Does advertisement work?

[5080]

Just opened one of my favorite magazines "Men's Journal" and on the front page is my watch. Nice surprise.

Just throwing out the question which could have endless debate.

Is Rolex success based on how much they advertise or does it just support an already great brand?



I for one, tore out a similar ad and posted it in my home office as a goal reminder. It works.

Have a great day everyone.

[THC]

Great question...my tiny opinion here; I think Rolex advertising is geared toward the younger demographic. I have heard the name Rolex for decades and people my age, whether they are fanatics like me or not, know the brand means the best.
Oh and beautiful watch too... congrats on making the ad, lol

[Dyim]

IMO, you need a good product that people desires. Ads create awareness and the 'need' to purchase simultaneously.

Crappy product with great ads will not last.

[greggsiam]

I've never seen a Rolex ad.

What drug me in was the amazing history and legendary quality. Luxury products (or any product for that matter) that are not quality, just image and name do nothing for me.

[Le Chef]

It's has to do both jobs or you see decline in key metrics. Rolex has a relatively narrow target that's expensive to reach on a global level, hence key "tent poles" like F1 and tennis to provide excitement and endorsement, but low TV on maroon targeted channels.

[novan3]

Originally Posted by Dyim

IMO, you need a good product that people desires. Ads create awareness and the 'need' to purchase simultaneously.

Crappy product with great ads will not last.

+1

Exactly.

[mike]

Sure it does. Rolex is a marketing machine. I want to say they spent in excess of 40 Mil. USD last year.

That combined with their history and heritage makes it a real juggernaut.

I do agree with the comment about the James Bond relationship. That had to really bring the name to the general public.

[Le Chef]

Originally Posted by Dyim

Ads create awareness and the 'need' to purchase simultaneously.

There are plenty of ads that created awareness but failed to create any purchase follow through. These days research can help fix that.

The biggest area of opportunity for luxury brands like Rolex is in digital and something called retargeting which allows you figure out more precisely where the potential buyer can be reached.

And if you have enough data you can model all your media spend to demonstrate what ROI you are getting from sponsorship, vs social media, vs TV etc. So you have to believe if Rolex is spending $40mm they have the data to do a MMM.

[brandrea]

I'd say advertising is a part of any successful brand, including Rolex. They spend a ton of money every year to promote and keep their brand top of mind.

[Old Expat Beast]

Rolex advertising is pretty bland, though. Watches are interchangeable with a basic template with the recent stuff. Keeps the name out there, not much more, IMO. Tudor is more inventive with Video ads but their print copy is pretty dire.

[steptoe]

I can think of nothing worse than opening a magazine and seeing a full page colour advertisment of something that i owned.

[Lees23]

Originally Posted by steptoe

I can think of nothing worse than opening a magazine and seeing a full page colour advertisment of something that i owned.

Why?

[Brushpup]

It absolutely works, Rolex spend millions every year on it in many, many forms, and I think there is little question it sells lots of watches.

[77T]

It is an age old debate in boardrooms across the globe. "Why do you need another $XX Millions in Ad budget?"

And what can you show for verified sales results generated by last year's ad spend?

I know failing to advertise leaves a brand languishing in a mass market product line - but specialized products are different.

BTW, "advertising" is a broad term. Sponsoring a sign at any sports event comes under the "promotions" heading in the 4 P's of Marketing. So even if you've never seen an advert, psychologists will tell you you've had thousands of "impressions" by the time you're 21 years old.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[locutus49]

Our largest mall in the D.C. area - Tysons Mall - has a billboard ad for Rolex near the off ramp with a photo of the Hulk, which I also own. Maybe The Hulk is becoming their icon for the younger affluent generation.

[submariner66]

Bit of a rhetorical question if your owning the same watch, which surprise surprise just happens to be in your "favorite magazine".

[Im Lauf der Zeit]

The appearances in early Bond movies probably sold countless Rolexes, and all for free.

[locutus49]

My first exposure to Rolex was in one of the early Bond books, when I was 10 years old or so (1960). Later, I read of luxury watches like rolex and Patek in John O'Hara's books, which were popular in the early 60's but virtually unknown now.

I don't recall seeing any rolex ads as a child, but I read a lot of adult books where watches were used by the authors as status markers for their characters.

Originally Posted by Im Lauf der Zeit

The appearances in early Bond movies probably sold countless Rolexes, and all for free.

[bentgsu]

There are a few Rolex billboards in and around Atlanta and to me they seem a bit tame. I do like the old print ads that show up here occasionally, and I'm sure those would make an impact if I were a more "casual" watch purchaser.

[Loevhagen]

No ad around the world can be as effective as browsing watch forums…

[landroverking]

Yes, I'm in advertising. It pays for my watch habit.

[Sublover2166]

Used to love seeing the many different Rolex Submariner ads in various mens magazines in the 80's and 90's.

[DCheeta]

It works in more subtle ways than you think. Seeing an ad doesn't make a person say to themselves "That's a hell of an ad, I must go buy that watch." But seeing ads in magazines, on billboards, on the wall of a racetrack, etc, the image makes its way into your brain. Like Paul said above, it's all about the impressions.

[phils]

I have loved watches since I was seven years old. When I was in HS I saw a magazine ad for an Omega Seamaster and asked my parents for one for graduation, which I did get.
I never heard of Rolex until I read the James Bond books and then did research on them.

When I started scuba I had a tough time choosing between the Omega and Rolex dive watches. I chose the 5513 and the rest is history.

[Sublovin]

Not sure I understand the question, but of course the advertising works. You dont move as many pieces as Rolex without a plump ad budget.
Coca Cola, Apple....they all spend millions on advertising, because as soon as you stop and think you dont need to advertise, you will be proven wrong.

[sheldonsmith]

Yes, it works. If the company promotes/markets well, it helps justify the purchase and prevents buyer's remorse.

Coincidentally, Ariel Adams asks the same question in his essay posted today (Sunday 7 December) at http://www.ablogtowatch.com/luxury-w...eting-failing/ It is a good (and long) read but he hits the main premise of the question. The follow up comments are insightful as well.

-Sheldon

[jshepard]

I think ads do their job in creating the image of Rolex to reel in people who are not watch fanatics. Fortunately for Rolex it's actually a good, accurate, tough watch, so we who already know their watches on a personal level appreciate them beyond what they say on paper. Then again there are other companies who try to capture the same image and fall short when you actually buy one... I will not mention names...

[DPE]

It's all about putting out the dream. The remedy for old dreams is to keep making them come true ! So if you being a winner in your life means you can own one of the dreams. Then why not own Rolex and let others know you can do it !

[Rondineli]

[irony on/] No it does not...

Once upon a time, 30 years ago, apple really started they journey, as can be seen here:

http://youtu.be/8UZV7PDt8Lw

[redsubby]

Probably for the general public, but not for me.
The forums and the enabler threads are what drove me