SWITZERLAND. The Swatch Group unveiled the Swatch 007 Villains Collection of limited-edition watches inspired by international spy James Bond at a huge event in Austria attended by media from almost every country in the world.
The September event, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the Swatch watch, took the theme “25 Years of Plastic”. Appropriately, it took place in Bregenz, beside Lake Constance, where dramatic scenes from the upcoming Quantum of Solace James Bond movie were filmed.
The global nature of the launch event, attended by The Moodie Report, almost overwhelmed The Swatch Group Chairman Nicolas G. Hayek, arguably the most ambitious and successful watch marketer the world has ever seen.
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The origins of the Swatch watch. Right: The Swatch Group Chairman Nicolas G. Hayek speaking at the United Nations | |
In his press conference speech to the hundreds of journalists present, Hayek noted how, back in 1992, Swatch produced 100 million watches, rising to a huge 333 million in 2006. The numbers keep on climbing, he said, particularly when China was added to its roster of markets. “Today, we sell more than one Swatch to every ten people in China,” he enthused, speaking about the massive size and continuing potential of that market.
India – one of the few remaining markets yet to experience the full force of the Swiss quartz watch phenomenon -will join the list of new markets shortly, Hayek revealed.
Hayek singled out a number of other seismic moments in the brand’s history, namely the launch of the Human Rights Swatch watch created for the United Nations in Geneva in 2006, when he had the honour of speaking to the organisation.
About the Swatch 007 Villains Collection
The Swatch 007 Villains Collection of 22 limited-edition Swatch watches are inspired by “the best of the worst: the bad guys Bond fans love to hate”, said the company. Each model is named after a villain from the 22 James Bond movies released so far. For example, there’s Dr No; Oddjob who appeared in Goldfinger; Rosa Klebb of From Russia With Love; and Jaws from The Spy Who Loved Me. American actor Richard Kiel, who played Jaws, even attended the Swatch “25 Years of Plastic” event, delighting journalists with his heavy-metal secrets from the movie set. (Did you know the enormous ‘metal’ chain he bit through was actually made from liquorice? – Ed.)
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Left to right: Goldfinger and Jaws are among the 22 Swatch 007 Villains Collection. The Jaws chrono is fittingly made from weapons-grade stainless steel | |
Swatch travel retail update
The Moodie Report spoke to Swatch HQ in Switzerland for a brief update on the watch brand in travel retail:
The Villains collection is a big launch for Swatch. How do you intend to market this new collection in travel retail?
007 Villains is a global launch of product collection, currently available in all POS in domestic and travel retail channels without distinction.
When will the Villains collection be launched in travel retail? Will you offer the limited-edition box of 22 watches in travel retail outlets?
The whole collection was launched in September 2008 globally in the markets following the travel retail pricing alignment of the Swatch watches assortment. The limited-edition box might be available in specific POS locations.
Regarding Swatch’s travel retail business in general, please update me on any promotions.
A few ‘outpost’ area promotions have been run in key airport locations, behind specific product launches such as Irony Lady Square, summer sport, Chrono Plastic and all seasonal collections, mainly in Europe and Asia regions.
Have you seen an increase in sales to Chinese customers in travel retail?
We have had good expansion in China, both domestic and travel retail channels, as well in Hong Kong region. We have opened several airport locations, for example, in Shanghai Pudong and Beijing Terminal 3.
What activities do you have planned in the travel retail channel?
Basically to expand our presence in travel retail channel, but more details will be revealed shortly.
How do you think the current global economic situation will affect Swatch?
We count on the quality of our watches and the diversification in our product ranges to grow further our performance into all channels, including travel retail (airports, inflight and ferries).
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Left and right: The Swatch 007 Villains press conference in Bregenz, starring Nicolas G. Hayek (far right) and James Bond movie villains Richard “Jaws” Kiel from The Spy Who Loved Me and Mads “Le Chiffre” Mikkelsen from Casino Royale | |
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Swatch takes over the Festspielhaus in Bregenz for the launch party; recreating scenes from the Quantum of Solace | |
SWATCH HISTORY IN BRIEF
In the late 1970s, a Swiss watch was a work of artful craftsmanship, equipped with a hand-made mechanical movement. In a few short years, however, the value of Swiss watch exports was cut in half, the Swiss share of the market dropped from over 50% to 15%, and competition from Asia slashed the number of watchmaking jobs in Switzerland. Swiss watchmakers were suddenly an endangered species.
Enter Nicolas G. Hayek, whose revolutionary ideas were to lead the industry from its near-death experience to unprecedented health today. Chief among Hayek’s big ideas was that of a “˜second watch’ – not an expensive piece of well-crafted jewellery, but a new way of telling the time. One of the biggest brand names in the world, Swatch has produced more than 350 million Swiss-made “˜Second Watches’ – accessories in tune with the latest trends in the streets, sports and fashion.
From craft to hi-tech design
Responding to consumers’ preference for inexpensive quartz watches, a group of engineers developed a super-thin, gold luxury watch known as Delirium Tremens – the thinnest watch in the world. Presented in 1979, it was a first response to the Asian challenge, as the thinnest watch (1.98mm) ever produced and its secret lay in its radical simplification. The drive to simplify was soon complemented by a search for fresh materials and methods that would allow the production of an entirely new kind of Swiss watch – one made of a synthetic material, shock-proof, accurate, perfect for mass production, inexpensive, and available in a wide range of colours.
From 1983, the first Swatch watches were quality Swiss watches, made of plastic – and they took the world by storm. Swatch has continued to push the limits of technology, introducing a wide array of materials from plastic, stainless steel and aluminum to synthetic fabrics, rubber and silicon. The company continues to find new ways to impart texture and colour to an expanding range of shapes, and inventive designers take advantage of the latest technology.
Swatch + Art
Right from the start, Swatch connected with contemporary art. Swatch watches were inspired by popular culture, and Swatch itself soon became a canvas for famous artists, musicians and fashion designers. One of the first major artists to collaborate with Swatch was the Keith Haring, and the relationship between Swatch and art has since produced a fascinating series of Swatch Art Specials by Pedro Almodóvar, Ãgatha Ruíz de la Prada, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac and Vivienne Westwood, among many others. Recent collaborators include the performance artists and musicians known as Blue Man Group, and Norma Jeane, the contemporary artist who designed Once Again, Again, the 2008 “Club Watch” for members of the worldwide community of Swatch fans and collectors known as Swatch The Club.
Creative retail
Swatch The Club has evolved from a club for enthusiasts and collectors of Swatch watches to a worldwide community. Today, with more than 12,000 Swatch POS, creative retail is the name of the game. In addition to existing shop-in-shops, kiosks, monobrand Swatch stores and flagship Swatch Jellyfish stores, Swatch now sets up “Instant Stores” – temporary Swatch stores that can be set up quickly at an event or in a trendy new location. A new look in retail outlets is coming soon – a theatrical display of creative mobility designed to turn Swatch stores into stages for the product as protagonist.
Party time
Extreme sports and other forms of positively provocative behaviour remain a part of the Swatch identity. The huge Swatch hung from a bank in Frankfurt in 1984, for example, was designed represent the spirit of Swatch-the determination to challenge the limits of performance and to embrace the joys of life.
From plastic Originals to Chrono Plastic in 25 years
In the 25 years since the first “Original” Swatch watch, Swiss watchmakers have introduced the Maxi Swatch, Pop Swatch, Scuba, Chrono, Automatic, Loomi, AquaChrono, Irony, Solar, Access, Skin, Irony Scuba, .beat, Fun Scuba, Fun Boarder, Swatch Jelly in Jelly, and now, the Swatch Chrono Plastic – an all-plastic, lightweight, rugged and colourful sports watch for active men and women of all ages.
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Swatch boosts market share in all regions – 15/08/08
