Spring Repeat - When Faust Launched a Watch Blog - The Recidivist Update

In my "other life" in the watch business, I do a wee bit of consulting. And yet again, one particular recidivist tried to dip his hand into the change purse of one of my clients, offering to sell them a nickel for a dime.  So it seems as good a time as ever to throw this one in the microwave and reheat it -

When Faust Launched a Watch Blog

So before we get underway, allow me to acquaint you with the title character from today's missive, per Wikipedia -

Mephistopheles visits Faust in his study. An illustration, by Tony Johannot, of a scene from Goethe’s Faust

Faust is the protagonist of a classic German legend, based on the historical Johann Georg Faust (c. 1480–1540).

The erudite Faust is highly successful yet dissatisfied with his life, which leads him to make a pact with the Devil at a crossroads, exchanging his soul for unlimited knowledge and worldly pleasures. The Faust legend has been the basis for many literary, artistic, cinematic, and musical works that have reinterpreted it through the ages. "Faust" and the adjective "Faustian" imply a situation in which an ambitious person surrenders moral integrity in order to achieve power and success for a limited term.^[1][2]

Okay, now that your "homework" is complete, let's move forward. I realize that comparing the media serving the watch business to a pact with the Devil might sound a bit heavy-handed, given the hyper-competition now afoot for outlets to secure advertising revenue, it's actually not too far off base.

Consider this a primer on - What you are served, and why in terms of press releases, news and actual opinions (sorry, had choke that last one out). When I very first started out in the watch game, a bright eyed Northern Youth behind the counter at the nascent Tourneau in San Francisco back at the turn of the century, the news came in the form of 4 different magazines, along with the occasional "drop in" by a brand rep who got lost on their way to Shreve. Myself and the other resident watch nerd also dipped our toes into TimeZone and WatchUSeek, but that was pretty much it. 

In 2007, the landscape had not changed too much, although now there were burgeoning personalities beginning to emerge from the herd. I had moved on to work for the DOXA SUB licensee, Rick Marei, dealing with PR among other things. What was starting to become clear was that advertising was becoming more and more important, and the majority of actual stories or reporting was clearly becoming driven more and more by advertising.  Meaning the more frequently you advertised, the more likely you were to actually get something in print beyond the brief press release blurbs at the front or rear of the magazine. That was, until, SWATCH and the emerging behemoth Richemont began to blot out the sun on the coverage horizon.

And then Atlas shrugged and the paradigm shifted. In my fourth shift in the industry (I started out behind the counter, then to a brand, then to running a blog, then back as a marketing consultant) I thought it would be pretty easy to get press releases covered for my new watch brand clients.  I mean because, hey - I knew all of the guys and gals covering watches!  We were on friendly terms, and it wasn't like I was asking for free banner ads or anything. I started with the new head at the biggest watch magazine in North America. I got a lot of flowery language that essentially said, get stuffed. Emails went unanswered, awkward moments passed in the halls of BaselWorld, comments like - "Send me an email" were pitched.  None of which, of course, addressed the fact that a year's worth of emails were sitting, unanswered. And then one of those friends started replying with comments like - "Sorry James, that's not something we're going to cover."  You know, nothing personal.  Just an editorial decision.  But then those same "friends" started reaching out directly to my clients and offering to write "sponsored" content.  In other words "It's not something we're going to cover" really meant - "it's nothing we're going to cover unless you pay us to cover it".  Add to that the advertising fees already being charged to some brands and it was clear that every penny that could be squeezed out of a brand would be. And in fairness, this represented a bit of a table turning on the brands who had been dictating for years how they would, and would not be covered. But make no mistake, they new rapacious approach of big watch media is not to "rob the rich to give to the poor".

And this is where we find ourselves now.  More often than not, if you are reading the majority of outlets, it is not accidental that you are seeing what you are seeing. Someone's been encouraged  to pay for that content to be placed there.  Think I'm full of it?  Is it coincidence that when a big brand has a launch that you will see the same launch on the big 4 outlets on the same day?  Stop wondering.

"But wait!" you say,  "what about that time big brand Q had a launch and only outlet X covered it?" Well, that is even more glaring.  Because what it means is that brand Q paid outlet X to cover the launch, and part of that was outlet X required brand Q to pay them for the "honor" of being "featured" in their outlet. Meaning that only X would be permitted to cover it for a day or two. Which, of course, is completely counter to the stated purpose of PR and marketing - to communicate your news to AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE. Oh, and then there is the unintended (but predictable) side effect - outlets A, B, C and pretty much everyone else ignores brand Q's press release when it limps in a day later. I mean, if they didn't get paid, why should they cover it?

And things are already beginning to change again.  The big outlets which were (in most cases) started by one or two (most often) guys have swelled in ranks.  Now the mastheads of most of these now "digital magazines" have staffs bigger than most regional newspapers.  And that's a lot of mouths to feed. When I ask some of my former friends (as they now have made it clear we are business acquaintances) why they are trying to charge my brand for content - not advertising mind you, but charging money to write a review?  They tell me that they have to "make a living".  But the irony is, had they kept their expectations and growth reasonable, they wouldn't have to strong-arm brands for coverage now. And of course when a brand capitulates and opts to tie the media equivalent of a pork-chop around their neck to get the dog to play with them? Well it's time for me to move on because they have now crossed a very dubious line.  So it would seem that the watch fairs have devolved into a hunting ground not unlike the Port Authority in New York City back in the 70s and 80s.

But let's get back to our old friend Faust.  While I certainly don't think that my more well-heeled colleagues in the 4th and 5th estate have sold their souls, I do think that they have signed a short-term lease on their sense of ethics. And I want to stress that time frame again, short-term. Everything changes, and will continue to do so. COVID-19 has simply laid bare what was already on the cards - several brands are simply not going to make it. More brands will have to cut back on expenses (shows, advertising, celebrity partnerships and sponsored content). And that means the gravy train is going to be uncoupling some cars as it moves forward. Let's hope everyone has a plan C. 

And let's also hope that they remember what they said to everyone they put the touch on when the music stops - that's it's nothing personal, just business. Or as that other great commentator on the watch business put it -

Courtesy of The Wire

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

 
 

Influencers, Paid Content, And Why It's So Hard To Get Out Of A Trick Bag

This is yet another public service announcement to the shot-callers in the industry. 

As mentioned before, it continues to be a problem where brands continue to be hoodwinked by outlets promising MEGA exposure with what can at best be described as "augmented" readership.  As I realize that this is a blog read by people in non - English speaking countries:

aug·ment·ed

ˌôɡˈmentəd/

adjective

adjective: augmented

1. 1.

   having been made greater in size or value.

   "augmented pensions for those retiring at 65"

Or what in the US is sometimes referred to as "playing with Confederate money."  Influencers and two or three masters of the art of bloviation have managed to get several otherwise rationally thinking brands safely ensconced in their trick bags. 

blo·vi·ate

ˈblōvēˌāt/

verb

USinformal

verb: bloviate; 3rd person present: bloviates; past tense: bloviated; past participle: bloviated; gerund or present participle: bloviating

1. talk at length, especially in an inflated or empty way  

trick bag

A scheme, manipulation, or situation that seemed legitimate, honest and/or innocent, at first. Usually referred to at time when it may or may not be too late to avoid the full consequences and/or embarrassment.

 
These chuckleheads have not only convinced the brands to lavish them with advertising money, destination travel, tickets to car races, movie premiers and sporting events - but then upped the ante insisting on thinly disguised "exclusives" of new releases for their outlets.  Think about that for a minute Mr. and Ms. Watch Brand Boss... you are PAYING EXTRA to get less exposure because you are PAYING one outlet and giving them an exclusive. 

As a site that accepts no paid advertising, it is nothing I'll ever have to worry about contemplating.  But to you guys and gals calling the shots on advertising and marketing - stop kidding yourselves.  This is basic math.  You are paying EXTRA to reach fewer readers and outlets.  

I know that this is a RADICAL idea, but just think about it -

By all means, buy advertising.  But consider that buying advertising should INCREASE, not DECREASE your exposure.  Advertising should not impede you from getting as much coverage as you can - EVEN WITH OUTLETS YOU DON'T PAY.  Why should you pay an outlet to get LESS coverage?  I mean, seeing as you're spending the money and all, shouldn't you actually, I don't know, grow your market?