Following a Corder’s Column on WatchPro about what we can learn about building watch brands from Grand Seiko and William Wood, Richard Hammond, founder of creative communications consultancy HMS16, adds his thoughts to the debate.
The definition of a brand is about building a circle of trust with the consumer based upon consistent values. I thought it was worth sharing a few more insights on the importance of brand from the agency side, or perhaps a brand check list for you WatchPro fans.
My personal journey is 25 years of brand building in the watch industry, its been a daily joy, meeting some fantastic and inspiring people, equally fascinated with product, brand and making a difference.
I have been lucky enough to work on Certina, Rado, Manufacture Royale, The Alchemists, Corum, H.Moser, Concord, Ebel, Marathon, HYT, Tourneau, LYTT labs and some new and exciting projects, still under wraps.
With over 1800 brands out there in the watch universe, how do you cut through, what made Watches of Switzerland choose William Wood you may be asking?
Investment is the start point, this is long journey not an easy win, but a long term approach and commitment to brand building will always win.
Easy when you’re  a mega brand, but harder when you have to fight for support for your indie brand.
Find a sensible percentage of sales, that will be deployed in marketing, then stick to it.
Find a unique tone of voice and brand language. Consistency is key to success, despite the temptation to hop around driven by social media’s insatiable desire for fresh content.
Own you’re story and nurture it, because we live with brands everyday, there is a massive temptation to move along, the consumer will always be behind you.
The consistent brands win and sales seem to reflect that consistent message, perhaps AP being the masters here.
The cool calm of the Royal Oak is worn by the yacht owner, not the crew while still being seen on the wrists of the right DJ, in the right club in Ibiza or LA.
Sales topped CHF 2 billion last year. This didn’t happen by chance or just an iconic 1970’s design.
No, this was power branding at its best.
The world of celebrity endorsement is massively overused in the watch category. I can understand why, it’s a hugely tempting short cut to fame.
But ask whether a celebrity actually loves your brand, will they engage the right audience, do they know the back story?
Ryan Gosling and TAG resonates strongly, especially if you’re a Drive movie fan.
Celebrities may rent you a crowd, but this will be a short term sensation and quickly forgotten if the alignment is not more sincere and sustained.
Do your customer research. You will quickly find their heroes. Look beyond sports or music, find talented engineers, scientists, dreamers, who maybe much more on brand.
Sports sponsorship will be a constant debate in the marketing planning meetings, but make sure there is a deep connection to your product, not a choice made because of a chairman’s personal passion.
Don’t expect immediate results with this type of sponsorship. Stick with it for three years, and budget additional funds beyond the sponsorship costs to leverage the investment.
Football is expensive and crowded, so look for grass roots connections, new adventures and human challenges outside the box. My personal favourite is the Elliott Brown story and its support of the toughest challenges on earth.
Many clients debate the importance of a brand sign off, vision statement or tag line long into the night. Some our brilliant, some just feel like its ticking the box.
The brand signature should reassure owners and tell potential buyers that your brand matters, stands for something and transcends is functionality,
In a perfect world, aim to encapsulate your brand DNA or soul, in a few words, something that travels across borders.
Our work with Corum took Avant Garde since 1954 to Risk is the Reward, same spirit but understood in China. Racing machine on your wrist and Born to dare, always standout for me.
The masterstroke of Patek Philippe’s line, “You never actually own a Patek Philippe. You merely look after if for the next generation” still resonates today.
H.Moser’s “Very Rare” came from meeting the management team on factory visit to Schaffhausen where scarcity of product was the insight that inspired the tag line, now 12 years old.
Be integrated and think about the customer journey.
The consumer will encounter your brand in many touch points, be that real or virtual, try being coherent where possible.
Take your brand on the road, share the experience with your buyers and owners. Encourage them to invite their friends.
I remember being in Dubai surrounded by H. Moser advocates, soaking in the new pieces, while drinking scotch and smoking cigars. Hanging with other owners and their guests is a great way to get them to sell for you.
Do research, ensure you know what the consumer wants, amazingly this is something of a lost art, many times I have heard we don’t need research because we know our customers already.
Rolls Royce transformed its business by identifying a new group of sub-30-year-old entrepreneurs who resonated with the brand as a reward for their success.
Research identified this untapped group and led the Rolls Royce renaissance.
Meet the trade. The army of trade buyers and sales teams on the shop floors across the world, so often overlooked by brands. It’s critical they get you and understand the DNA of your brand.
I visited retailers in Doha, Singapore, Jersey, Dubai, Malta, London and Stockholm over the last few months, most said this was something they wanted more.
Education and training, exposure to the watch makers, remote learning, rewards for achieving levels of expertise are well trodden routes. For us it’s about the brand owner being present and out on the road. This may seem old school in the world of zoom, but there is no substitute for it.
In closing, I am aware I haven’t touched the meta verse, influencers, PR, product placement, planet, media partnerships and brand experiences, more on that to come.
Brand is vital to the industry and allows each watch company to ride out down turns, pandemics, wars and shortages. Keep the brand faith and stay the course.
