So, luxury label Louis Vuitton has some new ways of building its ultra-recognizable, exclusive, and oft-knocked-off brand this spring.

One, the company is going to launch TV ads on February 15. Will this damage the brand or enhance it? Does it seem Starbucks-desperate? Or does it a time when many analysts and observers are claiming "the death of luxury" as a recession looms?

Then, later this spring, the company will also release a line of Vuitton-branded jewelry by record producer, rapper, songwriter -- and designer -- Pharrell Williams. Could this be the next cool Murakami-esque sub-brand of Louis Vuitton? (Remember the colorful bags of several seasons ago, featuring Japanese pop-artist Takashi Murakami's signature bright hues?)

Can Louis Vuitton maintain its respected brand image with so many different messages? Or are there just many different types of Vuitton customer -- the one who responds to the sober, elegant print ads featuring Gorbachev, the trendy hipster, and the, well, mass audience who watches TV?