabia.