I am no watch enthusiast, and I never even thought about real watches until 2 weeks ago. I am doing an assignment for my university for business development and my course is on ads and the influencing speech they have on people. My assignment asks for me to post on a company forum. An ad I was looking at had Daniel Craig as James Bond wearing an Omega Seamaster 300M. I wanted to know what is it that makes this watch different from other brands and why customers gravitate towards Omega?

As a member of the military, the only experience I have with watches are wearing $10 Casio’s because they are easily replaceable after field training or losing it everywhere. What is the reason you got into Omega? Did you enjoy their ads? If you do, which ad inspired you to purchase an Omega watch? Is there a societal influence, group or cultural influence that these watches have for you?

My assignments have shown that many people purchase items for societal, group or cultural influences. A lot of times people look at ads and become customers just because an ad pertained to them. I like Omega because it looks like a clean well-made watch. I am not fully convinced to purchase one because it is not in my budget and a never found a real purpose behind a three-thousand-dollar watch.

Please give me your ideas! Thank you!

 

First this isn’t a company forum. No relationship with Omega or Swatch group.

2nd your better off asking questions in numbered format and not explaining the answers your looking for which influence the answers.

3rd thank you for your service!

I’d try again explain why your asking and use a survey monkey form. It’s a free survey service.

 

Personally, I'm attracted to quality craftsmanship, utility and beautiful aesthetics. Does a James Bond character or a George Clooney Omega ad influence me? I don't know. I'm certainly aware of those, but I can't say for sure if they have any effect on me. If I didn't organically like the product, I don't think Bond or Clooney could convince me to like it.

I drive a new Toyota Land Cruiser for the same reason I wear on Omega watch (or any other expensive watch). The car is legendary. It's well built. It will outlast any other car on the road. It's beautiful to look at. And it's quite utilitarian while being almost excessively luxurious and technologically sophisticated. When purchasing the car, the relative rarity of the model in the US had an effect on me. I like that there aren't very many of them in the US. I like that in other markets (like Australia or South Africa) the car, or versions of it, is much more common and coveted as unrivaled for durability and off-road capability. Exclusivity has an effect on me.

Omega has a rich history of making great watches. Who WOULDN'T want the following if they could afford it?



Maybe some people wouldn't even consider this watch if it were just $5, but I doubt it. I think a majority of the population would say it's a pretty cool looking watch. But then they would recoil at the price I paid and call me stupid. And I get it. I have a lot of inexpensive watches, and quite a few mid-priced watches. Trust me when I say I appreciate the value in a $20 Casio.

I've always liked clocks and watches. Grandfather clocks. Mantle clocks. Cuckoo clocks. Swiss and Japanese watches. And I think it's common for people to acquire, or desire to acquire, high-end examples of things they like.

 

Survey Monkey would be my choice too. Clean, easy and fast. You also get better results based on the answers.

 

I have a question for forum members: why not just try to answer the OP's very basic questions in free form?

Essentially, the OP's question is "why Omega?" and "what influences your decision?"

Taking the time to suggest different ways of asking the question(s), instead of simply answering, seems very odd to me.

 

Foo is right. Simplify your inquiry.

 

Zero interest in Bond, and those campaigns had no influence on my ownership choice with the brand. However, history, design, and innovation are all key factors.

 

20 years ago was on a business trip to Thailand and met a couple there. They had these beautiful Omega watch on them and were very helpful in pointing out that it was a 5000$ watch and how only rich people can afford them. I was starting my carrier and barely making ends meet and swore to myself that If I make money then I will buy Omega’s first before I buy any other luxury watch. Now a days, its the NASA connection that pushes me to buy the Omegas.

 

For me? Originally it was all about the Moon connection. I loved the idea of having the same watch as worn by astronauts. While I like Bond, I've never been much of a fan of the Bond Seamasters, and less of a fan of any that have overt 007 branding.

 

Would I like to be either James Bond or an Apollo astronaut? Sure - the childhood dreamer in me has never really gone away. But the reason I got into Omega watches has nothing to do with that, and everything to do with my Dad ... he wore a cushion case Omega Constellation for years, and I always loved that watch and wanted an Omega for myself.

 

Me.

 

Personally Ads had no influence.

I started out with Tag. Then after many years of having not much interest in Watches rediscovered my old Tags that had been languishing in a drawer. I’d wanted a Monaco at the time but could not afford one back then. Years later I could so I bought one. Bought another (Carerra) a few weeks later but found the TH range limited for other options. My newly aquired timepieces sparked a new interest and so in a quest for something different went browsing in a few stores. I could not (in my mind) “afford” (or at least justify at the time) the Rolex I wanted, but wanted something of a higher quality finish than Tag so settled on Omega as they had a lot of designs I liked. I didn't really notice the ads on social media until I owned one. Another 3 Omegas later and my wife would have it said I’m now certifiable and should have just got the Rolex and be done with it .

I’ve now been banned from buying more watches this decade so the Ad men can do whatever they like

Omega (well their agency) do produce some great looking Ads though. Funilly enough I’d never realised Omega was a ‘pricey’ brand. I’d assumed they were like Tag or Longines as they were sold everywhere.

Good luck with your assignment.

 

It's a slippery slope. You start buying vintage watches for fun for a $100, then $500, then $1000, then $2500. That's my limit. The more watches you look at on ebay or watch recon etc. the more you appreciate Omega's. Great variety and quality and if you search hard enough you can get a nice Omega for under $500.00. If it's your first watch you should definitely have the generous people on this website have a look at some good photo's before you buy.

 

To the OP: this response above to a rhetorical question, although perhaps seemingly unhelpful in that it appears the person commenting completely missed the forest for the trees, is actually hiding a gem for you. I would try to follow up with 'menace to see if he would be willing to more articulately answer your "influence" question.

I have some guesses:

'menace likes Omega watches or Swiss-made watches in general, or he wouldn't be here typing things and racking up thousands of posts. I could be wrong about that. I've been wrong before. But let's just go with that for a second.

'menace doesn't like my specific Omega model for various reasons, and those reasons are your gem. What influences 'menace? That was EXACTLY your question. Clearly, my "advertisement" (i.e. the picture of my watch) had zero influence on 'menace. So I believe it's safe to assume I cannot sway him in his decision making with regard to buying watches. Alas, I am no George Clooney or James Bond. Neither am I an Olympic-caliber swimmer posing with an Omega. You get the point. Following that line of logic then...

What Omega watches does he actually like and why? What turns him off to the example model shown in my original post? Perhaps he would drool over the same watch 40 years from now after it's all scratched up and glowing with a nice patina and everyone up here is typing feverishly about the vintage moonphase 304.30.44.52.01.001 that no one can seem to find anymore . (And maybe he would pay a premium for one with unpolished lugs even!) Who knows? Only 'menace knows. 'Menace is hiding a gem for you.

If you can find this gem, you will have gained some valuable insight for your project. I say, go for it!

 

@laces54

You are asking interesting questions but, if you allow me, not in the right place. Let me explain.

Most people here have been into watches for years (10, 15, 20 or more) and are extremely knowledgeable about watches brands, models, movements, etc. These people (me too, but I’m a complete rookie in this) have developed strong brand associations and brand awareness throughout years of “living and breathing” the brands, so in that sense, they are not “normal” consumers. Seeing Craig in an Omega ad does not change a bit on their brand perceptions.

A different case maybe with “normal” consumers (the regular guy on the street, outside this community). They can build brand knowledge, awareness and associations based more on ads and eventually develop attitudes towards the brand and brand preference (because of ads they saw).

If you have had any consumer behavior course you might remember that a purchasing decision is based on three linked factors: consumer knowledge about the product, attitudes towards the brand/product and purchasing behavior. People in this forum are (first) extremely knowledgeable about brands and models, they (secondly) develop strong attitudes towards models, movements, etc., and (third) these attitudes are confirmed or changed once they purchase the watch. Probably for a regular consumer (the ones that do not participate in this forum) they (first) develop attitudes (maybe based on the ads they see), they (second) purchase the watch, and eventually (third) learn more as they use it.

Sorry the length. I didn’t mean to lecture, but the topic is quite complex and interesting

Claudio

 

Posted and never came back. Last view was before I even responded.