Community Stories

Ding Dong The Smartwatch Witch is Dead!

noelekal
Posts
6,495
Likes
50,151
"I have argued for some time that to face the smartwatch marketing hype effectively, the mechanical watch industry needs to put out a marketing message associating the mechanical watch to a state of freedom from the neurotic-always-on-digital-world. I believe the new status symbol is having time for leisure and great experiences with your loved ones. Mechanical watches can be positioned to show that you have intellectual depth so that you don't need to follow the crowd and are sufficiently successful so that you can afford to go periscope down and ignore the digital chaos around you whenever you want to."

^This^

In spades!!!
 
GBTRIUMPH
Posts
390
Likes
439
noelekal noelekal
"I have argued for some time that to face the smartwatch marketing hype effectively, the mechanical watch industry needs to put out a marketing message associating the mechanical watch to a state of freedom from the neurotic-always-on-digital-world. I believe the new status symbol is having time for leisure and great experiences with your loved ones. Mechanical watches can be positioned to show that you have intellectual depth so that you don't need to follow the crowd and are sufficiently successful so that you can afford to go periscope down and ignore the digital chaos around you whenever you want to."

^This^

In spades!!!

Not only is this the correct approach, but it is exactly how I feel. The more I can "accidentally" leave my cellphone at home or parked somewhere not with me, the more freedom from work and the world I have. There are many "show off" clowns driving around in their vehicles with phones held to their ear just so everyone knows they have a cell phone. None of them using hands free features and most driving cars that have hands free built in. They THINK a cell phone is a status symbol. To me it is a LEASH. I have family who are mortified at driving somewhere without their phone and GPS maps. Nieces and nephews have never used a paper map. Talk about digitally leashed!

I LOVE "PERISCOPE DOWN"!!!
 
Foo2rama
Posts
18,098
Likes
27,413
RegF RegF
It interesting that this thread has popped up now.

I'm on an apple forum that discisses all things Apple ( not the fruit)and there's a thread going long over there about Apple Watch wearers who no longer wear the expensive swiss watches

Several things have come to light:

-The majority of folk think and expensive swiss watch = TAG & Rolex

-Spending more than several hundred dollars is not a concept they get

-Many have abandoned their Rolexes

-The vast majority do not understand the mechanical watch proposition of value at all

This all points to some real work needed and opportunities for the luxury market to, well market to these new potential customers.
Not a surprise. A smart watch and a luxery mechanical watch are different products with different needs. Sure they have a small bit of influence on each other but the buyers are different. A mini van buyer is not in the market for a 911. They can each appreciate the other and there might be crossover but in the end the influence on each other is minimal.

Saying Luxery watch makers need to appeal to smart watch buyers is not really that true.

You have to ask why do smart watch buyers own their watches and why do luxery watch owners wear their watches? I promise you the intersection of reasons why they wear the watch are minimal, and the big reasons are mutually exclusive.
 
alam
Posts
8,235
Likes
19,417
Foo2rama Foo2rama
Saying Luxery watch makers need to appeal to smart watch buyers is not really that true.

for those who are interested, there are luxury watches, luxery watches and Luxor watches...

😁
Edited:
 
Screen Shot 2016-12-23 at 1.33.48 PM.png
WatchVaultNYC
Posts
3,719
Likes
4,203
Riviera Paradise Riviera Paradise
I have argued for some time that to face the smartwatch marketing hype effectively, the mechanical watch industry needs to put out a marketing message associating the mechanical watch to a state of freedom from the neurotic-always-on-digital-world. I believe the new status symbol is having time for leisure and great experiences with your loved ones. Mechanical watches can be positioned to show that you have intellectual depth so that you don't need to follow the crowd and are sufficiently successful so that you can afford to go periscope down and ignore the digital chaos around you whenever you want to.
Cheers.
This is so spot on. The ultimate luxury is the freedom of time. Mechanical watches tells you "meh, no one has me by the (virtual IM or email) leash, and seconds off here, seconds off there, who cares? I control my own time"

Smartwatches on the other hand, are tools to get things done
 
Foo2rama
Posts
18,098
Likes
27,413
WatchVaultNYC WatchVaultNYC
This is so spot on. The ultimate luxury is the freedom of time. Mechanical watches tells you "meh, no one has me by the (virtual IM or email) leash, and seconds off here, seconds off there, who cares? I control my own time"

Smartwatches on the other hand, are tools to get things done
I agree with that. Conversion of smart watch buyers to mechanical is the key. It's a new group of potential buyers. While there was a fear of smart watches killing mechanical watches that was valid at the time. I think we have seen that they are both devices on your wrist that tell time, other then that they are drastically different in use and function. Now some people that did not traditionally wear watches purchased smart watches and liked the look and feeling but hated the smart functions, either hard to use or intrusive. These are the people that can converted.
Edited:
 
oldskool
Posts
21
Likes
50
I was almost tempted to purchase my first smartwatch (Apple Watch II), until @oddboy schooled me on the artistry of the mechanical watch. I searched, I learned and started to love. As much as I love technology (I work in the tech industry), there is nothing that can replace the feeling of winding up that buttery crown to set the time on a piece of art that has been crafted by hand.
 
Riviera Paradise
Posts
2,152
Likes
3,810
Foo2rama Foo2rama
I agree with that. Conversion of smart watch buyers to mechanical is the key. It's a new group of potential buyers. While there was a fear of smart watches killing mechanical watches was valid at the time. I think we have seen that they are both devices on your wrist that tell time other then that they are drastically different in use and function. Now some people that did not traditionally wear watches purchased smart watches and liked the look and feeling but hated the smart functions, either hard to use or intrusive. These are the people that can converted.

Although your proposed initiative would be a great outcome, if achieved, I think a explicit conversion attempt of the smartwatch user might require too much marketing effort $$ that should be focused on other, more pressing initiatives.

I believe the watch industry needs first of all to concentrate on redefining its marketing message for this new aspirational relaxed lifestyle mood and have products that clearly resonate with that message. Omega, for example, seem to be all over the place with their branding and product range in desperation to react to the market slump.

As younger people from the smartwatch crowd mature, feel less peer pressure influence and a constant need to be connected to a group, as well as increasing their disposable income, they will be drawn to beautiful and interesting "non-connected" artefacts such as mechanical watches.

With the advent of the smartwatch I do think the market will lose a significant percentage of the 20-30 yr olds who used to buy a Rolex simply to show some initial sign of financial success. I would not waste time and effort trying to get them back. The watch industry needs to focus on growing and retaining mechanical watch mindshare within its current "strong" segment of 30-60yrs old.

BTW my wife has a Phd in Geriatrics...and from what I have seen of her publications, if you look at how the demographics are going to change globally over the next 20 years...being young and under 25 is going to be an exception in many parts of the world😁
 
al128
Posts
2,203
Likes
2,057
Riviera Paradise Riviera Paradise
.

BTW my wife has a Phd in Geriatrics...and from what I have seen of her publications, if you look at how the demographics are going to change globally over the next 20 years...being young and under 25 is going to be an exception in many parts of the world😁

Maybe you need to talk with her seriously...😒

My guess is that still a very high percentage of under 25s will be young ... In many parts of the world.,. 😝
 
al128
Posts
2,203
Likes
2,057
Oh btw... I just read (today?) That Google will introduce a smartwatch in the next months.

That MIGHT be a game changer - it they manage to get the whole "virtual PA" aspect of it right.

Find the closest Italian restaurant, reserve a table and have uber pick me up here in 15min.
 
U
Posts
25,980
Likes
27,692
al128 al128
Oh btw... I just read (today?) That Google will introduce a smartwatch in the next months.

That MIGHT be a game changer - it they manage to get the whole "virtual PA" aspect of it right.

Find the closest Italian restaurant, reserve a table and have uber pick me up here in 15min.

Yeah! You'll be able to do REAL Dick Tracy shit on it!
 
Riviera Paradise
Posts
2,152
Likes
3,810
al128 al128
Maybe you need to talk with her seriously...😒

My guess is that still a very high percentage of under 25s will be young ... In many parts of the world.,. 😝
You silly man the parts of the world I was referring to were Rolex boutiques and elderly retirement homes...duh!:whipped:

Seriously though you are absolutely right👍 "exception" and "many parts of the world" was a very much over the top...to stress a point😉...but in Japan for example they are predicting that 40% of the population will be 65+ by 2060...and I believe the trend worldwide will be for 30-60 age group increase significantly as a percentage of the overall population.
Even in a third world /emerging country such as Brazil...the aging demographics are incredible. The Brazilian elderly population will triple by 2050 from 20million to 65 million...overall population will stay around 225 million..current population 200 million.
 
Riviera Paradise
Posts
2,152
Likes
3,810
al128 al128
Oh btw... I just read (today?) That Google will introduce a smartwatch in the next months.

That MIGHT be a game changer - it they manage to get the whole "virtual PA" aspect of it right.

Find the closest Italian restaurant, reserve a table and have uber pick me up here in 15min.
Which could be interpreted by release 1.0...depending on diction i.e how drunk you are:
Fire the closet italian elefant, deserve a fable and have uber lick me up hear in 15 minestrones
Edited:
 
Riviera Paradise
Posts
2,152
Likes
3,810
Google could do this right...not try to position their smartwatch as a premium product...just an effective tool.
 
al128
Posts
2,203
Likes
2,057
Riviera Paradise Riviera Paradise
Which could be interpreted by release 1.0...depending on diction i.e how drunk you are:
Fire the closet elefant, deserve a fable and have uber lick me up hear in 15 minestrones


Hehehe... Might really spice up your life ::stirthepot::


No honey I swear, I said I wanna play snooker, not with a hooker
Edited:
 
37 More Posts...
Sign up or log in to reply...

Similar threads

gemini4

Is the Smartwatch business down the toilet?

gemini4 Modern Omega Watches
Lonestar
Lonestar
Posts
39
Views
5K