So, regular readers will know that I have waxed poetic, and (in my own mind) even lyrical about Mido. An emotional attachment is one that is oftentimes difficult to understand and even harder to explain to others. In less than a year I have had the opportunity to visit Mido HQ, personally interview the CEO (very nice guy, by the way), and get a FANTASTIC presentation from a truly gifted PR person working there.
Sadly, this does not always transmit across the boards, or even across the Atlantic. And I think this is where we get down to the "social contract" of social media. As Guy Kawasaki proved, there is no better ambassador than an evangelist. And there is no bigger waste of time and money than mindless marketing. Mido has a lot of great evangelical ambassadors out there. No, not a former Miami Hurricane, not a future Heisman Trophy winner (Marcus Mariota excluded). Bottom line, not someone that is being paid or gifted to wear a watch for a "grip and grin". Simply someone with a Mido story to share. And there are thousands out there.
Time, inevitably, moves forward. What made a brand great (at least in your mind) several years ago might not be what makes it great today. And in fairness, the SWATCH Group is not a "mom and pop" business (although that might seem hard to believe as the name Hayek ensures a certain level of employment). Omega, Blancpain and Breguet have enough latitude and marketing budget to be romantic. But romance in and of itself does not sell watches.
I will always have fond memories of Mido and my father's watch. But as Barry Hearn said, life moves forward. An evangelist has certain unreasonable expectations. And it seems that now is the time to let those expectations go. What spirit and uniqueness I might have felt about Mido were from a Mido of another era. If I am honest , I am a lot more interested in the watches that Mido makes, I do not give a monkey's about football partnership. My feelings for Mido are, to me at least, reminiscent of that first torrid love affair. You say and do things that you wouldn't normally do. And then after the break-up, once the dust has settled, and a few years on and you see the former object of your affections in the light of time's passage, you realize that the love that you felt was perhaps real, but in hindsight maybe it ended the way it did for a reason.
Sadly, this does not always transmit across the boards, or even across the Atlantic. And I think this is where we get down to the "social contract" of social media. As Guy Kawasaki proved, there is no better ambassador than an evangelist. And there is no bigger waste of time and money than mindless marketing. Mido has a lot of great evangelical ambassadors out there. No, not a former Miami Hurricane, not a future Heisman Trophy winner (Marcus Mariota excluded). Bottom line, not someone that is being paid or gifted to wear a watch for a "grip and grin". Simply someone with a Mido story to share. And there are thousands out there.
Time, inevitably, moves forward. What made a brand great (at least in your mind) several years ago might not be what makes it great today. And in fairness, the SWATCH Group is not a "mom and pop" business (although that might seem hard to believe as the name Hayek ensures a certain level of employment). Omega, Blancpain and Breguet have enough latitude and marketing budget to be romantic. But romance in and of itself does not sell watches.
I will always have fond memories of Mido and my father's watch. But as Barry Hearn said, life moves forward. An evangelist has certain unreasonable expectations. And it seems that now is the time to let those expectations go. What spirit and uniqueness I might have felt about Mido were from a Mido of another era. If I am honest , I am a lot more interested in the watches that Mido makes, I do not give a monkey's about football partnership. My feelings for Mido are, to me at least, reminiscent of that first torrid love affair. You say and do things that you wouldn't normally do. And then after the break-up, once the dust has settled, and a few years on and you see the former object of your affections in the light of time's passage, you realize that the love that you felt was perhaps real, but in hindsight maybe it ended the way it did for a reason.
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