In Search of a Place and Time that Likely Never Existed

 “Here's the story they don't want to tell: eight companies make 95 percent of the whiskey in America...And all those different brand names are just that. Brands. Perhaps no word sums up the death of truth in America better than the word brand.”

― Wright Thompson, Pappyland: A Story of Family, Fine Bourbon, and the Things That Last

Regular readers will note that I have, over the years, tried in vain to reconnect with my father (who shuffled off his mortal coil some 16 years ago). These same regular readers will also note that I have held onto the idea of Mido as, I had hoped to be a communication device, a way to connect to him. And in truth this has probably been a fool's errand. Which, I suppose, makes me a fool on a fool's errand. With that said, I did something that - in truth? I will probably do again, and again in some variation. I tried to lay hands to a watch that would be like the Mido (if not identical, at least ring true in feeling) to the same Mido watch that he received the day before I made my grand appearance. That day was July 10. The watch pictured above is a "Franken" watch in the most craven of terms. It was, in fact, until recently not a watch at all. It was purchased some three years ago on Ebay (sorry, but their fawning and showering of money on "A Blog to Watch" does not even remotely guarantee you're getting what you paid for). In this happy instance? It arrived as advertised - a case, dial, crown and set of hands from a former watch maker. "Just add movement"! 

But alas, Betty Crocker was not a watch maker, and this attempt to reconnect to the old man was as fraught with misteps, misunderstandings, and frustration as my teens. 

I am by no stretch the most gifted watch writer out there. Ben Clymer, when he actually takes the time to write someting? Is beyond eloquent. Wei Koh - if he could pause on the name checking / dropping and stop looking for the $10,000 word?  A wonderful story teller. If and when The Rake can solve their distribution challenges? I'm all in.

But there is something that I maybe know a bit about. And that's longing. I have sat at the table, sharing stories about what led me here. Robert-Jan Broer coined a phrase (albeit trying to explain my blunt speech at a "recruitment event" held by Ebner to get ahold of large amounts of watch journalism content at bargain basement prices. A friendly note to Ebner about 10 years overdue - next time serve actual food, not stale bread with dubious smelling sandwich spread and tap water. This was during BaselWorld some years back. And I had looked around the room, looking for the person that didn't belong, and realized it was me. And I asked the question - "Why do we write about watches? Is it money? Presents from brands? Comped travel to fun destinations? Is that really why we got started in this?"

My point was - and continues to be - it had evolved into a business that traded on ego and appearance.

And in fact? Only Robert Jan and I gave actual answers!

He asked me -
"Do you mean, what was the trigger?"
In essence? What had gotten all of us interested in watches in the first place.

Now in fairness, I don't remember his answer as I was getting the "stink eye" from another now well-known and well established Dutch watch media mogul. But my answer was - "Mido".

So we're going to dive into my latest dive down the Mido rabbit hole over the coming week - so stay tuned.

Napoleon Bonaparte on Watch Marketing

 A Repeat on Marketing

This first ran in October of last 2016.  With Geneva on the horizon,it seemed 

like a good time to re-heat it -

 

Watch Marketing as Proposed by Napoleon Bonaparte 

Some words of wisdom on watch marketing, and how to ensure your message gets heard.

Men are more easily governed through their vices than their virtues 

The halls of BaselWorld are littered with swag bags erupting with every type of nicety from silk ties and scarves, to iPad minis, to wireless headphones.  The all expense paid trips to Geneva, to Glashutte, to the Napa Valley, to Sag Harbor, all the trimmings that get dangled in front of any press member or influencer that a watch company PR person feels can be "massaged", well let's just say it is an easy button to hit.  Who doesn't like comped travel and shiny things?  So when a brand PR office says they don't have money for advertising, well that's bullshit.  Because they clearly have money for trinkets, travel, steaks and wine.

And when certain blogs, influencers and writers claim that they "painstakingly curate" their content, well, that is also bullshit.  Because they know that the brands have the money to pay the backhanders requested (and oftentimes required) in order to ensure that their new watch, partnership or campaign will receive coverage, and that they will pay it.  It is a lovely example of co-dependency.

Men are moved by two levers only:  fear and self interest

Now I've said it before, and I'll say it again - I like free sparkly things, and I like comped travel to exotic, exciting locations. And I would love to be included in these little vacations disguised as press junkets.  But as with any game, you are expected to play by certain rules.  So that is one way to move the press - self interest.

But let's talk about fear.  It goes without saying, the people who hold the strings to the advertising funds, or more crucially grant and withhold access to the brand can, and often do, use their position as both a spur and a bridle.  It is the perfect way to ensure that you get what you want, and to stifle any contrary voice out there not in line with your program.

This, of course, is not how a free press is meant to work.  And although it might be standard operating procedure in fashion, etc., I would again point to the automotive press.  It can be particularly brutal in its honesty.  Yet the level of passion that auto enthusiasts have for cars and car brands completely eclipses that of the watch enthusiasts.  And the auto enthusiasts count on the auto press to offer honest, unvarnished feedback.  So what is the luxury industry so afraid of?

It doesn't need to continue to be this way.  Particularly with the currently wretched state of affairs in the watch industry, maybe things can change.  So let me turn to the former Emperor for a final idea -

The people to fear are not those who disagree with you, but those who disagree with you and are too cowardly to let you know.

What I constantly hear is that I say the things that other people are thinking and wish that they could say, but can't for fear of professional damage.  

So a modest suggestion to you pr and brand managers out there - rather than dumping tens of thousands of dollars to continually feed the barking seals around you to ensure that you  hear what you want, maybe listen to some honest, albeit uncomfortable feedback.

Shame - Do We Have Any?

“Are you truly incapable of shame? Is there literally nothing that can shame you?"

US Ambassador Samantha Power in her address to the UN, 2016

I want to make a few points very clear before I wade into this:

1. My firm belief is that it is not necessarily the role of the Fourth and Fifth Estates to be the cheerleaders for watch brands, CEOs or deep pocketed conglomerates. 

2. Every member of the Fourth and Fifth Estates not only has the right to an opinion, they have a responsibility to express it, as opinion, if they feel strongly about it. If it is within journalistic norms to express an affinity for a particular watch in the process of writing a review of it, it is also within those same norms to give the not-so-nice feedback about how the watch turned the reviewer's wrist green. 

Okay, that's out of the way.

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, I have had some time to think about what I think is really important. At the moment, it isn't watches. 

We have now reached a  point of no return. With Russia's invasion of a peaceful, sovereign neighbor we should be asking ourselves is this -  What is really important? I feel safe in saying that the mothers and children making their way to the Polish border, separated from their husbands and fathers really do not give two shits about the latest brand partnership. I suspect that currently their most exotic dreams of luxury include a hot (or let's be honest, even a cold) meal and a safe place to sleep. And that is with the knowledge that they may never see their husbands and fathers again. I don't think any amount of champagne or fist class press junkets are going to make me feel okay about that.

Back in the 70s and 80s, there was a lovely (yes, that is sarcasm) little system of governance in South Africa called Apartheid. Many of us actively protested, occupied university offices demanding investment divestment, and boycotted all South African products. This was not intended to punish the South African people. Just as the Olympic ban was not designed to punish the individual people. Many of these things, when taken on the micro level of an individual action were more symbolic gesture than impactful. But a funny thing happened. More and more people came together, raised their voices, and although it took a long time, Apartheid finally fell. While I live under no illusions that my lone action was felt on a macro level, I do like to think that I lived by my principles.

As this pertains to the watch industry, it is time to ask some questions about international social responsibility. For those of us who write about these things, we can chose what we write about. For brands, you can chose who you do business with. My hope, very sincerely, is that any boycott is short-lived because the violence will have stopped and has not resumed. But until it does, until the Russian troops leave Ukraine, until peace is the Standard Operating Policy of the Kremlin, I will stand on my principles. 

Ultimately, a man must have a code. 

Lost In Translation - A Public Service Announcement

I wanted to try one last time to put this PSA out there for the denizens of Watch Town, particularly those who make decisions on communications budgets and agencies -

Just because an agency tells you that their team is fluent in a given language (English, for example), that does not make it so.

Truth in advertising?
I realize that if your brand is based in a given country (let's say Switzerland) it is easier and more comfortable to contract with a local agency. And it is not unlikely that an agency will assert that their team has native fluency in all of the major languages, English being one of them. And for the brand, this is great news! One-stop shopping, and usually at a discounted rate because the services are "bundled"! But this is not where your problems end as a brand, but where they typically begin. 

Lost in translation 

Imagine your press release goes out to press contacts around the world, with the majority of the contacts receiving the English language version. Now imagine that the press release most closely resembles something spit out by Google Translate. The words are English. The usage, word order, and grammar make it clear that it is the result of a poor translation that was not checked very closely. 

You don't know what you don't know
To be clear, brands need agencies, because agencies have contacts in the press and can help spread your message. With that said, agencies have a responsibility to the brands that they represent. They should be forthright about the true level of their linguistic abilities. And if they don't posses the level of English (or Spanish, Russian, or any other language) that they claim, they should subcontract with native speakers to review their materials before they send them out. This would give the agency the ability to provide their services in an honest, efficient, and affordable manner. And the best part? There are plenty of native language speakers from around the world who could provide this service quickly and affordably, and they are living and working in... Switzerland!

It's more expensive than you think

Agencies charge the type of fees that are usually negotiated with the aid of a pistol and a get-away car. They are truly steep. And if they were delivering on the promises that they were making? it would be a fair exchange of money for service. But as one of the people who receives these releases, I can tell you that a lot of them end up in the Tempus Fugit virtual trash can.

So here are a few friendly (not sarcastic) tips for those of you wanting to get your press releases not only read, but put to use by members of the press:

• Less is more.  Keep the press release focused.  
• WIFM (what's in it for me). The press release is not for you (the brand). The press release is for the press. They will then disseminate it to the public at large. Think about what might be interesting to the public, rather than what is interesting to you.
• Vet your agency. It is likely that you have "friendly adversaries" in the press corps. Ask some of us for honest (confidential) feedback. We'll be happy to provide it to you. 
• The press wants to cover you. But they need to understand you in order to do that. If your press releases are not triggering coverage, it may not be for the reasons that you think (lack of advertising). It might simply be that your releases are getting lost in translation.

A Belly Full

It is, I guess, a bit ironic that as Tempus Fugit approaches its tenth anniversary, I am struggling with the idea of keeping it going.  

I think it might be useful to share why I started this whole thing.  I had worked for DOXA for the three years previous to the launch of Tempus Fugit.  I was still an extreme watch fan, and if I am honest, I was pretty put-off with the discussion forums that were so popular at the time.  I was also laboring under a delusion that what you read in the watch media was accurate and honest.  It wasn't then, and it isn't now.  When Tempus Fugit started I had a starry-eyed idea of creating a Sartorialist type website for watches.  I was positive, believing, and honestly?  Easily persuaded.

The simple truth is this - the watch brands would be more honest if they sent you all a check for reading the press releases that come to you filtered through the major outlets.  But they don't.  And while the checks used to come to the major outlets, that has begun to dry up as well.  And now the outlets are struggling for oxygen - and that oxygen is the funding that helps to help keep them alive.  The former enthusiasts have now become business owners.  

And?  

I want to say something very, very clearly - I do not criticize any outlets for making money.  But, I do not equate alleged readership numbers (frequently juked) with actual factual content or quality.  It is a broken system, and in all honesty?  There was no other way that this could have gone once people started imagining not having to work a nine-to-five any more.

Do you ever wonder why every big outlet is frequently putting out exactly the same thing on the same day?  Not me.

Some inside baseball - watch brands (both big and small) flush an insane amount of money down the toilet in the hope of getting one of the big (or even not-so-big) outlets to write about them.  Nomos sent me an invite to Germany this past Summer and confirmed it... before cancelling it at the last minute.  Why?  My hunch is this, my email: henkitime@... has led more than one not-so-diligent watch PR person in the past to not read so closely, and assume that I was with a well-known outlet that starts with an "H".  Ironically enough, Nomos did not see the groundswell of influence that 3 round-trip business class tickets on Lufthansa from the US and accommodation might have been expected to pay for.  And the most ironic thing in the entire sad saga?  Nomos was the very first brand I had written about 9+ years ago, and I was one of (you could count the number on not just one hand, but three fingers) journalists who came out to support their stance against racism and support of immigration tolerance. Yes Nomos, me.  

PS: Nomos - you're welcome.

Would I have really enjoyed visiting Glashutte?  Absolutely.  But it made one thing very, very clear to me - watch media has degenerated into Kabuki theatre of the disingenuous.

So, let's cut to the heart of it.  While I often say that I am my own favorite watch writer, I would point to two people out there who are truly offering something you should, dare I say it, you must be reading if you really, actually care about watches beyond what a brand is paying you to be interested in.   

Adam Sofineti is the man behind Watch Paper - http://watchpaper.com   He is one of the few people that clearly loves watches, history, and sharing that passion without his hand in a brand's pocket.  I wish I were as detailed, driven and, well,  passionate.  In many ways, Adam is the writer I would like to be, and who when I have the time, and the muse speaks to me, I hope to emulate.

Gregory Pons I have been accused of two things that actually flatter me - trying to be the Tony Bourdain of watch writing, and trying to be the English language equivalent of Gregory Pons.  Both accusations flatter me, because I am in both men's shadows.

It says something about a true critic that watch brands still pay for advertising, and people actually PAY to read what you have to say when you are not, let's say, kissing the ring.  

I lead a dual life in the watch industry.  Yes, I write this little bloggy-wog, and am in the second tier of the watch media.  But I also work on the brand side, and as such I get to see behind the curtain where the "wizard" lives.  I cannot tell you how many times when visiting Swiss brands where I have seen Business Montres on the screens of the sales, pr and marketing teams.  That says something.  Business Montres has, in many ways, become the Harvard Business Review of the watch industry.  

Check him out at:
https://www.businessmontres.com

So, if you want an actual opinion that hasn't been purchased, or leased?  Please continue reading Tempus Fugit, Watch Paper and Business Montres.

And so that there are no misunderstandings?  There are a few brands out there that I will NEVER be able to be completely objective about owing to friendships, relationships, and in some instances brands that I represent.  

You can rest assured - if there is a relationship, it will be disclosed.  I will be honest with you.  At a very base level, that seems only fair.


Be well and enjoy your watches.

A Love Letter to Besançon - part 1

Since I started Tempus Fugit nearly 10 years ago, I have had the good luck to travel to a lot of places, and see a lot of things that I would not have otherwise.  And this past week I had the very good fortune to re-visit one of my favorite places - Besançon, France.

While everyone points (and fairly so) to the valleys and small hamlets of Switzerland (you know, like that tiny place called Geneva) as the true home of authentic watchmaking, a watch making tradition just as rich lays just a short ways across the border in France.

Shamelessly borrowed from the Worldwide infoweb

Besançon has long been a center for watchmaking,  is home to a fantastic horological museum, an observatory that also issues a chronometre certificate, and one of the most bitchin' clocks you have ever seen -

It was the home for many years to Lip, until it wasn't. But just a short time ago, the Berard family acquired the brand, and brought it home to Besançon.

More on that to come.

In addition, Besançon is home to Utinam.

What Chronopassion is to unique and yet-to-be discovered horological brands, Utinam is to the small and growing French micro brands. It is a must see destination for anyone who is even a little bit interested in watches. 

Again, more to come.

Courtesy of Lip

So stay tuned, it's going to be fun!

The Straight Skinny

So I wanted to take a moment to try and offer a counter opinion on some of the soothsaying and rather goofy prognostication going on out there about the state of the retail watch industry.

The watch customer has changed -
No, not in any real way other than how they buy and sell watches. There are just as many of them, but they are opting to either buy used, grey market, or in some instances go straight to the brand to get the best possible price. Sorry Mr. and Ms. Retailer, loyalty it seems is only as strong as a given retail economy.

For better or (I think) worse, the perceived customer in North America (at least if print and digital advertising is anything to go on) is predominately white, upwardly mobile, and apparently (and this one kills me) a fan of F1 racing.  I have no doubt that the marketing shot callers in Biel, Le Locle and Glashütte are also convinced that these "unicorn' customers also keep a kitchen cabinet filled with jars of Nutella.  Spoiler alert - they don't.

The reasons why people are buying expensive watches have changed -

John Goodman as Charlie Meadows in Barton Fink:
“You might say that I sell peace of mind”.

Yeah, not so much.  More often than not, the customer is coming in looking for a specific watch that they have seen, read about, or heard about... somewhere else.  And the guys out there are, more often than not, buying an expensive watch for the same reason that they bought it five years ago.  Work bonus, anniversary, birthday.  Or they are simply watch hounds.  Those realities have not changed.

The reasons why people buy expensive watches are complex and mysterious!

Trust me, it is nowhere near as difficult to understand as some folks would like you to believe.  It is a fun, shiny object.  You see it, you attach whatever psychological tie you wish, and that motivates your desire to own it.  We all latch onto brands for a variety of reasons.  I was, for quite some time, deeply impressed and obsessed with NOMOS.  And all it took was one cancelled press trip to turn me off completely ; )

This is not some super-secret society with a Kaballah-like complexity of esoterica. It's pretty simple. Make your product, promote your product, sell your product, support your customers and supporters.

The watch industry is littered with poorly conceived, over-thought ideas that bring the same outcomes that everything previously has.  

Ultimately, change is painful and scary.  And inevitably, the uncertainty that walks hand in hand with change will cause us to search for, and often create, theories that will explain the sudden disruption.  So I will close with another paraphrased reference from chef, restaurant owner and media personality David Change.  If you've ever worked in a commercial kitchen, you understand stress.  You might be familiar with the expression - "to be in the weeds".  Essentially when you are up to your neck with a million and one smaller tasks making it (seemingly) impossible for you to focus and complete any of it.  The natural, very human reaction?  Try to go faster.  

Per Mr. Chang -

Stop, take a breath, assess the situation.  Then start again.

Summer Repeat - Watch Marketing as Proposed by Napoleon Bonaparte

I first ran this in 2017.  With the recent events at DOXA I am reminded once again that the industry is populated by people at the top who are scared shitless of trying something original, or a wee bit scary.  So without further delay -

Watch Marketing as Proposed by Napoleon Bonaparte 

Some words of wisdom on watch marketing, and how to ensure 

your message gets heard.

Men are more easily governed through their vices than their virtues 

The halls of BaselWorld are littered with swag bags erupting with every type of nicety from silk ties and scarves, to iPad minis, to wireless headphones.  The all expense paid trips to Geneva, to Glashutte, to the Napa Valley, to Sag Harbor, all the trimmings that get dangled in front of any press member or influencer that a watch company PR person feels can be "massaged", well let's just say it is an easy button to hit.  Who doesn't like comped travel and shiny things?  So when a brand PR office says they don't have money for advertising, well that's bullshit.  Because they clearly have money for trinkets, travel, steaks and wine.

And when certain blogs, influencers and writers claim that they "painstakingly curate" their content, well, that is also bullshit.  Because they know that the brands have the money to pay the backhanders requested (and oftentimes required) in order to ensure that their new watch, partnership or campaign will receive coverage, and that they will pay it.  It is a lovely example of co-dependency.

Men are moved by two levers only:  fear and self interest

Now I've said it before, and I'll say it again - I like free sparkly things, and I like comped travel to exotic, exciting locations. And I would love to be included in these little vacations disguised as press junkets.  But as with any game, you are expected to play by certain rules.  So that is one way to move the press - self interest.

But let's talk about fear.  It goes without saying, the people who hold the strings to the advertising funds, or more crucially grant and withhold access to the brand can, and often do, use their position as both a spur and a bridle.  It is the perfect way to ensure that you get what you want, and to stifle any contrary voice out there not in line with your program.

This, of course, is not how a free press is meant to work.  And although it might be standard operating procedure in fashion, etc., I would again point to the automotive press.  It can be particularly brutal in its honesty.  Yet the level of passion that auto enthusiasts have for cars and car brands completely eclipses that of the watch enthusiasts.  And the auto enthusiasts count on the auto press to offer honest, unvarnished feedback.  So what is the luxury industry so afraid of?

It doesn't need to continue to be this way.  Particularly with the currently wretched state of affairs in the watch industry, maybe things can change.  So let me turn to the former Emperor for a final idea -

The people to fear are not those who disagree with you, but those who disagree with you and are too cowardly to let you know.

What I constantly hear is that I say the things that other people are thinking and wish that they could say, but can't for fear of professional damage.  

So a modest suggestion to you pr and brand managers out there - rather than dumping tens of thousands of dollars to continually feed the barking seals around you to ensure that you  hear what you want, maybe listen to some honest, albeit uncomfortable feedback.

Anthony Bourdain's Watches - Courtesy of Theo and Harris

Tonight's content is proof positive that St. Google will set you straight!  

So a little forward here - contrary to what many watch brand management teams think, and very contrary to the "chummy" collegiality that you can lay on thick when in the close confines of BaselWorld or a press junket, there is actually not a whole lot of love or unity within the watch press.  And the seasoned professionals have learned to "get along" or as my colleague has often said of his willingness to suffer assholes:  "I'm Switzerland". 

There are certainly some wonderful, kind people that are genuine.  I have a LOT of time for Robert-Jan Broer and the whole team at Fratello.  I am hard-pressed to think of any outlet out there that has earned and deserves their success more.  

And then again, there are some writers and influencers that are out and out reprobates and ne'er do-wells.  The type of maladjusted weasels that will plant a bit of poison in the ear of anyone who will listen in an attempt to run-down a rival and promote their own stature.  I guess it's not unlike any other pursuit.  It attracts both good and bad.  And like any blood sport, tends to not always bring out the best in people.

Shamelessly borrowed from the world-wide info-web

I set out this evening to write something about Anthony Bourdain, who passed away last year, and who is the inspiration for tomorrow's Anthony Bourdain Day.  And as this is, basically, a blog about watches I realized that I might want to do a deeper dive on what watches "Flacko" wore.  I had some already lined up, but in my digging I came upon this piece from Theo and Harris.  And hand to God, I had never heard of Theo and Harris.  Apologies to them, I just don't get out much.  But it was a really nice piece, and I thought why try to re-do something that someone else has already done well.  Now don't tell a certain someone with a "bone in their throat" about me as a commentator that I actually am praising another writer out there - they just might have to rethink their negative attitude ; )

So I give you Theo and Harris on Mr. Bourdain's time machines:

https://theoandharris.com/watch-101-what-watches-did-anthony-bourdain-wear/

Maybe the Numbers are Improving...Maybe Not

Okay pals and gals, the numbers are in for June from our friends at the FH are happily reporting the news of an uptick in Swiss watch exports.  

Courtesy of the FH

I apologize if the image is a bit fuzzy, but that is appropriate because the correlation between increased exports and actual watch sales is equally hard to pull into focus.

If we were to believe that numbers don't lie, then apparently every jeweler in Italy and the UK must be selling boatloads of watches with truly Herculean increases of exported watches arriving in these two locations.  The numbers for the US are, at least, more believable with a further poor month resulting in a decrease of 1.3%, and Japan with an additional decline of 15.4%.  And if the numbers are to be believed, then we can all breath a sigh of relief!

But the problem with fuzzy numbers is they tend to be fuzzy for a reason.  And I will repeat what I said here about a month ago - increased export numbers do not necessarily indicate increased sales numbers.  While I will not claim to be in touch with every retailer in every country, I can say that the reports back do not reflect the very large volumes of Swiss watches that are being exported to the UK and Italy.

Which means, once again, our old friend the Grey Market, the Light Grey Market, and good old fashioned trans-shipping might better explain a part of it.  The other part is the need to get as many watches out of the country before the new "Swissness" becomes reality - and that means only about 6 months left.

So no sports fans, I do not think we are out of the woods quite yet.

Reality Check

Just to clear up any confusion that might be lingering (yes, this is sarcasm), I am NOT the James Henderson who sometimes writes for the Financial Times ; )

So, intrepid PR Mavens out there, please note this fact carefully before you reach out next time to offer me a project to partner with involving "Watch Brand X" and their partnership in cycling, only to take the offer off the table once you realize that you are not speaking with the person you thought you were.

No doubt James Henderson of the Financial Times has a big audience and is a great writer.  But as far as James Hendersons go, I'm my own personal favorite ; )

So, enjoy your watches, and your cycling.

And PR Mavens?  Do  your homework, it will save embarrassment for you, and irritation for me.

A Very Rare Company

Sort of a slow news cycle at the moment.  So here's something on H. Moser -

Peanut Butter or Nutella?

Over dinner with a veteran of the watch industry last night, I was reminded of one simple truth -
not every market can be "marketed to" the same way.

What works in Asia will not necessarily work in North America, just as what works in the US is not necessarily going to carry the day in Europe.  Maybe to put it more simply - think of a watch like a piece of toast - we can all agree that we like toast, we just like different toppings on it.  When we say:  watch brand x can't sell in country y, consider that it might not be the "toast" (or watch in this case), it might be what you are "spreading" on it - the marketing plan ; )

Watch and Pen Boxes from Pandora

As any watch fan will tell you, it is often the packaging that makes the difference.  So when the big boys of the watch industry need something special to transport and display their watches, they turn to Pandora -

Flush! The Gilded Age of Watch Marketing

I get a LOT of press releases.

Celebrity "games" tournaments with hundred thousand dollar watches being handed out to "famous friends" who are crowned the "winner" of the game?  And this is supposed to be a charitable event.  And the winner wears the "vaunted prize" for the photo op, and then never wears the damn thing again?  Not to mention the tens and thousands of dollars flushed down the toilet on food, drinks and "entertainment" for people who never write about the event, and will never be customers?

Quarter million dollar press junkets to attend and "cover" a charity event?  Oh, and here's the best part - a staggering five-figure amount generated for the charitable cause… and the outlay for press, "friends" and product?  Get out your calculator and start multiplying.  Let's just say that the brand could have taken 1/3 of what they spent on shuttling people to and from Argentina and would have multiplied their charitable donation by a power of 3.

And then there are the "partnerships" - most specifically I am referring to the now ubiquitous car partnerships.  And as the "fan" or follower out there, we suffer from a certain lack of incredulity.  We assume that these are master strokes of marketing brio, but what we are not really grasping is the back story.

Imagine - you're the CEO of a big watch brand, you've climbed to the top, you want a nice car - dammit you deserve a nice car!  Maybe something with a bit more horsepower that is (perhaps) a little less carbon neutral "friendly".  Unfortunately, your parent company has a policy about such items as "company cars".  Hmm…. what to do…. what to do….Aha!  If you can create this partnership with a car company then it might kill two birds with one stone.  Really, it only seems like good form that you would accept a "loaner" to drive around.  Okay, granted, the "loaner" cost more than most of your employees will earn over several years working for you, but I mean, let's be honest, you are supposed to be partners in this thing, right?  It really wouldn't look right if you didn't accept it, I mean it's not like you asked… and hey, I mean, if you MUST drive one of these…

I guess what I am getting at is that it has been more than a bit of a gilded age for watch marketing and pr.  There is no sense of proportion with many of the big brands - essentially if you throw enough money at the problem, that will most assuredly solve it.  Meanwhile, sales are not keeping pace, retail partners are slow in paying, customers are more and more looking to grey market or previously owned via the Internet.  The game has changed, there is less money coming in, so it seems only logical that you would adjust your plan...

Now point of disclosure, I do work for some smaller, independent brands in terms of marketing and sales.  There is NO budget so we have to make it on the product alone, and when we do put the message out there - it has to be clear, and not clouded.  I sometimes fantasize about what I could do with the type of budgets some of these brands have… I sure as hell wouldn't spend it on myself.

TW Steel Unveils Canteen Fashion Editions

These are the latest offerings from TW Steel -

Courtesy of TW Steel

Courtesy of TW Steel