A garden for a new clock
Euro RSCG launches traditional Carl F. Bucherer watch with a brand world
Euro RSCG launches traditional watch Carl F. Bucherer with a brand worldBy Luca Aloisi Brand philosophy instead of product marketing - this is the strategy with which the Bucherer Group wants to lead its "new" watch brand Carl F. Bucherer to international success. The Zurich agencies Euro RSCG and Pi Ar are responsible for the coordinated integrated communication.
As the rate at which companies are founded is dependent on the economy, the birth of a new Swiss watch brand in the current slump is tantamount to a pioneering act, even in the stronghold of the luxury watchmaker. However, given the general conditions for the launch of the two types of watches - modern classics and jewelry watches from CHF 1,000 and CHF 5,000 in the core segments - with the Carl F. Bucherer brand, the economic conditions are not so significant.
On the one hand, the watch and jewelry specialist Bucherer has a financial cushion for a proper brand development, and on the other hand, Marcel Hossli, Executive Marketing Manager, has been forging a consistent business plan for almost two and a half years. In addition, the steady increase in exports of the company's own watch collections since 1994 provides sound prospects for the future.
Establishing new watch brands is becoming more difficult
The main aim of the new watch brand is to establish a second strategic sales pillar for the Bucherer Group alongside the retail trade. Two and a half years ago, this intention and the little-known watchmaking expertise gave rise to the desire firstly to make better use of this over eighty years of expertise and secondly to position an internationally renowned watch brand with the resources of the Bucherer Group.
"We are taking advantage of the increased brand awareness in the nineties. We see this as an opportunity because customers are looking for security and identification when they buy branded items. In other words, what we want to offer in our watch brand," says Hossli. Even with these premises, it is difficult today to establish a new brand sustainably in the highly competitive watch sector.
In addition, a large number of high-end watch brands entered the market in the past decade in particular, which quickly found their niches and a sufficiently large customer base thanks to the strong economy. However, while the expanded potential customer base at the time is shrinking in the global economic downturn, the competition for buyers and distribution channels is intensifying with increasing concentration in luxury goods groups.
And although the Swiss watch industry is still in a better position this year compared to the same period last year (up 6.7 percent), the decline in sales over the past three months is likely to affect brands in the upper mid-range in particular. In other words, the spectrum in which Carl F. Bucherer's model families are located.
Claims + attitude to life = brand philosophy
As there are hardly any opportunities to generate a USP for the watch product, those responsible have decided to highlight this in their communication. "In our opinion, the watch industry is still very conservative, especially in the important area of communication," says Hossli, who only knows of a few brands, such as IWC, Rolex or Patek Philippe, that not only differentiate the product through their independent presence, but also communicate their values to the customer.
Most manufacturers engage in celebrity endorsement or product marketing, which conveys a lot of design and quality claims, but can hardly reflect a brand experience.
What established brands such as Cartier can take to extremes thanks to the "brand magic" they have achieved over decades offers hardly any differentiation potential for the development of a new watch brand in a mature market with over 120 brands. That is why those responsible for the watch of the independent Bucherer business unit want to create a consistently new and enduring watch brand world as a differentiator. "If you want to be successful as a young brand, you have to take a stand on what the brand stands for," says Hossli, explaining the starting point and pointing to the values that Carl F. Bucherer embodies.
With the personalized brand, the jewelry and watch company pays tribute to the pioneering achievements of the founder of the same name and implies brand values such as success, value awareness and innovative spirit. The brand identity, which aims to be unusual in the industry in its implementation, was designed to emphasize this special feature.
Carl F. Bucherer does not simply want to offer its target group a collection but, according to the company, "a consistent brand philosophy developed from their requirements that fully reflects their attitude to life". It goes without saying that the retailer benefits from its many years of international activity for a well-founded feel for market developments.
More complex than such formulations were the generation of an experience concept idea and the derivation of a key image. The core target group was narrowly defined: In line with the importance of the jewelry watch collection, this consists of 60 percent women. They are value- and goal-conscious, realistic people with high purchasing power between the ages of 30 and 50 who are open to new ideas. "Women and men who follow their own values and visions," says Claudia-Regina Flores, media spokesperson, outlining the broad contours of the target group. And: "The wearers of a Carl F. Bucherer watch are very socially integrated, enjoy life and give space to their own feelings."
Clear positioning with a clear world of experience
Euro RSCG should express this attitude to life in its international advertising presence. The initial focus is on Switzerland, the Benelux countries, Spain and Portugal as well as the Far East export markets with the exception of Japan. Establishment in Japan and the USA is being pursued as a long-term goal. The intention is to achieve a "significant" increase in sales in the targeted markets.
The fact that a portion of self-confidence is involved in the introduction can also be seen from the fact that the PKS was not used for target positioning in the competitive environment. "We have our own definitions of customer groups," explains Hossli. In terms of price, Carl F. Bucherer will be in the segment between Longines and Ebel. In terms of style, the brand focuses on elegant design. Managing Director Urs Tobler is not very specific about the qualitative and quantitative goals: "In terms of quality, we want to offer good value for money. We also envisage selective international distribution, whereby we want to be positioned at selected retailers in good and prime locations."
Thanks to this and its core competencies, the new watch brand can offer its distribution partners the now rare advantages of an independent Swiss watch manufacturer. In addition to the internationally marketed Carl F. Bucherer brand, there will continue to be a clearly defined Bucherer line on a very limited level.
Emotional branding concept - Magic Gardens
In the advertising campaign of Zurich-based Euro RSCG, which had won the mandate in a pitch before Frank Bodin's time, the team led by CD Jeremy Rawle created a high-quality lifestyle look on the emotional platform. During the long development period of experience concepts, which were deliberately not developed according to the rules of product marketing, the garden increasingly emerged as the ideal key image.
The oasis, understood both in terms of location and time, is well suited for long-term positioning with its positive associations, offers sufficient possibilities for variations in implementation and attempts to appeal to emotions relevant to the customer, especially in the TV commercial.
"The visualized brand world encompasses several types of consumers and, above all, the Realos. Although the garden could be interpreted as a quiet, remote place, it is not. The headlines and the action of the protagonists cancel out this impression," summarizes the English CD Rawle, who previously worked creatively for Tag and Rolex, in his content analysis.
The people in the urban oases have both feet on the ground, have exciting careers and visions. In the magical garden, however, they pause for a very personal moment to enjoy this valuable break for themselves or in company. The international nature of the world of experience was also taken into account in the linguistic and visual realization, which is why several different strong personalities appear in the commercial.
What was deliberately used as a bracket for the complex and broad target group of the watch brand and for the longevity of the commercial has the flaw of overload. The individual characters and stories, which are enriched with cut-aways, compete with each other in the short strip and require a great deal of attention. Nevertheless, tracking shots and fast cuts prevent the magical gardens from descending into the esoteric.
The print motifs, which are based on the commercial, support the comprehensibility of the commercial and vice versa. Brandworld is brought to life at the POS. Carl F. Bucherer has already achieved its first success: The Patravi Chronograph GMT is among the 39 finalists for the "Watch of the Year 2001" award. And if the positive reactions at the Basel watch fair are a good omen, the launch in China in November should not disappoint expectations either.
As the rate at which companies are founded is dependent on the economy, the birth of a new Swiss watch brand in the current slump is tantamount to a pioneering act, even in the stronghold of the luxury watchmaker. However, given the general conditions for the launch of the two types of watches - modern classics and jewelry watches from CHF 1,000 and CHF 5,000 in the core segments - with the Carl F. Bucherer brand, the economic conditions are not so significant.
On the one hand, the watch and jewelry specialist Bucherer has a financial cushion for a proper brand development, and on the other hand, Marcel Hossli, Executive Marketing Manager, has been forging a consistent business plan for almost two and a half years. In addition, the steady increase in exports of the company's own watch collections since 1994 provides sound prospects for the future.
Establishing new watch brands is becoming more difficult
The main aim of the new watch brand is to establish a second strategic sales pillar for the Bucherer Group alongside the retail trade. Two and a half years ago, this intention and the little-known watchmaking expertise gave rise to the desire firstly to make better use of this over eighty years of expertise and secondly to position an internationally renowned watch brand with the resources of the Bucherer Group.
"We are taking advantage of the increased brand awareness in the nineties. We see this as an opportunity because customers are looking for security and identification when they buy branded items. In other words, what we want to offer in our watch brand," says Hossli. Even with these premises, it is difficult today to establish a new brand sustainably in the highly competitive watch sector.
In addition, a large number of high-end watch brands entered the market in the past decade in particular, which quickly found their niches and a sufficiently large customer base thanks to the strong economy. However, while the expanded potential customer base at the time is shrinking in the global economic downturn, the competition for buyers and distribution channels is intensifying with increasing concentration in luxury goods groups.
And although the Swiss watch industry is still in a better position this year compared to the same period last year (up 6.7 percent), the decline in sales over the past three months is likely to affect brands in the upper mid-range in particular. In other words, the spectrum in which Carl F. Bucherer's model families are located.
Claims + attitude to life = brand philosophy
As there are hardly any opportunities to generate a USP for the watch product, those responsible have decided to highlight this in their communication. "In our opinion, the watch industry is still very conservative, especially in the important area of communication," says Hossli, who only knows of a few brands, such as IWC, Rolex or Patek Philippe, that not only differentiate the product through their independent presence, but also communicate their values to the customer.
Most manufacturers engage in celebrity endorsement or product marketing, which conveys a lot of design and quality claims, but can hardly reflect a brand experience.
What established brands such as Cartier can take to extremes thanks to the "brand magic" they have achieved over decades offers hardly any differentiation potential for the development of a new watch brand in a mature market with over 120 brands. That is why those responsible for the watch of the independent Bucherer business unit want to create a consistently new and enduring watch brand world as a differentiator. "If you want to be successful as a young brand, you have to take a stand on what the brand stands for," says Hossli, explaining the starting point and pointing to the values that Carl F. Bucherer embodies.
With the personalized brand, the jewelry and watch company pays tribute to the pioneering achievements of the founder of the same name and implies brand values such as success, value awareness and innovative spirit. The brand identity, which aims to be unusual in the industry in its implementation, was designed to emphasize this special feature.
Carl F. Bucherer does not simply want to offer its target group a collection but, according to the company, "a consistent brand philosophy developed from their requirements that fully reflects their attitude to life". It goes without saying that the retailer benefits from its many years of international activity for a well-founded feel for market developments.
More complex than such formulations were the generation of an experience concept idea and the derivation of a key image. The core target group was narrowly defined: In line with the importance of the jewelry watch collection, this consists of 60 percent women. They are value- and goal-conscious, realistic people with high purchasing power between the ages of 30 and 50 who are open to new ideas. "Women and men who follow their own values and visions," says Claudia-Regina Flores, media spokesperson, outlining the broad contours of the target group. And: "The wearers of a Carl F. Bucherer watch are very socially integrated, enjoy life and give space to their own feelings."
Clear positioning with a clear world of experience
Euro RSCG should express this attitude to life in its international advertising presence. The initial focus is on Switzerland, the Benelux countries, Spain and Portugal as well as the Far East export markets with the exception of Japan. Establishment in Japan and the USA is being pursued as a long-term goal. The intention is to achieve a "significant" increase in sales in the targeted markets.
The fact that a portion of self-confidence is involved in the introduction can also be seen from the fact that the PKS was not used for target positioning in the competitive environment. "We have our own definitions of customer groups," explains Hossli. In terms of price, Carl F. Bucherer will be in the segment between Longines and Ebel. In terms of style, the brand focuses on elegant design. Managing Director Urs Tobler is not very specific about the qualitative and quantitative goals: "In terms of quality, we want to offer good value for money. We also envisage selective international distribution, whereby we want to be positioned at selected retailers in good and prime locations."
Thanks to this and its core competencies, the new watch brand can offer its distribution partners the now rare advantages of an independent Swiss watch manufacturer. In addition to the internationally marketed Carl F. Bucherer brand, there will continue to be a clearly defined Bucherer line on a very limited level.
Emotional branding concept - Magic Gardens
In the advertising campaign of Zurich-based Euro RSCG, which had won the mandate in a pitch before Frank Bodin's time, the team led by CD Jeremy Rawle created a high-quality lifestyle look on the emotional platform. During the long development period of experience concepts, which were deliberately not developed according to the rules of product marketing, the garden increasingly emerged as the ideal key image.
The oasis, understood both in terms of location and time, is well suited for long-term positioning with its positive associations, offers sufficient possibilities for variations in implementation and attempts to appeal to emotions relevant to the customer, especially in the TV commercial.
"The visualized brand world encompasses several types of consumers and, above all, the Realos. Although the garden could be interpreted as a quiet, remote place, it is not. The headlines and the action of the protagonists cancel out this impression," summarizes the English CD Rawle, who previously worked creatively for Tag and Rolex, in his content analysis.
The people in the urban oases have both feet on the ground, have exciting careers and visions. In the magical garden, however, they pause for a very personal moment to enjoy this valuable break for themselves or in company. The international nature of the world of experience was also taken into account in the linguistic and visual realization, which is why several different strong personalities appear in the commercial.
What was deliberately used as a bracket for the complex and broad target group of the watch brand and for the longevity of the commercial has the flaw of overload. The individual characters and stories, which are enriched with cut-aways, compete with each other in the short strip and require a great deal of attention. Nevertheless, tracking shots and fast cuts prevent the magical gardens from descending into the esoteric.
The print motifs, which are based on the commercial, support the comprehensibility of the commercial and vice versa. Brandworld is brought to life at the POS. Carl F. Bucherer has already achieved its first success: The Patravi Chronograph GMT is among the 39 finalists for the "Watch of the Year 2001" award. And if the positive reactions at the Basel watch fair are a good omen, the launch in China in November should not disappoint expectations either.
