Thursday, April 20, 2006

"Rolex: the men's watch women prefer"


Rolex, the company that practically invented wristwatch marketing a couple of decades ago, has since studiously ignored just about every trend in watch land. The model lineup, with legendary models like the Daytona chronograph, the Sea Dweller diver's watch, and the President gentleman's watch, has remained basically the same during the last, say, 40 years or so.

The most eye catching trend in watches is their increase in size: whereas average men's watches used to measure typically 30-35mm in diameter 15 years ago, 40-45mm is now the norm. Women's wristwatches grew from 20-25mm to 30-35mm.

Apparently this is starting to become a problem for Rolex. So what do you do in such a situation? Either one of two things:
  1. Redesign your complete model range (expensive and risky); or
  2. Tell the world that your 30-35mm men's watches are actually women's watches (brilliant and cheap).
Marketing can be amazingly simple.

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