TAG HEUER HAS A RICH HERITAGE IN MOTOR SPORTS AND LUXURY TIME PIECES. HOW DO YOU BALANCE THIS TRADITION WITH THE NEED TO APPEAL TO A MODERN AUDIENCE?
One of our greatest strengths at TAG Heuer is blending tradition with modernity. Other brands might focus solely on their heritage or on innovation, but we excel by merging these aspects to create something truly unique. This allows us to honor our past while innovating for the future. For example, our Carrera watches have evolved significantly since the 1960s and ‘70s, yet still retain their iconic essence. This ability to evolve while maintaining a deep connection to our heritage is what sets great brands apart. At TAG Heuer, we’ve been fortunate to have influential figures like Edouard Heuer, Jack Heuer, and more recently, Frédéric Arnault, who have all shaped our legacy. Now, under Julien Tornare’s leadership, we continue to forge exciting new paths.
WHAT IS TAG HEUER’S KEY MARKETING GOALS FOR 2024 AND HOW WILL YOU BE MEASURING SUCCESS?
Our marketing goals have many different aspects, but fundamentally what we’re trying to do is to continue building the desirability of the brand. In my opinion, the most important thing in luxury is to make people dream, make them desire the brand. And so, that’s what I look for. There are many ways you can measure it. For example, we can look at sales or the coverage we receive. There is a type of research in brand study that we carry out every two to three years, where we measure our performance and desirability through a sequence of questions. But from a marketing perspective, we also focus on the impact. The amount of brand messaging and information we receive in today’s world is enormous. This is why the number one thing for the brand should be to emerge and set itself apart.
WATCHES AND WONDERS IS A MAJOR EVENT FOR THE WATCH INDUSTRY. WHAT IS TAG HEUER’S OBJECTIVE FOR PARTICIPATING THIS YEAR?
Yes, it is a big event in this industry and for every Maison. It’s also a tremendous investment. We often ask ourselves why we would want to be here, and I can tell you from my perspective, that the answer is because of the biggest threat that the watch industry is facing. There is a fear that maybe, one day, the young generation will say they no longer need watches. They have their smart digital devices. They will think the traditional watches are for the older generations. This is the biggest threat in our industry. This is why I believe participation in these events is important. A few times a year, the entire industry gets together and it generates a buzz that everyone, from mainstream media to micro influencers, will talk about. It’s a reminder that watches are still a very important part of us. From another perspective, we also see this event as a form of pure competition. At TAG Heuer, we don’t crack under pressure, so we put our best products forward. We know we have an amazing story to tell.
WHAT NEW PRODUCTS OR INNOVATION DID YOU SHOWCASE AT WATCHES AND WONDERS?
First and foremost, we have to talk about the new Monaco Rattrapante. It’s an incredible piece. A true haute horology statement. Thousands of hours went into producing this watch. Under the leadership of Carole Kasapi, our team developed an incredible movement that is once again, a perfect blend of the past and the future. We used to do the rattrapante movement in chronographs from 40 years ago, and we found a way to make it on the wrist, so it became incredibly desirable and special. This will be produced in a very, very limited quantity, and is sure to take people’s breath away.
THE SMART WATCH MARKET IS EVER EVOLVING. HOW IS TAG HEUER APPROACHING THIS SEGMENT AND INTEGRATING IT WITH ITS TRADITIONAL OFFERINGS?
The smart watches, or connected watches as we call them, is a huge market. It’s constantly growing and what is great is that we are leading it on the high-end segment. We are the first luxury watch brand to create connected watches. Most of the competition in this segment is only about design. TAG Heuer is not about gimmicks. It’s about credibility and authenticity. We have 60 software developers in Paris who are constantly working on this and improving our offerings. But to answer your question about how to balance the past and the future, to me, this is all about creating bridges. The connected watches help us approach customers who may not have been following us before, and at the same time, those who loved the brand because of its traditional elements may have been needing a watch that offered connectivity. It doesn’t have to be mutually exclusive. This year, we introduced a new strategy where we’re creating watch faces for the connected versions and matching them with the novelties we introduced.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE FUTURE OF LUXURY MARKETING IN A DIGITAL AGE?
The future is very difficult to predict, particularly when we’re talking about the digital age, because it’s rapidly changing. Moore’s Law suggests that that the computing power of microchips doubles approximately every 18 months. Artificial intelligence is a major topic. People are now starting to talk about it but not many are doing it well yet. The first movers will have an advantage because it will take time to master it. And that’s what we are doing at TAG Heuer. We are always prepared for the next step. We were extremely well-positioned during the coronavirus pandemic because we had our stateof- the-art website ready by February 2020. This gave us a tremendous advantage against the competition. We will continue pushing forward and embracing advanced technology.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO ASPIRING MARKETING PROFESSIONALS INTERESTED IN THE WATCH INDUSTRY?
They are very lucky! The industry is an amazing place. It’s not just about products. There is a lot of room for creativity. You can do amazing things, so start experimenting. Be creative. Be innovative. Keep thinking and try your best to get involved.
