Omega Marketing Rant
I'd like to start this off by saying I actually really like Omega and would be happy to own several, amazing heritage and in it's price bracket the best product for the money, looks is subjective but I think we can all agree mechanically they are incredible.
My issue mainly lies within the marketing strategy they employ, particularly with James Bond and the Moonwatch. Being proud of your heritage as a watch brand is a great thing but I think Omega do get a little carried away. "We've been to the moon", "the first watch on the moon" and "Jame Bond's watch of choice" the last of which I just find hilarious when I read it. Buying a Moonwatch and saying "oh hey look at this my watch was on the moon", no it hasn't you're just buying something that is a very loose descendant of something that has and I doubt it's even been of a f*cking aeroplane before it reached your wrist. The design is timeless and the quality is definitely there but c'mon Omega 😂. The James Bond stuff I find a little bit more insufferable because I think it spoils the product a little, wearing that watch isn't going to turn you into James Bond nor are people going to think you are James Bond. It's funny as well because if you watch every James Bond since Omega has been a partner of the films you will see it presented at least once on screen so you can see it, other brands do this as well I understand that's part of marketing. I do giggle a bit at the thought of the Omega sales rep on set saying "Yes Daniel brilliant line delivery but could you slip in that you wear an Omega and not a Rolex, cheers". Which by the way if anyone has seen Casino Royale is an actual line in the film.
It's made a lot of money for Omega and logically from a business point of view it's been a good choice, I just think they go a bit too hard on it and it makes me laugh.
No disrespect to anyone who actually owns any of the watches I've mentioned, just a bit of fun would love to hear what you guys have to say. Cheers.
Love a good watch discussion and debate
The "moon marketing" doesn't me that much, but the service cost for these watches has left earth's orbit. That being said, the regular seamaster is one of my favorite dive watch designs.
The marketing is quite silly, but it doesn't turn me off a well-respected brand.
The "moon marketing" doesn't me that much, but the service cost for these watches has left earth's orbit. That being said, the regular seamaster is one of my favorite dive watch designs.
The marketing is quite silly, but it doesn't turn me off a well-respected brand.
I only recently found out that a service for a Speedy is like 1k, can't knock the product I just think the marketing is ridiculous 😂
I was very drunk watching Casino Royale at home and bought a PO online before the movie had finished! It was a long time ago, I was a different person, cringe at the thought now, but there you go. The marketing works!
I find all marketing is a bit "cringe" when you think about it... Does wearing a Daytona make anyone a lap timer, or driver at Daytona? If I wear a Tudor will I be able to play soccer like Beckham, or look as stylish off the pitch? If I wear a Rolex will I golf like Tiger?
I agree that the references to the Speedy in space are overplayed. I personally own the new 3861 sapphire sandwich, and I must admit that part of the appeal is the history and the story behind it, so I can understand why they focus on that the way they do. Personally, I find the Omega fanboy insistence on a hesalite crystal more annoying than the Omega marketing.
The James Bond angle obviously resonates with a significant portion of the watch buying public, so I understand why they do it. I'm probably one of the few people in the world who doesn't give a rats ass about James Bond, so that association does nothing for me. If anything, it might make me want to distance myself from it.
Whoa, whoa, whoa... hold your horses there, cowboys. In my daily life, I'm a 5'4" Asian dork, with glasses, bad teeth, a bad back, and flat feet. But, the moment I put on my Omega Seamaster 007 Edition, I put on 50 pounds of muscle, and can literally shoot a helicopter out of the sky with a pistol! (Spectre, anyone?)
My wife asked me why I got the Omegas I got. My answer: "You know... James Bond... Pew, pew."
I find all marketing is a bit "cringe" when you think about it... Does wearing a Daytona make anyone a lap timer, or driver at Daytona? If I wear a Tudor will I be able to play soccer like Beckham, or look as stylish off the pitch? If I wear a Rolex will I golf like Tiger?
No but a GMT Master will definitely allow you to fly for Pan Am 😂
I love the Moon Landing story. Of course I'll talk about that when I get my hands on one. It's only natural that they do.
Much better than "this was named Cosmograph because it was intended for the moon landing but it wasn't good enough".
I love the Moon Landing story. Of course I'll talk about that when I get my hands on one. It's only natural that they do.
Much better than "this was named Cosmograph because it was intended for the moon landing but it wasn't good enough".
Well to me it's a bit like the English saying "We won the world cup". About 1000 years ago and you've been crap ever since, so many other people have won it in that time. It's like Omega had a one hit wonder and won't shut up about it. They really should let the product speak for itself in my opinion because it is excellent after all.
Well to me it's a bit like the English saying "We won the world cup". About 1000 years ago and you've been crap ever since, so many other people have won it in that time. It's like Omega had a one hit wonder and won't shut up about it. They really should let the product speak for itself in my opinion because it is excellent after all.
I get it, I get it. I think there are much more annoying things than that from Omega, though. Endless special editions, for one.
I get it, I get it. I think there are much more annoying things than that from Omega, though. Endless special editions, for one.
Oh yeah of course, some of them are cool but they are overdoing it, Seiko is guilty of this as well. It's not really a special edition if you’re producing them by the bucket 😂
I must be immune to the #omega hype. I’ve had the opportunity to buy a Speedmaster numerous times, and I have always turned it down. It’s nice, but it doesn’t “spark joy”.
While I agree the space and Bond advertising is annoying, it's not for us. Omega knows they are respected within the watch collecting community and that we will buy their watches. Omega isn't trying to get a bigger slice of the pie, they are trying to make the entire pie bigger by appealing to those that don't know much about watches. I own a Planet Ocean, and love it, but I'm pretty sure the Seamaster line would not have been anywhere near as successful without the Bond tie in.
While I agree the space and Bond advertising is annoying, it's not for us. Omega knows they are respected within the watch collecting community and that we will buy their watches. Omega isn't trying to get a bigger slice of the pie, they are trying to make the entire pie bigger by appealing to those that don't know much about watches. I own a Planet Ocean, and love it, but I'm pretty sure the Seamaster line would not have been anywhere near as successful without the Bond tie in.
Marketing wise it's been very successful and I can't really criticise them for that. I just think it might be reaching the point of diminishing returns particularly with avid watch collectors, the watch can't really have it's own identity it will always be linked to Bond. I love Omega, but personally I think this has the potential to hurt the brand's reputation in the long run.
When I was a marketing director of a watch retailer many years ago, my team and I organized two Bond movie premieres (Quantum of Solace and Skyfall) and we saw a significant bump in Omega watch sales post-event. The sales were definitely not all Bond-themed Seamasters but it did help keep the Omega brand top-of-mind for some consumers.
As much as enthusiasts get sick of the constant marketing messages, most regular people (i.e. non-watch freaks) aren't exposed to nearly as much watch advertising as we are 🤣
After watching the film "Tomorrow Never Dies" in 1999, I bought the Omega Seamaster 300M (I bought the model 2561.80.00, the quartz model). This watch was beginning of my watch collecting, and I later bought the Moon Watch also, so I think Omega's marketing worked well on me. BTW I prefer Pierce Brosnan as a Bond.
Oh I like that you've brought this up as I am a fan of the films as I think every Bond actor brings something to the table.
Connery: The best he was just so cool
Lazenby: Nothing he was just impersonation Connery with about as much personality as a piece of plywood
Moore: The gentleman bond
Dalton: Criminally underrated, most novel accurate
Brosnan: The suave, clean cut Bond
Craig: Gritty and brutal, evolved the character very well IMO
Oh I like that you've brought this up as I am a fan of the films as I think every Bond actor brings something to the table.
Connery: The best he was just so cool
Lazenby: Nothing he was just impersonation Connery with about as much personality as a piece of plywood
Moore: The gentleman bond
Dalton: Criminally underrated, most novel accurate
Brosnan: The suave, clean cut Bond
Craig: Gritty and brutal, evolved the character very well IMO
Yes, I also like the 007 series and I agree that every actor has their good points.
Connery: I agree that he is No.1
Lazenby: He was good at skiing
Moore: Yes, he was the English gentleman
Dalton: He seem to be more like a stage actor, rather than a movie actor IMO
Brosnan: Good looking bond, and contributed to sales of Omega
Craig: Best athletic ability
I don’t mind marketing. When executed well it’s so innocuous that I don’t even realize it. Leaning into their past/heritage gives me something to latch onto when I see the price of some pieces.
While not directly related to heritage - I also don’t mind the special edition James Bond pieces. Beyond it being a cool reason to create a military inspired piece, I think there are some folks who are simply inspired by the style of the character. Whether it’s the tactical/edc aspect or the fact Bond is a fashion icon… there are whole sites dedicated to the wardrobe he dons in each movie. I can think of worse things to model yourself against than a well-tailored MI6 agent.
Just my two cents!
But he's not a well-tailored MI6 agent. He's a fictional character.
But he's not a well-tailored MI6 agent. He's a fictional character.
I think you’ve missed my point… we all understand he’s a fictional character. One can still model their own style off a fictional character - hundreds of movies to choose from, James Bond just has a more recognizable relationship with his watch. Be no different than someone buying a pair of RayBan aviator sunglasses after watching Top Gun for the first time.
I think you’ve missed my point… we all understand he’s a fictional character. One can still model their own style off a fictional character - hundreds of movies to choose from, James Bond just has a more recognizable relationship with his watch. Be no different than someone buying a pair of RayBan aviator sunglasses after watching Top Gun for the first time.
Yeah, fair enough. If you want to model your style off a fictional character nothing wrong with that.
But he's not a well-tailored MI6 agent. He's a fictional character.
Apparently, there is no such thing as a well-tailored MI6 agent. John Le Carre, who worked in actual MI6, began writing his novels because Ian Fleming's stuff pissed him off so much. Le Carre's protagonist is a shabbily dressed, pudgy, bespectacled middle age man, whose wife is always cheating on him!
I dont know if I have ever seen a watch ad outside of vincero. All of what I see when it comes to this been to the moon, or it's a bond etc, are all done by watch bloggers and writers for a watch site. Though these are purely my anecdotal experiences, and outside this, another watch forum, and the stitchdown premium discord, I have zero social media.
I dont know if I have ever seen a watch ad outside of vincero. All of what I see when it comes to this been to the moon, or it's a bond etc, are all done by watch bloggers and writers for a watch site. Though these are purely my anecdotal experiences, and outside this, another watch forum, and the stitchdown premium discord, I have zero social media.
There are few watch brands that you really hear about if you aren't into watches, before I got into it I'd only heard about Rolex, Omega and Tag Heuer (if we are talking luxury). Can't argue that their marketing isn't effective I just think they've become a bit overzealous using Bond and the Moon.
Apparently, there is no such thing as a well-tailored MI6 agent. John Le Carre, who worked in actual MI6, began writing his novels because Ian Fleming's stuff pissed him off so much. Le Carre's protagonist is a shabbily dressed, pudgy, bespectacled middle age man, whose wife is always cheating on him!
I don't know about MI6. Here in Australia it seems there are intelligence operatives and then special forces supporting them. Special forces are based here in Perth, if I had to hazard a guess (my former housemate used to go out with one), they are closest in character to a Daniel Craig type Bond. But from what I can see, the guys carrying out asassinations are not wearing suits.
Saw a recent Fratello YT video, where Robert-Jan Broer mentioned in an off-hand comment that Omega will no longer be doing special / limited edition watches - that all their watches moving forward will be regular production.
I guess it speaks to their confidence that their watches will sell without self-imposed, artificial scarcity.
If that is truly the case, I love Omega even more.
If the marketing wasn't selling scads of watches, Omega wouldn't be doing it.
As long as their are no untruths in the marketing, and nothing unethical, more power to the brand.
Like any of us, if we ran the brand, wouldn't do the same. If it ain't broke, don't f*** with it.
We went to the moon?
We went to the moon?
To be honest I'm surprised they didn't use Hamiltons since Americans are so proud of being "all-american"
While I agree the space and Bond advertising is annoying, it's not for us. Omega knows they are respected within the watch collecting community and that we will buy their watches. Omega isn't trying to get a bigger slice of the pie, they are trying to make the entire pie bigger by appealing to those that don't know much about watches. I own a Planet Ocean, and love it, but I'm pretty sure the Seamaster line would not have been anywhere near as successful without the Bond tie in.
Good point. I almost didn’t buy the Bone Speedmaster because of the hype, but I’m gad I got it. It’s become a favorite wear. I’m a fan of titanium cases and I like it and the titanium band; light tough and durable. It also has the most accurate movement of any of my Omegas - 3-4 sec gain per week. Not GS spring drive territory, but pretty good.
Good point. I almost didn’t buy the Bone Speedmaster because of the hype, but I’m gad I got it. It’s become a favorite wear. I’m a fan of titanium cases and I like it and the titanium band; light tough and durable. It also has the most accurate movement of any of my Omegas - 3-4 sec gain per week. Not GS spring drive territory, but pretty good.
Ugh! Bond Speedmaster of course! Just love autocorrect.