PhaseOne Luxury Watch Advertising Study Indicates Brands Cluster Based on Fashion, Interests, Status

LOS ANGELES - May 20, 2013 - PRLog -- LOS ANGELES, May 15, 2013 — Luxury watch brand advertising tends to cluster based on fashion, personal interests and luxury status, as well as price, according to the findings of a study (http://www.phaseone.net/viewpoint/luxury-watch-study/) by PhaseOne, a leading analytic-based research and consultancy firm.  Released today, the study analyzed 16 luxury watch brands from North America, Europe and Asia.  Conducted in the first quarter of 2013, the study is based on print ads in spring 2012 and 2013 issues of leading fashion and luxury magazines worldwide.

“Our study indicates that luxury watch brands tend to cluster together by positioning and messaging in their advertising,” said Terry Villines, vice president of Analytics at PhaseOne.  “The luxury watch brands analyzed fell into three distinct areas: fashion, personal interests, and luxury status.  All of these approaches focused on how the brand empowers the wearer to self-actualize or express themselves, and they also tended to cluster into three distinct price ranges even though price was not mentioned in any of the ads.”

Brands that fell into Cluster One, or the Fashion category, included such recognizable watch brands such as Swatch, Ice, Guess and Armani Exchange.  The study shows that messaging for fashion brands were primarily presented as an expression of self through fashion.   The visuals highlighted the aesthetics of the watch, such as color and design, with the majority of messages focused on the watch’s role as a fashion accessory to clothing.

Brands that fell into Category Two, or the Specialized Personal Interest Brands category, included brands such as Bell & Ross, Tissot and Raymond Weil.  The study indicated that messaging for these specialized personal interest brands focused on lifestyle interest, such as aviation, music, travel and a pampered lifestyle.  Visual imagery of these lifestyles seems to suggest to the buyer that this watch best allows them to express themselves via their personalized interests or aspirations.

Cluster Three, the Status and Luxury Indulgence Brands category, included such iconic brands as Rolex, Omega, Richard Mille and Patek Philippe.  The presentation of these watches implies high-quality materials (diamonds, gold, silver, etc.), superior craftsmanship and design.  According to the messaging, ownership of these watches implies exclusive status and indulgence in opulent luxury.

In its study, PhaseOne’s researchers concluded that luxury watch brands cluster together based on the brands’ messages of image.  Of all the brands in the study, Patek Philippe stood out for giving its audience a clear, unique way to think about the brand by intimating that the preciousness and beauty of its watch is like a close, long-lasting, loving relationship between a parent and a child.  The researchers also concluded that the Rolex brand displayed the greatest heritage, indicating longevity of luxury and status, giving customers the impression that Rolex is a brand leader.

According to Villines, PhaseOne’s Luxury Watch Study (http://www.phaseone.net/viewpoint/luxury-watch-study/) reveals learning for the overall luxury brands category.

“Building a luxury brand is a multi-faceted, multi-channel effort,” Villines said. “Harnessing the power of advertising can play a key role in not only introducing a brand to new audiences but also reinforcing the brand to existing customers.  At their best, the carefully selected visuals and well-crafted language will result in building a competitive edge and a luxury brand that stands apart.”

Methodology

Print ads for 16 luxury watch brands in leading fashion magazines (global sampling from spring 2012 and 2013) were examined using PhaseOne’s proprietary analytical frameworks. Leveraging three decades of ongoing research and real-world validation, PhaseOne analysts determined the dominant communication and how the style and content impacted the messaging of each brand.

About PhaseOne

PhaseOne, a business of The SI Organization, Inc. (the SI), is a leading analytic-based research and consultancy firm helping Fortune 500 companies improve the success rate of their marketing materials. Founded in 1982, PhaseOne has developed a powerful, scientifically based, proprietary methodology that provides a rigorous, objective analysis accurately forecasting target audience responses, particularly in terms of communications impact on the target’s attitudes and behaviors. PhaseOne provides some of the world’s most-recognized companies with customized analytics that are used from the earliest stages of strategy development to campaign optimization prior to consumer testing or campaign launch. PhaseOne is based in Los Angeles and McLean, Va.  For more information about PhaseOne, please visit www.phaseone.net.  For more information on the SI, please visit www.thesiorg.com.