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Baume & Mercier returns to its roots with new Hamptons-focus

November 2, 2011

Baume & Mercier Hampton collection

Swiss watchmaker Baume & Mercier is starting a new chapter that emphasizes the brand’s history and the celebratory nature of buying a luxury timepiece.

As part of a new chapter for the brand, all marketing from this point forward will be centered around the idea of seaside living in New York’s tony oceanside Hamptons towns on Long Island. Baume & Mercier felt that this ideal seascape lifestyle helps to display the brand’s authenticity and conviviality – a feeling of sharing and celebrating that is true for the brand and its customers when they buy a branded product.

“The new chapter is a result of the 18 months of research we did to find out where we want to be,” said Rachel Leung, the New York-based U.S. marketing and communications director at Baume & Mercier. “Customers indicated that they purchase Baume & Mercier for themselves or as a gift to mark a special occasion, and that we are a brand that is linked with moments of celebration.

“When we thought about what kind of communication message would encapsulate all of those things, not only did we come up with seaside in the Hamptons as a brand territory, but also a new brand claim which is that ‘life is about moments,’” she said.

Piecing it together
The Baume & Mercier headquarters in Geneva conducted the research to get a better hold on how the world perceives the watchmaker and what motivates consumers to buy its products.

The goal was to re-assess the brand and see where its weaknesses lay and to re-discover the true values of the brand, according to Ms. Leung.

The idea of Hamptons-living is one that many affluent consumers can appreciate and relate to, as well as a lifestyle to which potential consumers aspire.

In addition, the new brand message of “life is about moments” looks to emphasize the idea of enjoying life and recognizing those times that are special in consumers’ lives.

“All our customers relate to this [message] because investing in a luxury watch is not only about investing in a nice piece for your wrist, but something for a lifetime,” Ms. Leung said. “And our customers really understand this all over the world.”

Along with this new chapter, as Ms. Leung calls it, Baume & Mercier has been re-launching a number of its classic collections, including the Hampton and Linea collections.

A new Baume & Mercier print advertisment

Home sweet home
As part of the new rebranding, and a new commitment to becoming more digitally-savvy, Baume & Mercier has turned to the Internet to promote its re-released Hampton collection.

The brand built up the hype surrounding the launch with a teaser video on its Web site that featured a young boy who discovered an old journal in a home on the oceanside.

Baume & Mercier announced that the teaser was part of a longer video that would be released on a new Web site dedicated to the collection, along with exclusive photos posted on Facebook and Twitter on the day of the collection launch.

By turning the collection launch date into an event, Baume & Mercier was able to stay in consumers’ minds and build-up demand for the unseen collection.

The full video and dedicated microsite, found at http://hampton.baume-et-mercier.com, were revealed in mid-October, and all the imagery reflects the brand’s new found dedication to the Hamptons lifestyle.

The homepage of the microsite

The Web site homepage is the living room of a traditional Hamptons house, and the collection video takes place in this house and on the beach.

In addition to displaying the products, the Web site also features videos of various artists and design mavens who have experienced the Hamptons.

The in-store displays in the 250 Baume & Mercier U.S. locations along with all forthcoming events from Baume & Mercier will relate to the idea of a seaside escape, per Ms. Leung.

Also, the print advertisements will reflect the Hamptons’ theme and will be found in Travel + Leisure, Elle and Forbes Life magazines, as well as the New York Times and Los Angeles Times.

“The Hampton collection specifically is a sophisticated collection and is targeted towards more avant-garde tastes,” Ms. Leung said.

“That’s why it is so fitting, because we know as Americans that the Hamptons are symbolic of people who have a certain sense of artfulness and they appreciate a little more of a sophisticated and elegant lifestyle,” she said.

Final Take
Kayla Hutzler, editorial assistant on Luxury Daily, New York

Kayla Hutzler is an editorial assistant on Luxury Daily. Her beats are automotive, consumer electronics, consumer packaged goods, financial services, media/publishing, software and technology, telecommunications, travel and hospitality, real estate, retail and sports. Reach her at kayla@napean.com.