“The emerging generation is important to focus on, and though they are currently not the strongest buying force in the watch market, they will be eventually,” said Aeschlimann. “Obviously, the use of social media and e-commerce is vital.”
“The most relevant ROI you’re going to get from social media is you’ll be talking to customers you would not normally be talking to,” added Williams. “You’re casting a wider net and getting a demographic you typically don’t with traditional marketing.”
However, this does not mean abandoning traditional marketing altogether. Instead, exhibitors say it is crucial to balance the new innovations customers demand with more time-tested approaches.
“We’re always interested in looking at new ways to communicate with customers—but not at the expense of the more traditional methods that still appeal to many,” said Matthias Breschan, CEO of Rado.
Wenger echoes this sentiment, touching on the sometimes-substantial gap between what customers say they want and what they buy.
“There are always people seeking newer, unique products. Whether they’re successful and selling out is a different question,” he warned. “That’s quite a doubtful situation. You seek something different, yet you’re taking a big financial gamble, because your bread and butter items are the same model you had for many years and they’re performing. It’s like a risky balancing act.”
