In these days when physical events are slowly coming back to the world of watches, we listened to the impressions of Dubai Watch Week 2021, which makes the industry smile with its presence, from our Editor-in-Chief Serdar OAL, who attended the event on behalf of Horobox.
Hello everyone... Before I start to share my impressions, I would like to share with you the joy and excitement I feel at participating in a physical watch fair again.
Dubai Watch Week is a very important event that makes Dubai, the new center of luxury, a bridge between continents. Organized with the support of Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, the giant luxury store chain of the Middle East, the exhibition takes its place among the events that shape the watch industry with firm steps.
So, how did Dubai Watch Week start this year, how does it go?
The exhibition brings many important brands under the same roof this year, as it does every year. However, in addition to the chance to see new models of brands, you can also attend very important panels and seminars attended by industry connoisseurs.
Among these panels, the one that caught my attention the most was the "Alignment of the Fittest". Among the participants of the panel moderated by Cyba Audi, the founder, and CEO of Saba Consulting, were Georges Kern, the industry veteran who is currently the CEO of Breitling, and my friend Anish Bhatt, the world-famous watch phenomenon, namely WatchAnish with his account on social media. Lisa Rokny, the founder of Avenue Fifty Two, also shared her ideas throughout the panel.
Among the important notes that I remember from the panel, I would like to mention Kern's comments on the "digitalization of a brand". As you know, digitalization is one of the most important phenomena of today's world. Especially for commercial establishments, it has very vital meanings such as existing at one point.
According to Kern, digitalization is not achieved just by having an e-commerce infrastructure. Kern summarizes the issue as follows; “Actually, e-commerce is a small part of digitalization. Going digital means digital media and all the related services you can offer through this platform. Breitling was the first brand to offer the BlockChain system, for example, in this regard. While doing this, we considered concepts such as traceability, originality, and transparency. At Breitling, we use the multi-channel sales system. Therefore, we sell both online and offline, that is, through our boutiques and dealers. The fact is; 70% of the decision-making process takes place through online channels. However, when we look at the watch industry, this rate drops to around 10-15%. Even young customers want to see the watches live, in boutiques. Yes, the pandemic period may have caused an increase in these rates, but this certainly does not mean that online is now predominantly ahead. “
In addition to this important information, how real the accounts and personalities that became popular on social media were, was also among the topics discussed. Of course, the task of clarifying this matter fell to my dear friend Anish. Here are Anish's ideas on the subject: “ Authenticity is important here. Because the point where we align with our followers is originality. They trust us in this regard because there is not much difference between social media and the rest of our lives. Our product has two different aspects. First, we offer a lifestyle through ourselves. We have our preferences and tastes. The other is that we provide strategy, content design, brand positioning, and 360-degree digital consultancy services for many brands in the luxury industry, including watchmakers. Of course, WatchAnish started life as a single person. The starting point was my tastes, my lifestyle. At the point we have reached now, we are talking about an organization employing 30 people. ”
Another important issue discussed in the panel was the preference of figures who have achieved success and reputation in their fields as "friends of the brand". After all, every brand that has power over a certain scale and budget prefers a brand friend or brand ambassador. This situation has now become one of the indispensable marketing arguments of the industry. So, what should brands pay attention to when choosing these faces, how should they choose the right person? Kern explains this issue from the Breitling perspective as follows; “It doesn't necessarily have to be a celebrity that everyone knows. We prefer people who are the best in their field. Like the world's most successful female surfer. We go for the people who reflect the brand best. “
As a result, it was a useful panel where important issues related to the industry were discussed. The examples, reminiscent of the successful point Horobox has reached in a short time, were voiced by the personalities who left their mark on the industry, reminded us once again of our love and respect for the work we do, as well as the values we stand for.
Our Dubai Watch Week 2021 exclusive content will continue to be updated daily. Stay tuned for all new models, developments in the watchmaking industry, and important notes about the exhibition...!
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