Company founder René Gross Kaerskov says striking the right chord with retailers goes beyond providing fashionable designs at attractive price points. Instead, branding techniques, such as Bering’s in-store furnishings reminiscent of the Arctic landscape, help tell a story.
“It creates an experience,” he said. “We encourage our retailers to use the displays so the watches themselves don’t disappear among the other brands the store carries. We also advise retailers to display four watches on each shelf so that it’s uncluttered, just like the Arctic.”
The growing trend toward fashion-oriented digital watches was also apparent. Donald Brewer, managing director of Phosphor, says the ‘Apple effect’ is migrating into watch design, with consumers looking for touch displays that change dials with a swipe of a finger. It’s a take on more complex digital watches that use buttons to change displays, what Brewer calls “a smarter watch.” It’s also familiar territory for techies and younger demographics.
“Customers are already accustomed to this type of user interface,” he adds.
The digital age is one avenue Yael Designs is leaning on heavily. Rather than spending thousands on researching consumer trends, the San Francisco-based company is using its Facebook page to see which sketches its 6500 followers—mostly luxury buyers—would like to see produced. Company CEO Yehouda Saketkhou says the tactic has provided interesting insight into what retailers believe will appeal to their customers.
“We can gauge interest before we make the model,” he says, adding Facebook also drives consumers to the company’s dealers. “It helps us tremendously and doesn’t cost anything.”
At show’s end, Reed reported a 21 per cent increase in attendance over two years. Coupled with smiling faces looking back from most exhibitors’ booths, indications are healthy holiday sales are on the horizon.
Now who wouldn’t want that under their Christmas tree?
