Horological Meandering

Many companies use celebrity endorsements to market their watches. As horology enthusiasts, are we immune to this type of advertising? Are there celebrities whose association with watches/companies actually means something to you and adds to the ‘value’ of the watch?

What type of endorsement works best, do you think? Perhaps none at all? An example that comes immediately to mind is Rolex and Omega placement in the James Bond franchise, but I will let you tell me if you think that works, or not.

Andrew

This message has been edited by AnthonyTsai on 2009-12-29 20:49:15 This message has been edited by ThomasM on 2010-01-01 08:05:15

For me, at the very least the personality has to be consistent wit the brand image, in order for the association to be memorable and synergetic...

One example that I really like are: Arnold Schwarzenegger with AP Royal Oak Offshore - both are exemplars of ruggedness, muscular strength, and strong, goal-oriented preseverence. Not to mention Arnold's universal fame around the globe. I think it was such a fantastic job that I am not ashamed to say that he was one of the reasons I first got interested in the Offshore series.

Not an easy job I think... I see too many celebrity endorsements that make me scratch my head... including the one with
Mr. Clooney and Omega... and some of the ones that AP had (Jay-Z?...hmm...)

Just my 2cents worth. Wonder what others think.

Jon (Z3)

whoever the celeb will be, I only look at the watch. So it only works for non WIS.

Maybe they may have an effect on non-WIS, but for us WIS, I don't think it has any effect IMO.

Jessica Alba could be the brand representative for a brand I don't like, and I still wouldn't look at that brand's watches.  Maybe their advertisements though

Cheers,
Anthony

...except that I will admit to wishing I could come across a pristine Rolex ref. 6538 at a yard sale one day with a tag on it that said $20.    It's only because I really, really love James Bond.  Otherwise, no celebs needed.

Cheers,

Daos

convince me to buy  have to agree with the others  even though im on my way to buy Cloonies Omega
This message has been edited by gazoz on 2009-12-28 23:30:40

If this is a watch you're considering, or you're madly in love with, it can be nice to see such an advertising.

It will depend on the celebrity who endorse it, too.

Now, if the Celebrity is one of your Idol, but if you don't like the watch, such an ad will be totally irrelevant, IMO.

Hey, we still are children, but not stupid!

))

i can see why brands use them to pull in the less knowledgable. ambassadors are there for the general public who know little about watches, but know quite a lot about celebrities. there are some exceptions however, like Arnie who i believe was instrumental in the design of the ROO T3 and others. if a celebrity helps design a watch that i like then i would obviously take more notice of the watch/celebrity marriage. luckily for my pocket i'm not a fan of any of the ROO's or Arnie. if there are any other celebs who have helped in the design of a watch i'd be interested to hear of them.

graham

Insofar I think this endorsement has a certain effect on me as well.
There are so many different watches around, that a celebrity may raise awareness for a new model or brand.
Interestingly though, this would be most necessary for new brands that do not have the means to bond with celebrities. On the other hand, even the well-known brands must distinguish themselves from competitors. The real watch nuts will probably not be strongly influenced by this PR strategy, but I assume their share of purchases is much smaller than that of the uninformed majority. And the general public for sure will be less critical and often want this "Clooney watch" or "Federer watch". Trust me: if there would be no measurable effect, this merchandising strategy would soon be stopped. The brands do not have money to uselessly waste it!
Stars help creating a corporate identity, an image that is more important for most customers than technical details.

For example, I did not know much about Longines, but with Agassi and Graf advertising, I had a closer look. But much more than these well-known sport celebrities the posts on PuristSPro fed my curiosity .

George Clooney is a gorgeous brand ambassador for Omega IMO, as he can make a bit of fun about himself like on this photo with the watchmaker´s loupe, which definitely has a self-ironic notion.

Best regards,

anaesdoc

 

Maybe it is because I buy watches to make myself feel good and not to be shown off to anybody nor it would make me look or associated with the celebrity in the ads. For that reason too, I dont buy fake watch no matter how "look alike" the watch is because I know it is fake although the rest of the world would never notice it is fake.

Sometime I feel that some celebrity ads is misleading. For example, ROLEX worn by a star golf player swinging with his/her clubs. It would give an impression that Rolex is strong enough for a golf game. All AD told me not to play golf with mechanical watch. That kind of ads is misleading.

that i do not or could not find out?

agree with most of the above points and sometimes it makes the difference.

i really wanted a HW Z4 or the original ocean chrono as a few years ago HWRTs were rather for people who actually knows a bit to appreciate everything they represent. Then somehow this part of earth marketing began to do all the publicity stunts with a pop star as brand ambassadors for the sole purpose of mere media exposure that really put me off mentally. HWRTs r RARE timepieces not POPs, how the hack they think i ll want to be identify with a cheesy love song singer? Pardon me but i m actually pretty pissed at that because i really liked HWRTs and they literately ruined it for me.



HWRTs were  suppose to be mysteriously romantic.

On the other hand, Bulgari did everything right with the ironman and maintained its composure with technical advancements still in the focus

,




Cheers,
Ed~
 

This message has been edited by lien on 2009-12-29 06:00:40 This message has been edited by lien on 2009-12-29 06:11:54

But don't ask me afterwards what watch they were wearing. A

Mech.

...or worse, a complete turn-off, depending on the celebrity doing the endorsing.  That said, however, I obsessively scan all watch ads that appear before my eyes, with or without celebrity images.

I am much more interested in the "endoresements" by Purists and WIS made here on the forums.  These are opinions I value much more highly than some celebrity who probably knows little about watches. 

respo 

who summed up my attitude to commercial endorsements


When I'm watchin' my TV
And a man comes on and tells me
How white my shirts could be
He can't be a man 'cause he doesn't smoke
The same cigarettes as me..

Best,

Ginger

Rolling Stones wisdom.  I love it, Ginger!

Cheers,

Daos

. . . touché, Ginger . . .

I have no issues with at all.....but I have to say I think Omega seem to pick the best, Cindy Crawford and more recently the most stunning woman in the world Ziyi Zhang.  Would I buy a watch because of them...no, but I would look at the advert..!!

However I do have issues with manufacturers who produce a LE or series of products because of a car, olympics, winner in a race etc...no names here..!!  This will put me off buying something and possibly put me off the company.

Yours,

Andy.

How about adverts that attempt to create a link with significant events or achievements (eg. Rolex)? Are these more successful than straight celebrity endorsements?

 

Andy suggests not, but I am interested in others thoughts.

 

Andrew

Gosh, you PuristS are a tough audience! LOL  Better not tell GP, Linde Werdelin and other companies that advertise on PPro.

 

It appears that there are some endorsee’s that are synergistic with their products – Arnold Schwarzenegger is mentioned – particularly if they had some input into the design.

 

Although most PuristS would not be influenced to buy, an advert may make them take a second look at a watch. So perhaps there is some value here for the companies.

 

Lien shows how marketing can backfire, and several of us enjoy the fact that some of our watches ‘fly under the radar’. Mech has aspirations of being a celebrity himself. J

 

Anaesdoc well knows the influence that the pharmaceutical industries have. Surveys of doctors show that they also believe they are immune to advertising. Millions of dollars channelled by these companies to direct marketing (called “detailing”), however, suggests that doctors are deceiving themselves! Studies on pharmaceutical advertising and its effects on revenue show a direct link.

 

Andrew

Respo has touched on the next area I want to explore. How influential are comments made by other PuristS or Moderators?

 

How much of a ‘herd effect’ do we see? There are many watches that hardly get a mention here, and others that pop up quite frequently. Although there is significant overlap, some watches discussed extensively on other Fora do not see the light of day on PPro. Is it that we are that different from other WIS?

 

The recent discussion on disclosure and the inclusion of a disclosure clause suggests that we have at least some concerns about undue influence. Do we read reviews of loaned watches differently to those owned by PuristS? Are these just advertorials?  How unbiased are the comments of someone who has invested in a new watch? Does it take time for the ‘shine’ to wear off a new addition to the collection and for the ‘real’ truth to be revealed? Do you take more notice of ‘long term road tests'?

 

How much does knowing the collecting habits of Purists affect the reliability (for you personally) of their reviews? In the audio review setting (which must apply to automotive reviews and many others) it is essential to know the biases of the reviewers, their room setup, other equipment and perhaps even a report from their audiologist! LOL

 

How about watch ‘reviews’ in other media such as magazines, other on-line fora?

 

What are your thoughts?

 

Andrew

In my current tenure as a moderator, and as a member of the general community, I have only posted because I enjoy the interaction with everyone, and I want to share my feelings, thoughts, and opinions -- that's all they are -- my opinions, my impressions.  Obviously, there may be some element of heightened "exposure" for certain models or brands when people write about them, and discussion blossoms, but that's natural.  A veil is lifted and your eyes open, but it's the intention at the heart of these discussions that is most important. 

As humans, I think there's generally a desire to be liked, respected and have your opinion validated.  If you like something, and others are in agreement with you, it feels nice; but we can't spoonfeed each other ideas in order to collectively move the needle on the dial of opinion.  We absolutely should not.  As a moderator, it is my intention to put my opinions out there, and receive your feedback, regardless of whether or not you agree with me.  I really hope that people reading my posts are not validating my ideas just because I'm a PuristSPro member, or a moderator, or a woman, or ________ (fill in the blank).  I also hope everyone here knows that I'm not in the pocket of any company.  Having said that, I'm a person, and you should always recognize that everyone has biases.  I'll tell you right now that I personally requested through PPro to review the Girard-Perregaux 1966 Full Calendar because I kept seeing the ads for it on our site and thought it a handsome watch that deserved an on-the-wrist review for the consumption of the membership here.  I will review it fairly, and without being influenced by GP or receiving any benefit from the company in any way, but I freely acknowledge that I found the watch aesthetically pleasing before I started my review.

Will you read my upcoming review differently now, knowing this?

I think the best thing each of us can do to be in service to this wonderful community of ours, and to each other as individuals, is to be honest in your posts (in a respectful, constructive way), and pass all the information you read here (or in other fora, magazines, etc.) through your own personal mental and emotional filters.

Cheers,

Daos

I didnt know you're a LADY??!!! from those men watches you're wearing!?!!!

Ok just kidding, just want to prove my point I haven't met most of the people here. Hahaha.

cheers

Mech

No message body

Good one there Andrew!

My girly 3940 sits well on my girly size wrist hahahaha and my Moser is my first manly watch!!!

Mech

Thanks for reading my long-winded post!

Cheers,

Daos

I'm not sure the posts/reviews by the forumers here are purists or ADs/Dealers/freelance watch writers as I don't know most of them in person. But one could tell somewhat by the way they're written/presented.

I appreciate their in depth review, especially those from the purists (private individuals, especially owners, so it's good to share), as they possess real experience with a watch they invested in and wearing them for a period of time. If I'd be influenced by such review, it would be most likely from the purists source.

Still the final decision is with the eventual buyer, so they still need to do due diligence before taking the plunge. I would rank for myself in this order of influence:

1. From purists/owners.
2. From Watchmakers' statements
3. From reputable (hopefully independent) and professional watch reviewers (do they exist?)

the rest of the influence might be too insignificant to me to use on such decisions.

In summary, once I made the committment and own the watch I endorsed, I like to see 'celebrities' wearing them too, like the French Presidents' beautiful 3940G. It's a nice feeling knowing some known figures wearing a watch you like.

just me.

Mech.

Thanks Mech,

 

I resonate with many of your comments. Personal ‘reviews’ by purists whose tastes and biases we come to know (and respect) are much more useful to me than advertorials rehashing a brands press releases. We still need to filter this information through our own knowledge/experience/’eye’ to decide if a watch is right for us.

 

Andrew

in shaping what u see, where to look, and eventually what your heart ll be telling u.

its easy when u have everything to gain coming to this portal for learning/seeking advises & information, its not as simple just experts' word of mouse opinions/suggestions thats in the play, but given ur learning curve inevitably shaped by the collective patterns of appreciation, u r easily becoming assimilated as the inner need to be accepted and recognized is equally powerful in shaping ur eventual opinion or u probably leave.

Nevertheless, i think most of the posts/reviews here r presented in good will. And i m a happy watch borg here

to answer ur Q, I value purists endorsements greatly as to me they represent the small elite collectors' opinion.

Moderators, very insightful yet i ll pay equal attention to what they hesitant to say:p

Cheers,
Ed~ 

 

This message has been edited by lien on 2009-12-29 19:19:28