Brand and Marketing Communication Manageme

Brand and Marketing Communication

Management

Submitted by: Yan Zhang

Tutor : Temi Abimbola Four Wristwatch Brands

The four wristwatch brands I have chosen to critically examine are:

Rolex Gucci Seiko Swatch

Introduction

In 1905, Hans Wilsdorf established a London firm specialising in the distribution of watches. In 1908, Wilsdorf coined a brand name with which to sign his creations: Rolex. In Switzerland, Rolex obtained the first official chronometer certification ever awarded to a wristwatch in 1910. In 1914, the Kew Oberservatory awarded Rolex wristwatch a Class-A precision certificate. In 1926, Rolex developed and patented what would be hailed as the first truly waterproof, airtight and dustproof watch, fittingly named the “Oyster” (5).

Gucci is one of the most well known luxury brand in the world. It started its wristwatch business 26 years ago. In 1997, Gucci took control of its watch business by acquiring Severin Montres, one of the largest and most profitable watch companies in the world (7). Gucci has been the third largest watch manufacturer in Switzerland.

Seiko is a Japanese chronometer company. The world’s first quartz watch was invented by Seiko in 1969 (10). Seiko is well known for technological innovation in watch making.

Swatch started in the early 1980’s. Swatch ticks along at the pace of modern life. With its trend-setting colorful design, its cheerful outlook, and its unconventional appearance, the Swatch message strikes a nerve in our time. It is a message that is understood and accepted all over the world (6). Hundreds of millions of these stylish watches with the unmistakable look of the Swatch brand have been sold worldwide.

The target segments for the four brands

Identifying the consumer target is important because different consumers may have different brand knowledge structures and thus...