Passing The Baton

Henki in Paris

When I started Tempus Fugit back in 2010, I was fresh off of three years working for DOXA (Synchron) and wanted to offer some different perspectives to what was out there in the digital realms of watch writing. In truth, Tempus Fugit was more "fan-boy" centric in the early days.

Over time, Tempus Fugit evolved to be more of a site that would offer some (occasionally) contrary views, and not necessarily serve up "feel good" warm and fuzzies about the industry at large.

And in the process, I was drawn more and more back into the watch industry as a consultant. So much so that I now feel that as I work on behalf of brands, it is no longer really appropriate for me to write about brands or releases. I have long believed that there is a clear demarcation between the press and sales/marketing. Although I do disclose all business relationships when writing about any potential, current or past client, I also feel that the time is right to step back and pass the baton to the next steward/s of Tempus Fugit.

Over the next weeks and months, you will see some changes, I hope changes for the better and ones that you will appreciate. There will be a shift to offer more enthusiast related content such as reviews, event coverage, etc.

I will still be popping in from time to time, offering a column on the watch industry from the inside. So although I am handing over the keys, I will still be here, the grumpy uncle, tilting at the occasional windmill ; )

I look forward to introducing you to the new managing editor in the coming days, so watch this space!

Why now?  It is not lost on me that I need to pay heed to the advice that I so copiously dispense, and I refer back to that other great commentator on the watch business, Barry Hearn -

Barry Hearn's Rule #10 - 

Know Your Sell-By Date

I am rounding the corner, heading towards 54 in July. I have been writing Tempus Fugit pretty much solo for the past (going on) 12 years. And to be honest? I am a dinosaur. What you, the readers should be looking for is not the same old shit coming from old farts like me. You should be looking for new voices with new perspectives and new opinions. It's time for the next generation to take the wheel and chart some new courses. And I think we're all in for a hell of a good trip!

And finally, I wanted to take this moment to thank all of you who have supported Tempus Fugit over the years. Whether as a watch enthusiast, a brand representative, designer, marketer, owner, or sales manager. It has been fun, feisty, informative and always interesting. I wish you all the very best of success moving forward.

Tempus Fugit!

The Price of Relevance and Symbiotic Relationships

Shamelessly borrowed from the worldwide info-web

Times have gotten pretty tough in Watch Town.  So tough that the old illusion of trying to call payola nothing more than an urban legend has blown by the wayside, and pay to play is now out dancing in the daylight in front of God and everyone, like it has no shame ; )

The larger outlets have charming ways to describe it:

Sponsored Content

Editorial Products 

Partner Content

There are, of course, financial considerations for the people who produce content. For many, this is a business. It is how they support themselves, pay the bills, keep going. And in a normal world, where everyone was playing by the same rules, it would probably work out.

In a normal world, if you wrote for a commercial (read fan/consumer) market, and brands felt that you had a solid (real) readership base, they would pay to advertise with you. Everyone's happy!  Hooray!

But then cunning and avarice reared their ugly twin-hydra heads and we were (all of us) collectively off to the races! With print media, distribution and estimated reach and readership is a somewhat knowable quantity. Digital is harder to accurately (and honestly) quantify. When click farmers are constantly promising thousands of followers and viewers in exchange for $10 US, and outlets are tracking MILLIONS of "unique" viewers, the water becomes beyond muddy. Up until 2 years ago, the big outlets were riding high. Advertising revenues were strong, and enough aspiring brands were willing to roll the dice to increase their exposure with the "editorial investment" of $500 or so. 

How do I know this?  As a brand representative I would contact the big outlets from time to time with a press release, and be told either "We don't cover this price point" (even though they would later cover something within $0.50 of what I sent them), or "It's not something we have time to cover, but maybe you could consider a sponsored post?".

And inevitably, just as the brands had to discover that there were too many other brands out there with not enough customers to buy their watches... the outlets covering them now have to learn that there are not enough brands with money to spend on their services for promotion. The problem with symbiotic relationships is that while one of the species benefits (the outlet), for the brand (in this instance the other species), the relationship may be positive, negative, or neutral. And sooner or later, if it is not viewed as necessary, that marketing expense will wither away.

A Social (media) Experiment - When Brands Take a Stand

So I realize that, once again, I'm about to veer into territory that will possibly upset some.  To be clear, I am not going to try to change anyone's mind. I am going to try and focus here just on the facts, and offer a smidge of opinion.

As many of you who view your social media posts more than twice a day will likely be aware, yesterday was Black Out Tuesday.  Essentially a day where many posted all black photos in support of the protests currently taking place across the US.  And it is important to be clear, supporting peoples right to protest does not de facto equate to supporting riots and vandalism, just as supporting the police does not necessarily mean supporting police misconduct.  These things are not mutually exclusive.

And as it happens, a few watch brands threw in their support and posted images in support of this growing movement.  Bell & Ross, IWC and Timex were the big ones that I noticed.  And for the record, I applaud these brands for their stance.  Yes, they took a stand, they made a VERY public statement, and then...

Well, that is when the haters came out en masse.

Now, I am old enough and wise enough to know that you are about as likely to change someone's mind in a social media exchange as you are to find a cure for cancer in one afternoon in a middle school lab... but wouldn't it be great if you could ; )

Comments started with "Stick to Watches"  and degenerated from there.  

Now regardless of which side of the current divide you find yourself, I want to posit a simple question -

If you are of the belief that a brand or company should not comment on anything social, political, delicate (i.e. Watch Brands can have their opinion, but they should keep it to themselves), do you not find it ironic that you feel so compelled to post negative commentary about it?  In other words, what is it that is really upsetting you? I would posit that it is entirely possible that in some instances, some of these angry people posting aren't really concerned about the brand taking a stand in general, but rather about what that particular social statement is.  

In my consulting work I have learned that there is a very fine line between trying to do what's right and upsetting someone.  As I often say, we can all agree that puppies are good and cancer is bad, and heaven help the poor "Cancer Puppies".  But it creates a challenge for any company to try and be socially responsible.

What I took away from this social media experiment was that there is still a very, very deep divide in the US.  I also discovered that there are a lot of white males based in Eastern European countries who are apparently deeply concerned that America is being torn apart by brands making a social statement...

I would like to think that maybe, just maybe what motivated some of these brands to take a stand is all a bit more simple, and far less sinister than some people want to make it.

In the US, right now, there is a growing movement.  Young and old, male and female, and pretty much any race you can name are coming together in these protests across the country.  They are hoping for change.  And for those who are happy with things just as they are?  I get it, change is scary.  While you might not agree with it, while it might make you uncomfortable, you can't really deny it is a real movement any more than you can deny that the earth is round and gravity exists.  And curious to relate?  Brands are not merely office buildings and factories.  Brands are made up of people.  

Regardless of where you stand on this, I wish you all peace.

Who Does The Influencer Really Influence?

The price of influence (or more specifically to watch brand marketing departments), influencers is a constant topic of conversation and debate. Do clicks, swipes, likes and shares really translate to sales conversions?

I was recently forwarded a story about an Instagrammer who boasts over 2 million followers, who tried to launch a clothing brand, and unfortunately did not succeed.

You can find the story here -
Instagrammer with 2 million followers...

That's not such an unusual story, even before the time of COVID-19. It takes a bit of pluck to start your own company/business, and a lot of them don't make it. Remember 3thirty3 watch fans? But what is particularly intriguing in this particular situation is that with more than 2 million followers, she was unable to shift (if the article is correct) a total of 36 t-shirts...

Oh, which reminds me -

SUPPORT Tempus Fugit AND BUY A SHIRT!

https://www.customink.com/fundraising/help-support-tempus-fugit-on-our-tenth-anniversary

See what I did there ; )

Now on the one hand, you can say that this influencer is not as popular or "influential" as might be believed based on her number of followers. It is true that a lot of this could be down to what they referred to in The Wire as - "Juking the Stats". Essentially manipulating the numbers so they look better than they really are. In social media where success or failure is based on head counts, there are the real numbers, and the "not-so-real" numbers. Click farms still do exist, random people (by that I mean, your last name doesn't start with Kardashian) seldom magically acquire such a large number of followers without a wee bit of "magic pixie dust" being sprinkled out there. So it's safe to say that "real numbers" may not always match the reported or tracked number of followers.

And in a world where a brand can send a press release to an online watch magazine and receive back a rate sheet with prices based on what level of coverage and praise the watch brand is seeking, it is safe to say that everyone seems to be working on an angle. 

Because if you can't trust the press...
Well, to (loosely) quote Baltimore Sun City Editor Gus Haynes as portrayed by Clark Jackson in the seminal Baltimore based series, The Wire -

Courtesy of The Wire

"That's Some Shameful Shit".

Another inconvenient truth that this highlights, selling stuff - clothes, watches, or widgets is not as easy it might seem.

So this is the crux of the challenge in this rapidly evolving media world that we live in. Does influence truly equal sales? Big brands have SEVERAL people on their payrolls who operate their social media platforms. There is a very clear reason why you will frequently find the "Follow us on (insert your favorite social media platform here)". And clearly it is the brand's belief that while they can "maintain" a certain presence of followers themselves, the follower has to have already "found" the brand in the first place. The hope is that the influencer will then introduce them to millions of other people.

Okay, fair enough. But the reality becomes realer when the influencer is suddenly the brand/ company. And like any good pyramid scheme, you are now dependent upon OTHERS to promote and like, share and potentially press coins of silver into your palm.

Influence is great, but for would-be influencer cum entrepreneur? Sales are what makes Sammy Run.

I Could Do It Better Myself - The Volunteer Media

Despite what some folks think, the majority of the press covering the watch business these days is of a voluntary nature.  This is largely the result of brands cutting advertising budgets, and people going back to former occupations, getting married, or finding better ways to spend their free (and not so free) time.

So gentle reader, an inside look at a day in the life of Henki -

5:30 - Whether I like it or not, Tallulah (the older cat and Executive Publisher) is awake and waiting to be fed.  Sabrina (the younger cat and Editor in Chief) is waiting as well.  I head downstairs, turn up the heat in the house, and feed the cats.  I gulp down my morning tablets with a glass of water, have the first of several espressos and head back upstairs to the office.

5:45 - emails reviewed, and...
Not a sausage.  
Not only has watch advertising money dried up, watch brands are producing fewer and fewer models, and some have made their PR functions redundant.  News is scant, and unlike some of my colleagues in the Fourth and Fifth Estate, I prefer not to manufacture it.

6:15 - Go down and make a coffee for Wendy who is up and getting ready for work.

6:25 - I receive a follow-up email from the PR manager at Brand Y.  Y for "why won't you write about us?", which I have explained a few times - I don't write advertorials.  I realize my unwillingness to do so is probably holding me back financially, but a man must have a code ; )

6:45 - Email in-box pings, and... 

Good news! I am the winner of the Nigerian National Lottery! Maybe I'll buy Watch Time from Ebner so I can finally have my own magazine!
7:15 - Finally I decide that as no news is forthcoming, I will write an editorial type piece. The Grey Market is always good for a few hundred words, and is showing no sign of slowing down.  

8:00 - Kiss Wendy and wish her a good day as she heads out the door.

8:35 - Hastily showered and dressed, lunch made, it's off to work.

8:55 - Parking lot duty.  Where I work we have very limited parking, and as such the students have been informed that they cannot park in the back lot.  Needless to say, it is a game of cat and mouse as several try to slip in anyway to avoid parking on the street.  This, in turn, prevents other staff members and board members (who have a meeting today) from parking.  While being the Director of Adult Education and Workforce Development has its perks, playing parking lot "sizzler" is not one of them ; )

9:05 - Call with my contact at the Dept. of Education office.  Nothing major, clarifications regarding programming made, and all seems under control.

9:35 - Call from reception, someone is interested in learning English, could I come down and speak with them?

10:30 - Class break time.  I try to speak with each of the four teachers, make sure everything is under control.

10:45 - Back to work on the grant application.  It is due on Friday, signatures are needed from the boss, and I still need to nail down the budget.

12:15 - Text message from brand manager in Switzerland.  Could I recommend a sales manager in Florida.  I file that under "not pressing" and dive back into "grant writing land".

12:30 - Lunch with the teaching team.  Brief ad hoc meeting to review a few items coming up.

13:45 - Call from former student of mine who is interviewing for a job.

2:30 - 30 minute walk around the surrounding area to clear the head.

3:25 - Personal email pops on my iPhone, and I see that the watch from Brand X that three of the big outlets already wrote about 2 days ago is suddenly now a press release for "the rest of us".  I delete the message.

4:15 - draft of the grant application is finally ready to be reviewed by the boss.

4:45 - The phone rings just as I am leaving the office.  Meeting arranged for Wednesday morning to review our proposed adult education program with a new partner one town over.

5:15 - Stop at Trader Joe's for dinner items.

5:35 - Feed the cats dinner, scoop out the litter box, make a coffee and fire-up the laptop.

5:55 - Complete text edit for one of my brands, and respond to a customer query for another.  Yes, the watch in question is available, yes, it does cost that much, no there will be no discount!

6:17 - Phone rings, it's Japan with an urgent request for a special event, could I help organize it?

7:25 - Dinner is nearly ready, and Wendy arrives home after a long day.

9:26  - Story lined up for tomorrow involving a review of a new brand's watch.

10:25 - After 15 minutes of futility, I give up trying to read any more of the book I've been working on since Christmas.  Turn out the lights and off to sleep.  Tomorrow is another exciting day in watch media!

I Could Do It Better Myself - PR/Media

So let's now have a look behind the velvet rope of brand PR and have an inside look at a day in the life of watch PR.

5:30 - Up to answer emails, and double-check the calendar.  

6:15 - Make sure the kids are up and dressed, it's dad's turn to take them to school, so for once you have time for your spin class - if you hustle!

7:45 - Following class you are on your way in, when your phone rings.  The personal assistant to the head of sales (Europe) calls to tell you that you need to stop to pick up Nespresso pods, milk, some snacks, etc., as he has very important meetings... the day after tomorrow.

8:30 - Safely at your desk, you double-check the press release that finally came back from the agency that you were forced to hire (old drinking buddy with the head of sales - UK), who you have discovered does not actually use the native language speakers that he promised that he did.  You know this for two reasons -
1.  The text in the English release is completely jacked-up.
2.  Your brother-in-law who studies languages in university answered a flyer posted in the university's student union looking for freelance/part-time translators, who then called to ask you about company x.

You hit send, and hold your breath.

9:25 - Influencer A who was supposed to be there at 9:00 is still nowhere to be seen, no call, no text, no nothing.

10:15 - Halfway through what was supposed to be a brief "check-in" meeting with the head of marketing, it becomes quite clear that the project that the entire company has been pushing with a partnership with movie star/philanthropist Z is about to be abruptly dumped in favor of a new brand ambassador campaign featuring a football star from a large, famous team in the UK.  You take note of the autographed photos of famous footballers on the walls of the head of marketing's office, and mentally accept that you and your team are about to embark on a "bromance" on behalf of a grown-assed man who will probably be working for a different brand inside of 9 months.

11:55 - Realizing that you might, for once, be able to enjoy your lunch on your own (i.e. no wining and dining of media or clients), you reach out to your friend who works nearby and make a reservation.

12:15 - Just as you are seated and about to order, your cell phone rings and it is a frantic front reception person back at the office.  Influencer A is there, spitting vitriol that he was not picked up at his hotel (which is in Zurich, and your office is, let's just say, a few hours away), and is clearly in no good mood.  

You apologize to your friend, dash to the car and double-time it back to the office.  You scan the front lobby where there is no sign of Influencer A. Your phone rings again and it is the CEO asking you to come to his office.  

And there, settled across from each other sipping Prosecco are the CEO and Influencer A.  The CEO lets you know that he and Influencer A are going to have lunch, and could you please book a table.  You call back the restaurant that you had abandoned just a short while ago, and explain the situation.  The restaurant manager is very familiar with the machinations of the CEO and a table is "created".  

While the CEO and Influencer A are out, you call each department to make sure that you can get him in.  You cancel the balance of your appointments for the rest of the afternoon, and you inhale a left-over sandwich from yesterday's meeting.  

14:15 - Returning a bit toasted and at least in a better mood, you begin the rounds ferrying Influencer A around.

15:25 - A journalist in North America who you have a good working relationship sends you a What's App message gently letting you know that your agency made a bit of a mess with the translation.  You make a note to speak again with the head of marketing to see if a change can be made with the translation agency.

16:30 - You greet Influencer A at the door, pass over a lavish goody bag which also includes the latest watch which he asked for (really, not-so-subtly demanded), place him in a taxi, and hand him the last of your cash to pay for his train ticket back to Zurich (you can submit the reimbursement tomorrow).

17:15 - Luckily, the kids spent the afternoon with Grandma, so you simply need to head there to pick them up.  As you are nearly out the door, the head of marketing pulls you aside to let you know that he might have "accidentally" told Influencer A that a car would take him from his hotel in Zurich to the factory this morning, and could you please arrange a bottle of champagne to be sent to Influencer A's room with a note saying how sorry you are that the car was not arranged?  This is more of a directive than a request, so you nod, and make the arrangements as you head to your car, and finally, home.

Tomorrow is another day!

Summer Repeat - The Social Contract of Social Media

This first ran about three years ago.  Since that time it has become crystal clear to me and others that there is less and less of such a thing as a free press when it comes to watches.  How do I know this?  In addition to this, and my day job as a social worker, I also represent a handful of brands in North America.  In this role I am often reaching out to my colleagues in the Fourth and Fifth Estate, and more often than not, it becomes readily evident that unless some sort of an "accommodation" can be reached, they are not going to cover it.  This is particularly striking when I consider the way that some of these folks used to bemoan the fact that they couldn't get any ad money.  Suddenly they are sending replies like - "oh, sorry, we won't be covering this one".  This is code for - "I know that this brand has no budget and you will not be sending me any cash, so I guess we'll see each other at BaselWorld".  One of the larger outlets ran a piece bemoaning the rise of the "influencer" and how unfair it was that the influencer (not the honest, fair-minded watch reporter writing about the unfairness of the influencer getting a piece of his pie) would insist on coin of the realm in exchange for coverage.  And curious to relate?  When I sent over a press release to this "honest broker" of horological news, their business manager sent me a rate sheet.  No other reply except, essentially, PAY ME BITCH!  And this was the type of money that isn't usually negotiated without the aid of a loaded pistol ; )

In fairness to the "fair haired" weasels out there, it takes two parties to make a corrupt system.  The blogger/writer/influencer that has their hand in the brands pockets, and the brand who willingly hands over the money, then cries "we're a small brand and don't have any advertising money" when approached for honest, above board advertising from people who are ready to cover them without a fee. So just how honest could the coverage really be that you are being hose-fed from the big outlets?


So let's re-heat this one -

Shamelessly borrowed from the world-wide info web

The Social Contract of Social Media 
This post has been on the shelf for nearly a year, but it seems time to air it out.

For most of us who write about watches in the digital arena, we don't do it for money.  True enough, our blogs might have advertising - such as this one, but by and large that is where it begins and ends.

Blogs, and blogs that have evolved into online magazines started out life as an alternative to magazines that more often than not were constrained by the need to drive advertising revenue.  It opened up a whole new world where people would tune in with the hopes of getting some viewpoints and opinions that were not fueled and channeled directly through the marketing arm of Richemont, LVMH or the SWATCH Group.  And perhaps more importantly, it did not cost the reader anything.  It was free to read, and you didn't have to drive to a book store or news stand.

But then another interesting thing started to happen -
The number of people checking out these alternative watch sites began to far outstrip the number of magazine readers.  And suddenly real analytics were possible!  And even more suddenly what had been a vehicle to promote a decidedly niche product to a clearly more niche market became a mechanism to subvert the role of independent writer and pump favorable content directly in front of this now much larger audience via an electronic delivery system.  In other words, payola arrived in the watch world.

For those of you not familiar, here is a definition from our friends at Urban Dictionary -

payola

Bribery made to a dj in exchange for promotion of an album or single. Derived from the words 'pay' (give money to) and 'victrola' (a record player).You'd need to offer some serious payola to get your song played.

And that opened up a whole new paradigm.  Wonder how an online magazine or blog with multiple writers can afford to provide salaries and benefits for so many people, with no visible ads?  Ever wonder why a brand that has never seen the light of day on that blog suddenly makes multiple appearances?  

And then things took an even darker turn.  The way things are supposed to work for a brand is:

1.  You draft a press release regarding a new brand or product

2.  You spend time and/or money putting together a list of blogs, magazines, etc.

3.  You send it out and, for the most part, the blogs will run it.

Now a quick peek behind the curtain - 

The way that it should work is that the blogger will review what they receive, and if it interests them and they feel it will interest their readers, they will run it.  In some instances, if there are personal or professional differences/ conflicts, etc., with the brand,  then the blogger might not run the release.  In addition, if the blogger has managed to alienate the brand through their writing, then it is entirely possible that the brand's pr/marketing team will pull a Donald Trump and refuse to communicate with them or send them press updates.  This is to be expected and I would say, fair enough.

Now it seems that with the owners of several of the blogs, "horological interest" is measured in terms of payment.  And to be clear by payment I do not mean advertising agreements, a watch received in barter for advertising or marketing or even simple good will.   I mean just what I am saying - payment required and received in exchange for coverage.

So what has now become standard for some of these outlets is that a rate sheet is sent to the brand manager or pr representative, not unlike a take out food menu:  

• To do a review  of your watch will cost you X.
• To announce your new brand will cost you Y.
• To REALLY pump your watch or brand will cost you Z.

Simply put, a fair amount of what you read in some of the bigger blogs and online magazines has been bought and paid for.

Now again, in fairness, if a brand supports a blog or online magazine with advertising, it is not unreasonable to expect coverage - in fact I believe that there is an implied social contract between the blog and the brand that requires a certain amount of coverage. 

Moreover, many bloggers do contract work for brands.  But that is a very separate matter that precludes "air time" on their blog or online magazine beyond the normal coverage.

But, and it's a big but, when a blog or online magazine requires payment in exchange for any sort of coverage, well then it is no longer what can even remotely be thought of as fair and impartial.  

Because there is another contract that is more than merely implied.  It is the social contract with the writer and the reader.

Summer Repeat - Two Phrases to Eliminate at BaselWorld (or any watch event, for that matter)

"James is a longtime friend of the brand!"

I hear this throw-away phrase at least six times a day during BaselWorld.  It is one of those profoundly dubious comments bandied about most often by the agencies hired at ridiculously high costs to somehow make you (the blogger) feel important.  I actually couldn't contain the laughter when that little set of bons mots was proffered with utter insincerity in the Girard-Perregaux booth this past year by the very agency that had avoided my calls and put off my repeated requests for an appointment.  Luckily, my coffee cup was only halfway to my mouth, avoiding a potentially embarrassing spray of lukewarm espresso onto the (no doubt) miso stained ties of the Japanese journalists sitting down the table from me.

Friend of the Brand is code for - "We don't advertise with them, we don't really make a huge effort, but they keep insisting on an appointment, so try to say something nice".  It is that not-so-subtle cue that you are clearly inconveniencing these people.


"Good to see you my friend!"

My friend is one of those funny expressions that clearly has different meanings in literal translation. The watch industry's lingua franca is English.  But the majority of the gatekeepers, CEOs, and transplanted brand managers are not native English speakers.  In French, mon ami has a very nice, collegial, downright fraternal meaning.  But there is a certain edge to "my friend" when used by native speakers of English, as it is oftentimes used in what can gently be referred to grammatically as the facetious tense.  I will defer to Chef, author and liver of life Anthony Bourdain's analysis from his seminal tome on the restaurant industry, Kitchen Confidential -

Shamelessly borrowed from Wikipedia

Pinche wey means "fucking guy" but can also mean "you adorable scamp" or "pal".  But if you use the word pal - or worse, the phrase my friend - in my kitchen, it'll make people paranoid.  My friend famously means "asshole" in the worst and most sincere sense of the word.

Care and Feeding of the Watch Press

So it happens like this -

Brand plans a big press event. Brand marketing genius (excuse me while I die laughing) decides that invitations are only going out to the A list. Several A list outlets simply can't be asked, others hint that they could be "enticed" to come, well you know where it goes from here.

Now to a large extent, this is the way it's always been done (at least in recent memory) by small and mid-sized brands, and this is the way it continues to be done.  Needless to say, plenty of bottom-feeding outlets are ready to be there, solemn and sincere interest being feigned at appropriate levels to ensure that the business portion of this transaction is, well, transacted by both sides.  And you know what?  Fair enough.  There will always be confidence men (and women) out there, and there will always be watch brands ready to put something shiny in their hands. 

Now here is where the story takes an even more interesting twist.  Event happens, press release is provided to a select few outlets. And when the rest of the press reaches out to the brand afterward in the hopes of getting the press release, because, you know, that is how the press is supposed to work?  That same Marketing Genius (yes, still laughing) tells said outlets, in essence, to go screw themselves.

Marketing and promoting a watch brand is, contrary to the same self-styled marketing gurus beliefs, nothing that requires some weird Yoda-like approach, is actually pretty simple.  If you are in charge of marketing you have one simple job - make people like you, your brand and the brand's watches.  That's all.  When you treat the press badly?  They are far less inclined to like you, and they are most certainly not going to write about you.

Now I know just what these young sharps are convincing their bosses and themselves of - they are targeting their brand towards the cream of the watch press.  But consider this - when you, as a brand, have to pay (by coin of the realm or by shady gift) to get coverage? You are doing the equivalent of tying a pork-chop around your neck to get the dog to play with you.  And when you tell the press that is willing to cover you for free to go get stuffed?  You're a MORON. 

Do You Remember?

I have been having a very interesting experience these past few months.  And if I am being completely honest, this novel "weirdness" started back in February when I came back to Japan and visited Minase in Akita-Ken.  I think maybe it was a wake-up call that I had been wanting but had failed to receive up until that time.   And what I keep being reminded of?  We are obsessed with labels and history, and all too often that history and story are no longer the reality of who, what and even where a brand is today.

That was driven home even more clearly when I visited the District Time Show this past weekend.  These are all, for the most part, small micro brands.  While there is no small amount of debate or discussion as to what, exactly, constitutes being a micro brand, it is safe to say that it is typically a one or two person band.

One brand that caught my eye was Draken.  Draken is the creation of Michael Blythe, originally from South Africa but lately residing in New Zealand.  The watch pictured above is the Draken Kalahari.  This is a sample / prototype of a new model that is currently in a pre-order.

Another was Collins.  The piece above is the Bronson Automatic.  

And Hager is back with a new dress watch, I believe the Diplomat (but I will reach out to the brand owner to confirm this naming convention).  

What these past months have reminded me is that there are still people out there who do what they do out of passion, and not merely going through the motions for a paycheck.

Ultimately, a watch is no longer a requirement.  You don't need one, let alone more than one ; )

So clearly for many people out there, a watch is something that communicates to them on a visceral level.  And ultimately isn't that more compelling than an instafamous influencer, or $7,500 per month PR firm telling you to like something?

I guess that up until this past February, I had forgotten what it was that I really appreciated about watches.  So thank you to the smaller independent and micro brands for reminding me.

Just Because You Can... Doesn't Mean You Should.

Omega is a great brand with a lot of great products.  They do a lot of wonderful work with charity.  I own two Omegas and still miss my 1969 Speedmaster Professional.  

Having said that...

Courtesy of Omega

This latest effort is a bit of a squib.

And the text provided with the images is enough to make you want to avoid any hipster that you encounter -

Thanks to its reliable design and superb anti-magnetic properties, the original OMEGA Railmaster of 1957 was perfectly suited to a role in working-class life. Today, the updated collection is proudly paying tribute to that industrial past with a new denim-inspired model.

Although they are now a fashion item, denim jeans were once manufactured purely for the benefit of hard-working laborers in the American West. For a long time, the robust cloth was the choice of miners, factory workers, farmers, and of course, those on the railroads. Their sturdy trousers or overalls would have gone hand-in-hand with the watch on their wrist.

To link the iconic material with this new Railmaster, OMEGA has created a vertically-brushed “blue jeans” dial that features indexes and hands with light-grey Super-LumiNova. There is also a beige lollipop central seconds hand and transferred Railmaster indication that are both reminiscent of the colored stitching found in denim jeans.

Most uniquely, the model is beautifully presented on a genuine blue denim NATO strap with brown leather used on the underside and for the keepers. The same model is alternatively available on a stainless-steel bracelet.

Courtesy of Omega

And if you have your heart set on this watch, I would opt for the bracelet version, you won't look like such a goof. 

The message seems to be:  "you don't have to get your hands dirty, but next time you put on your Redwing boots and "faux-vintage" Carhartt work wear, we've got just the watch for you!"  

I find it a stretch that Omega (and pretty much any other brand out there) is actually too fussed about celebrating the rugged integrity of the hard working men and women who actually performed honest toil for below-poverty-level wages.  It's fair to say that I could be wrong.  Having said that, I am pretty confident that the majority of the 30 somethings out there that this item is targeted at do not likely have just south of five grand ($4,900 suggested retail) to drop on an homage to the laborer.   They've spent all their money on student loan repayments and tragic tattoos.  And the amount of tips that baristas are making is not going to put a dent in the sticker price of this one.

I can almost hear the pitch meeting for this one now:

"Hey!  The really cool people featured in the the instafamous feeds we spend so much money on?  They all dress like hobos!"  

"Yeah, you're right!  What we need is an Omega for the trucker hat wearing, Pabst Blue Ribbon drinking, American Spirit smoking trendetarians out there!"

So does this mean that the two Crawford-Gerber ambassadors do the next Omega photo shoot dressed like Box Car Willie? 

Time will tell ; )

The Incredible Shrinking Fair

So news has filtered its way to the North Shore, and if the rather loud whispers are to be believed, it would seem that BaselWorld will be contracting once again.  Hall 2 will be closed and for all intents and purposes, the entire fair will all be in Hall 1 in 2019.

Now for many of us who had to race back and forth between Hall 1 and Hall 2 it meant often being late, and running a very real risk of contracting second-hand lung cancer as we passed through the wall of nervous sales reps and indolent influencers doing their level best to boost tobacco sales by 23% every BaselWeek.  For us, this is not such a bad piece of news.  And if I am being very honest (if unkind) the atmosphere and "decor" of Hall 2 was often more reminiscent of the Jackson, TN Greyhound bus station than of a luxury destination -

Courtesy of roadarch.com

Having gotten off the bus at 11:45 at night at this very station, I can tell you that, well... it's pretty depressing.  

When I worked for DOXA, Hall 2 (somewhat in the right armpit of the building) was where we were located.  The advantage was that the sausage stand was a mere 45 second walk away, the disadvantages?  Too many to count.  When you are in a shitty location, people are more likely to miss their appointments, and not make any effort to reach out for a "make up".  As a rule, nobody goes to Hall 2 unless they have a reason, because the sausage stand has moved across the street.  It just isn't sexy.

And for the fair organizers?  One less building means fewer security guards to pay, lower power bills, etc.  Logistically?  Smoother, easier to deal with.  

In terms of public perception?  Not so good.  Over the last few years we have seen the fair shrink from four halls, now down to one.  The number of attendees (journalists, fans, and retailers) has drastically reduced has well.  And more and more brands have been looking for "alternative" accommodations by renting out cafes, restaurants, shops, even houses rather than drop the cash on space in any of the halls.  And my suspicion is that the powers that be might try to "adjust" pricing to reflect the "exclusivity" of being in Hall 1.  So if you were a brand that was saving some pennies by being in Hall 2, you will be paying Hall 1 prices, or you will be looking for something different.  The question then becomes, will Hall 1 be able to accommodate everyone who wants space?  Or potentially more worrisome, will the potential uptick in price encourage some of the potential tenants to skip the whole thing altogether, leaving a look and feel like a dead shopping mall?

Courtesy of Architectural Afterlife

Let us hope that the new regime in charge of organizing this shin-dig will view it as an opportunity for rebirth and reinvention.  And more than anything else, let's hope they fill the halls and support the brands, the journalists and the retailers - because that will be the true measure of a successful BaselWorld fair.

 

On Paid Influence and the Press

True story ; )

Be sure to watch with the subtitles on -

Henki and Paid Influence

What Traffic, Influencers and Exclusives REALLY Mean

Is, in fact, any one's guess.  This is not a new theme here at Tempus Fugit, but it is apparently becoming a more relevant topic as more and more brands and media outlets are asking, and being asked some increasingly uncomfortable questions about how they are handling their pr, marketing and media.

So let's get one thing out of the way right from Jump Street -
Tempus Fugit does not accept any watch brand advertising.  You will note a Bell & Ross interactive clock on the site, and it is there because I personally like the feature (clock adjusts to whatever time you are tuning in from).  No money is charged in exchange for this.  Tempus Fugit does run approximately 3 fund raisers a year selling branded t-shirts and sweat shirts which brands and brand managers are certainly allowed to purchase (p.s. still time to order your Tempus Fugit Sweatshirt -

for only $45 US - Support Tempus Fugit - Get a Super-Dope Sweatshirt!)

Note how I smoothly snuck in a pitch ; )

So how do I make money?  I have consulting clients in the watch industry (ones that you will not read about here, as that would create an ethical conflict), and I work as a teacher and social worker (as I have discovered, that is also part of my calling).  And then why do I do it (I get this question a lot from PR folks), because I love it.  The point being, I found a way to make enough money at it to make it worthwhile while not having to park my ethics at the door.

Okay, so that's me, but let's have a quick whip-round to consider what is happening outside my little ecosystem.  In order to have an even passably interesting site (whether you call it a blog, an online magazine, etc.) you need to have content.  And all of us, from the mighty to the small get lots of press releases.  Interesting to relate, I noticed that more than a few brands and PR agencies would send releases in 2 waves - the first wave to outlets that the brands and PR agencies ALREADY PAID advertising money to.  In other words, the outlet not only sold the brand ad space, but as part of the deal, secured exclusive advance intel on new products in so-called exclusives.  And this really creates a false impression for the reader.  If you are the reader (or a potential advertiser) and you notice again and again how a certain outlet can manage to "scoop" the competition on a new release again and again.  You would think that outlet and their platoon of writers must have some amazing inside track.  Guess again.  Several of these sites do not write a sentence until coin of the realm has passed hands.  Ever wonder why a mid-tier group brand will suddenly be relevant exactly two times a year to one of the biggest digital outlets, and never during the rest of the year?  Yeah, I don't wonder either.  The "package" takes care of  your needs even if you are not a "known" advertiser.

Another goofy trend is the once-a-year outreach employed by some brands.  These are the brands that will never give you a BaselWorld appointment, never respond to any emails, never assist in ANY way for a story.  But out of the blue you get this warm, fuzzy, honey-laden entreaty to connect because:

"We have a story that we think your readers will be interested in..."

What I have come to understand, is that this is code for:

"We have an influencer/instafamer/instagrammer under contract and we need to push this content".   

In such cases, I request other photos not from the influencer/instafamer/instagrammer and often never hear anything further.  So in the new year, a kind message for the PR office - I am happy to write about your brand and your releases.  I am not happy to blindly promote someone you already pay money to to promote your brand, which you are now trying to get me to promote by promoting the promoter... 

Confused?  I'm not.  You hired these folks, you paid them, they are supposed to be promoting you, not the other way around.  And please stop asking me and other people to promote them for you after you paid them.

Oh, and p.s. - the FTC is taking an increasingly dim view of paid promotion through instagrammers & influencers who fail to disclose the financial nature of their relationship with the brand/brands that are featured in their social media feeds.  So as a public service gesture, I'd like share this info from the Federal Trade Commission -

https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking
 

And now that not-so-tiny elephant in the room - TRAFFIC.

Traffic as it relates to the Internet is really one of the most misunderstood metrics out there.  On the one hand, traffic is based
on a number.  Something that is quantifiable, something easily understood by salespeople - selling 100 is far better than 50.  The bigger the number, the better!  But as we are now seeing with watch sales numbers and export numbers getting a "flavor enhanced" boost via the Grey and Light Grey market, we can see that these do, in fact represent sales numbers, but not in the sense that demonstrate sales through the traditional outlets.  Grey and Light Grey Market sales are cover for product dumping.  Well, website traffic is really not that different.  A website can have millions of hits per month, but that does not mean that millions of people are actually visiting those sites -

Click Farms via Vice News

For many of us who run these outlets, it can be a very tempting option, we get nearly daily offers to pay $15.00 for 2,000 followers!  And as the competition among click farms increases, the rates charged will continue to fall.  Pretty soon it will be 10,000 followers for $5.00.  And in fairness to the guys and gals making ad buy decisions (or editorial package decisions) at watch brand HQ, this is really all that they have to go by.  They do not generally have the time (or sometimes even the interest) to read the actual articles and postings that are generated.  Let me put this in a different context, I think despite that fact that everyone reading this is probably pretty interested in watches, we can also agree that the number of people interested in fashion would far eclipse the numbers for watch interest.  Scott Schuman's the Sartorialist - www.thesartorialist.com fetches approximately 500,000 visitors per month.  Do you really think that more people are "clicking in" every month to read about watches than fashion?  

Ever wonder why nobody ever wrote a book called "The Devil Wears an Omega", and why nobody ever made a documentary movie titled Biver: The Last Emperor (although, in fairness, I did right an opinion piece the last time he announced his impending retirement back in 2012 - http://www.tempusfugit.watch/2012/01/last-emperor-has-left-party.html), as someone did about Valentino - Valentino: The Last Emperor IMDb?

Simple, watches are interesting, but they're not that interesting.  Or put more precisely as it relates to the whole traffic conundrum - there is traffic, and then there is traffic.

As with my food, I generally prefer to keep my website traffic organic.

So another year is in the books, and we all look forward to turning the page.  I thank everyone who participated in Tempus Fugit from the brands, to the PR folks to most importantly you, the readers.  I promise you that in 2018 you will continue to get content that is "free range" and hopefully some commentary that will give you a different perspective.  And while you will probably read and hear about some of the brands that I am working for/with, you will not be reading/hearing about them here ; )


With our very best wishes for you in 2018 -

Tallulah Henderson - Executive Publisher, Tempus Fugit Media
James Henderson - Chief Messenger, Tempus Fugit Media

 
 

Cha-Ching! The Price of Influence

A fool and his money are lucky enough to get together in the first place.

Gordon Gecko - Wall Street

So earlier today I was enjoying a particularly fine cup of coffee when the familiar "bing" announced an incoming email message.  Upon opening, it, I promptly shot a good gulp of French Roast through my left nostril, all over the screen of my brand new iPhone X.  I then had to use the sleeve of my jacket to wipe it off.  Carl F. Bucherer, you owe me for a dry cleaning bill. 

Every so often, I get a press release that makes me wonder if millennialitis is treatable, or chronic and just something hipsters and millenials contract and then die with.  

millennialitis

The belief of sales, marketing, and advertising professionals that the Millennial demographic represents a completely unique group of consumers and as such, entirely new approaches must be adopted. Even if the product you are trying to sell is intended for a completely different demographic, such as Depends Adult diapers.

I tried to explain to the Creative Director that the hipster didn't represent our customer demographic, but she's got a bad case of millennialitis.

You know,  not unlike their beard combs and hipster-meets-Amish outlaw clothing in their "thoughtfully curated closets" that no longer fits (in terms of both taste and size), but that no vintage clothing store will buy or charity shop will accept as a donation.

I'm going to reprint this just as it landed in my email in-box:

Courtesy of Carl F. Bucherer

New York, NY (December 4, 2017) - Carl F. Bucherer has launched an extensive new influencer campaign inspired by the urban spirit of its Manero Flyback watches. In keeping with the claim “Wherever time takes you, Lucerne travels with you,” the campaign features five highly popular US influencers that live its spirit in different ways. Among them is successful menswear and lifestyle blogger Blake Scott, who now has become the watch manufacturer’s first digital brand ambassador.

Carl F. Bucherer has been continuously expanding its digital presence over the course of the past few years. “Launching a global influencer campaign is the next step in our efforts to increase brand awareness and engage more directly with style aficionados,” says Danijela Andjelic, Head of Digital at Carl F. Bucherer. As part of the campaign, the brand is strengthening its relationship with five successful US men’s lifestyle bloggers – Blake Scott, Adam Gallagher, Luke Ditella, Brian Sacawa, and Igee Okafor – who were selected by the Swiss watch manufacturer as they all embody the fashion sense of a modern urban gentleman in their own way. These men are a perfect match for the Manero Flyback by Carl F. Bucherer, a key model for the brand. With its sleek style and multifaceted dial, the Manero Flyback is a watch that truly stands out from the crowd and is a wonderfully sophisticated accessory for global citi-zens with an eclectic sense of style.

Carl F. Bucherer is delighted to welcome Blake Scott as the brand’s first digital brand ambassador as part of the “ Wherever time takes you, Lucerne travels with you ” campaign. The successful LA-based lifestyle ex-pert created the very popular blog The Scott Effect ( thescotteffect.com ) and currently has more than 481,000 followers on Instagram. 

Okay, there's a whole lotta' wacka-doodle to unpack from this, but I thought in the interest of brevity, we'd just keep it simple:

The first important thing that needs to be taken into consideration - the acknowledgement that these fine fellows are, indeed, self-proclaimed influencers.  And what is the definition of influencer?  That's just it, it's too new to really be well defined. But it is becoming less and less of a positive moniker as it is becoming clearer that the influence had most often come with a price tag attached to it.  And the influencer was exchanging their heartfelt endorsement for remuneration.


I realize, a bit snarky, but essentially the entire influencer phenomenon is the result of what began as a fairly disingenous attempt to surreptitiously get a brand or product in front of a lot of people while surreptitiously slipping cash, favors, product (or all three) to the influencer in question.  Hopefully the new FTC rules will better inform the public as to who is getting paid to promote what.  In fairness, I have no idea about any of these folks now aligned with Bucherer, and frankly, I can't really be bothered to investigate too deeply.  I follow the Sartorialist and when it comes to watches?  I'm pretty much my own favorite "opinion leader".  But I am always very, very hesitant to give two (or frankly even one) shit/s about someone who offers an opinion that is paid for.  Now again, I am making the assumption that this is a paid arrangement, and if I am wrong, then will be very happy to stand corrected, and confused in the corner, wearing a funny hat.

Is it likely that these five guys woke up one day and independently  said - "You know, I think that Carl F. Bucherer watches are the Shit that Killed Elvis!  I think I'll feature them in my social media platforms!"

I mean, maybe they did, but I'm a little doubtful about that.  What it does mean is that some eager soul over in Lucerne decided that traditional advertising was not worth the results, so maybe it would be better to throw a chunk of marketing money at these guys to get them to wear a Bucherer and promote the brand in their social media feeds.  And if that is how it is, and everyone discloses it appropriately?  Fair play.

And this is what I would logically presume from the press release as it is written.  That not unlike a partnership with a famous athlete or actress, that this is a paid arrangement.  And if not, then these five famous fellows are pretty nice guys for giving so much free marketing muscle to a watch brand.  Any clarification from the folks at Bucherer would be appreciated.

The FTC has now made it pretty clear that influencers must disclose their endorsements on all posts that feature a product for which they have received payment (either in coin of the realm, or promotional consideration such as a freebie).  So if everyone plays by the new rules, then these social media posts are going to read a bit like the closing credits to a game show circa 1989 -

"Promotional consideration paid by the following..."
In essence, it becomes clear to anyone reading or looking at it that it is a paid advertisement in the guise of your instagram feed.

And then this begs the question - are the influencers really that influential any more?  The entire notion of the desirability of the influencer was that more and more young folks were turned off by traditional partnerships and advertising campaigns.  The argument being that this new generation was far too savvy to be taken in by such obvious and outdated marketing tactics.  That they responded more to seeing the product being used by someone that they admired and respected, that this was somehow more sincere.  And the benefit of the influencer to the person in the marketing department writing the checks (or sending the bitcoins) was that the influencer was a bit of a cyber Trojan Horse to get your product in front of potentially millions of people - some of whom might even be real ; ) 

So let's wait and see if this works, if so it could usher in a new era of officially sponsored "influence".   

As far as Bucherer goes, I have absolutely no idea what the "urban spirit of its Manero Flyback watch" might actually be, but in fairness, I did not grow up with the expectation that I'd get a trophy just for showing up, so I'm probably just too much of an old fart to understand.  Here's to being "influenced"!