Good thing I can now keep time, thanks to Rolex!
One question that I always had, was why anyone would spend $2,000-more than $100,000 on something that can keep time? I mean, its just a piece of metal on your wrist, right? We all have phones, that have a built-in clock in them. Heck, I can keep track of time by just using shadows and other methods if we really wanted to. Why would anybody want to buy such an expensive watch.
One of the reasons for this, are all the different messages that their advertisements makes us believe. This ad is a perfect example.
If the image isn't clear, the line of text below the logo reads, "Worth a second glance, even when you know the time." Just from this line of text, we already have a number of techniques and appeals being used.
We definitely see need for prominence and need for attention. The need for prominence makes us feel that we need to get people to look at us because we want to seem like we have a higher social status. "Only people of higher income and social status can afford this product," is a message that is being portrayed.
Another appeal that we see is the need for attention. The line "worth a second glance" makes us feel that if we buy this product, then we will be looked at; maybe even twice.
A technique that is used here is the "snob appeal." This ad, overall, makes us feel that the customer can be part of an elite group if they buy this product, which in a way, is true. Only the wealthy, (or the people stupid enough) can afford to burn so much cash on a watch.
I often see these types of ads in many magazines. I would like to point out that many of them have white or just simple backgrounds. I think that advertisers are trying to put the focus on the product and nothing else to make it stand out furthering its importance.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree that whenever I see watches it is usually snob appeal, which is really unfair to the people that can't afford it and have to continue scrolling through magazine ads just like this one. Do you think that watch ads and other typical "high class" products will eventually try to start appealing to the middle class by using the plain folks technique? Because I think if they started doing that, they could probably sell more watches, even though the prices would be lower, and make a lot more money. Let me know what you think.
ReplyDeleteIn response to your last line, the men in my family spend quite a bit of money on nice watches, and we are NOT stupid. The snob appeal is true with Rolex, they tend to make their watches as flashy as possible. For example, my family has a Rolex heirloom that weighs precisely 1.05 pounds made of gold, and is completely impractical (I am not flexing wealth, I am just giving an example). That's another thing, that flashy watches are impractical, they just look good. The reason, though, that people buy nice, flashy watches, like you said, just to feel as they are part of the elite. Many times, watchmakers (like almost every other one other than Rolex) focus on the complex mechanics of the watch, so that is what they want. They market to those who can appreciate the complex gears of a $50'000 watch. Companies that sell this, Piaget, Omega, Arbutus, actually do much better than the snob-appeal companies like Rolex. So, in the end, watchmakers aren't actually selling the ability to tell time, they are selling an idea or concept with it, relating back to high concept marketing. Try wearing a nice pricey watch sometime, you'll get the idea.
ReplyDeleteIn response to your last line, the men in my family spend quite a bit of money on nice watches, and we are NOT stupid. The snob appeal is true with Rolex, they tend to make their watches as flashy as possible. For example, my family has a Rolex heirloom that weighs precisely 1.05 pounds made of gold, and is completely impractical (I am not flexing wealth, I am just giving an example). That's another thing, that flashy watches are impractical, they just look good. The reason, though, that people buy nice, flashy watches, like you said, just to feel as they are part of the elite. Many times, watchmakers (like almost every other one other than Rolex) focus on the complex mechanics of the watch, so that is what they want. They market to those who can appreciate the complex gears of a $50'000 watch. Companies that sell this, Piaget, Omega, Arbutus, actually do much better than the snob-appeal companies like Rolex. So, in the end, watchmakers aren't actually selling the ability to tell time, they are selling an idea or concept with it, relating back to high concept marketing. Try wearing a nice pricey watch sometime, you'll get the idea.
ReplyDelete