Thoughts on Apple Watch Marketing

[afsnyder]

So if you browse through Apple's Apple Watch website you'll notice that Apple goes in depth with some of the watch bands.

This is a quote from the Apple Watch landing page. It describes the Modern Buckle.

"A small French tannery established in 1803 produces the supple Granada leather for this elegant band. The smooth top-grain leather is lightly milled and tumbled to maintain its refined texture. What looks like a solid buckle is actually a two-piece magnetic closure that’s delightfully simple to secure. We also added an inner layer of Vectran weave for strength and stretch resistance. It’s the same material NASA used to make the landing airbags for the Mars Rover spacecraft. This band is available in soft pink, brown, and midnight blue."

and from the Classic Buckle

"From the renowned ECCO tannery in the Netherlands, the Dutch leather used for this band is milled to give the grain a subtle, distinctive texture. The simple closure is crafted from the same stainless steel as the case. It’s a beautiful take on a traditional band design. Available in black."

Apple has hand picked different sources for their watch bands.

Obviously, Apple will market this as jewelry but their advertising lately has been about how using Apple's product changes peoples lives for the better. Obviously they didn't start marketing the iPhone and iPad that way. They marketed their features and form factors first.

How do you think Apple will approach a category (luxury smart watch) that hasn't been quite established yet?

Do you think Apple can get away with purely marketing fashion? Does that really fit within Apple's beliefs?

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

Also the Milanese Loop being woven on "specialized Italian machines."

 

[Technodynamic]

58 seconds... Apple learned everything from J Peterman

 

[Rogifan]

There are also a number of Watch pages that go into detail on the technology and features. I think Apple can do both. It will be interesting, and we'll get a real taste for how good Schiller's marketing org is.

 

[lewisd25]

Apple is going to charge a small fortune for these straps. #

 

[VFC]

Marketing hype only works on the weak minded.

 

[Julien]

Marketing hype only works on the weak minded.

Not true. Even the most informed people will buy 85% lean ground beef over 15% fat ground beef when presented the choice.

 

[Piggie]

Apple would do great on the QVC type shopping channels.

Spending 30 minutes trying to sell you a pencil.

Going on and on about the natural way the tree's are planted, and selected from the very finest stock, the quality of the earth and history of the tree farmer going back generations on the XX hillside.
The graphite with it's atomic structure, the labs specially blending it for use as the best writing implement, the complex process of machining the wood, after it's feel lovingly felled and transported.

Then we'd move into the millions of colour combinations, not to mention gold leaf writing up the side.

Then probably charge about £149 each pencil

 

[extricated]

How do you think Apple will approach a category (luxury smart watch) that hasn't been quite established yet?

I'm not sure how "luxury" minded they are, but they are definitely setting the watch apart from other smart watches by pushing this mainly as a functional timepiece (that happens to do other amazing things).

Do you think Apple can get away with purely marketing fashion? Does that really fit within Apple's beliefs?

Not purely fashion, but by the nature of this category they definitely need to push that angle more than with their other products.
I think the idea of marketing well-designed, aesthetically pleasing products fits well with Apple's beliefs.

 

[cleirac]

You are deluding yourselves or really late in the Apple party and Apple way if you think this is the first time happening.

From the beginning, Apple said, it will be the most personal product they ever made. Even though AW will be the first wearable, Apple marketing campaign always target the most fashion / hip conscious consumer demographics, not just the geek or style-less rich lol crowd. So expect a barrage of marketing campaign of the smallest little details of everything that comprises an Apple Watch.

Apple will always be about the great design and aesthetics or form factor, function, how can a product be so useful & unforgettable and most importantly ... it is about the smallest little details in how they select and make their products. That is how Steve and Jony (& now Tim) work / think!