I am no watchmaker (nor do I play one on TV) so as far as what is a
better watch, I'll leave that up to those who have the requisite expertise to comment.
This is, as
@gbesq has articulated,
all about marketing and brand positioning. Rolex are arguably the masters in this regard. The concept of brand is, ultimately, a promise. To many of us, Omega meets or exceeds the expectation and provides that indescribable feeling. To others, only the Crown fulfills that intangible something; for most folks, choosing Rolex, Omega or Timex isn't usually rooted in the mechanical as much as the emotional. (Note I said
usually.) Sorry
@bananapeanut, but I don't see the Snoopy or TinTin as cheesy larks by Swatch Group. Perhaps I'm giving Omega too much slack but these Speedy variants seem to make more sense from a watch fancier's perspective. At least to me. it's the the over blingafied, statement-on-the-wrist offerings + the recent what-the-actual fack palm frondy things from Rolex that have me scratching my head. Mind you, that's
their positioning nowadays, and it's geared to a market that,
in my view, is somewhat removed from what we are about here on OF.
The fact the MoonSwatch is being debated and discussed here, again, underscores the home run the Swatch Group scored last spring. The MoonSwatch is a genius move. It has successfully tied together the Swatch and Omega sub-brands and elevates the profile of one of the world's most iconic and storied timepieces: The Speedmaster. Many people who never knew a Speedy from a 1970's Marlin have been alerted and educated thanks to a $350 offering. That's terrific positioning. I could repeat much of what was covered back in late March on the dedicated MoonSwatch thread, but all I will add is this: while I was in the Vancouver OB last week, I asked them their thoughts on the Moon Swatch. Rather than slag it off, they said interest in the actual Moonwatch has exploded since its cheap plastic - sorry, bioceramic - step-child was launched. That is terrific marketing from a company that, make no mistake, has an abundance of marketers and brand specialists to vet campaign concepts and do tests prior to launch. A large marketing team doesn't preclude bad decisions, of course. Take the
Leopard Daytona, for example.
