The Best Accounts to follow

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The Best Accounts to follow - Social Media
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Watch brands are the first to talk about creating an “experience”. But in reality, most of their websites and social media accounts are built around a single omnipresent button labelled “Buy”. Most - but not all. Follow this guide, and rediscover the joys of a pleasurable online watch experience!

The strength of a watch brand’s vision and creativity are judged on its ability to create an immersive experience that’s distinct from its products – the ability to elicit an emotion, to bring something you can’t find anywhere else – such as in a shop, for example.

An impossible dream? Not completely. Some watchmakers continue to produce exceptional content, showcased on creative, innovative, highly produced websites, and use social media expertly in a way that engages their tribes of loyal followers in an original, intimate experience.

The Best Websites

The newest of the bunch, launched just a few days ago, belongs to Greubel Forsey. CEO and board member Antonio Calce has taken on the task of recalibrating the brand. The idea is that Greubel Forsey has nothing left to prove in terms of technical mastery. So now’s the time to consolidate its design and vision, anchoring it firmly to a youthful, contemporary dynamic. The new website reflects this new direction, with panoramic images, immersive videos, overhauled collections, and a vibrant, engaging interace. GF is back!

Then there’s Ulysse Nardin. A large-format video invites the visitor to “Xplore” the brand, before being given the option to discover individual products, subtly and playfully. It’s an impressive achievement.

The final example is independent Louis Moinet, whose website showcases the watchmaker’s entire universe and signature aesthetic, which merges the historic and the futuristic. The site is built around three chapters, within which visitors can browse freely between Past, Present and Future. This original, creative and appealing approach is one we’d love to see more of.

The Best Facebook Page

TAG Heuer! The La Chaux-de-Fonds brand avoids the product promotion trap and the dull-as-dishwater ‘post regularly at the same time each day’ strategy. The page is updated when current events dictate, often several times a day. It invites exploration of parallel universes: you can discover what goes on behind the scenes at Porsche, meet sports coach Lise Billon, read press articles about TAG Heuer watches and watch exclusive videos. TAG also generously answers all its fans’ questions. This is how it should be done.

The Best YouTube Channel

Videos can be costly to produce, and their impact is limited if you’re not prepared to make the necessary investment. Watch brands are still undecided which strategy to pursue: high-quality, prestigious productions that are rare but exceptional? Or less scripted, less produced, more informal clips that draw viewers in with their authenticity and spontaneity?

Once again, TAG Heuer seems to have found the right balance. On the brand’s YouTube channel there are long-form podcasts with brand ambassadors (up to 56 minutes), short, highly-produced videos, informal vlog -style videos (such as the one with Porsche), smartwatch tutorials, etc. It’s an unusual but extremely enjoyable cocktail.

Spotify: an Outlier

Very few watchmakers have chosen to explore audio, and IWC is one of the few. If you have a Spotify subscription, and some time to kill on your commute, you should listen to Partners in Time, the weekly podcast by Christoph J. Grainger-Herr (who has shortened his name to Chris Grainger for the occasion). There’s background music, professional production, behind-the-scenes commentary and inspiration. It’s unique in the watchmaking world.

Twitter: AP Case Study

This year Audemars Piguet will be taking centre stage to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Royal Oak. But before diving into the festivities, you would do well to acquaint yourself with the company’s fascinating Twitter account. AP’s Twitter is vast, entertaining and interactive. The manufacture’s originality is plain for all to see, and while it promotes its own content, it is also generous in retweeting things it has seen and liked. This very approachable account makes the most of Twitter’s strength as an information medium. Audemars Piguet’s account is a prime example.

Instagram, two Exceptions

Many watch brands fall into the temptation of simply copying and pasting their Twitter or Facebook posts into Instagram. Few go to the effort of creating exclusive, entertaining, good-looking content. Patek Philippe and Jaeger-LeCoultre are the best examples. The former was relatively late to the platform, and only posts once a month. The latter publishes beautiful, informative pictorial compositions unlike anything else you’ve seen. 

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