closing tag is in template navbar
timefactors watches



TZ-UK Fundraiser
Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 50 of 113

Thread: Worst watch advertising ever?

  1. #1
    Master FrontierGibberish's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Wantage, UK
    Posts
    1,382

    Worst watch advertising ever?

    Breitling's awful #squadonamission advertising is surely the most toe-curling, embarrassing watch advertising of all time?
    Surfer Squad! Movie Squad! Explorer Squad! Aviator Squad! Christ, it's like the start of the Power Rangers show my child was obsessed by when he was six.
    Every time I see one of those ads it makes me faintly ashamed to wear any watch at all, never mind a Breitling, in case people think I may be the target audience.
    Also, good morning.
    [IMG]Screenshot 2020-05-25 at 08.09.02 by Oscar India, on Flickr[/IMG]
    [IMG]Screenshot 2020-05-25 at 08.07.46 by Oscar India, on Flickr[/IMG]

  2. #2
    Master Alansmithee's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Burscough, UK
    Posts
    9,573
    Both the best and worse in one ad:


  3. #3
    Master FrontierGibberish's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Wantage, UK
    Posts
    1,382
    That's put me right off my toast and Marmite...

  4. #4
    Master Alansmithee's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Burscough, UK
    Posts
    9,573
    I'm also particular to how Omega wearers think they are tool watches for rugged manly men doing manly things but Omega...


  5. #5
    Journeyman
    Join Date
    Apr 2020
    Location
    Chester
    Posts
    155
    “You never actually own a Patek Philippe....” complete with B&W father/son photo.

    Pure cheese.

  6. #6
    Master FrontierGibberish's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Wantage, UK
    Posts
    1,382
    Quote Originally Posted by SlipperySam View Post
    “You never actually own a Patek Philippe....” complete with B&W father/son photo.

    Pure cheese.
    I've always thought those ads were rather lovely. I appreciate this may not reflect well on me.

  7. #7
    Master ozzyb123's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2019
    Location
    London
    Posts
    1,027
    Quote Originally Posted by Alansmithee View Post
    Both the best and worse in one ad:

    A particularly distasteful image


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  8. #8
    Master Tony-GB's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Oxfordshire
    Posts
    3,722
    AP's advertising slogan "To break the rules, you must first master them" always makes me cringe.

  9. #9
    Journeyman
    Join Date
    Apr 2020
    Location
    Chester
    Posts
    155
    Quote Originally Posted by FrontierGibberish View Post
    I've always thought those ads were rather lovely. I appreciate this may not reflect well on me.
    I can appreciate the sentiment, it’s some of the photos that make me cringe.

  10. #10
    Master
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    N/A
    Posts
    7,769
    The intention of advertising is to ensure that the memory of the product is stuck in your head. The very fact that you are compelled to write in about it, proves that they got it right.

  11. #11
    Master FrontierGibberish's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Wantage, UK
    Posts
    1,382
    Quote Originally Posted by Mick P View Post
    The intention of advertising is to ensure that the memory of the product is stuck in your head. The very fact that you are compelled to write in about it, proves that they got it right.
    Well up to a point, given the fact that this being stuck in my head is just a reminder never, ever to buy a Breitling in case anyone I know sees me wearing it.

  12. #12
    Craftsman TAFKARM's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
    Location
    Yorkshire
    Posts
    393
    Quote Originally Posted by ozzyb123 View Post
    A particularly distasteful image


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    I don’t think Ecclestone looks good either

  13. #13
    Master FrontierGibberish's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Wantage, UK
    Posts
    1,382
    Quote Originally Posted by TAFKARM View Post
    I don’t think Ecclestone looks good either
    Actual lol in the kitchen....

  14. #14
    Journeyman
    Join Date
    Apr 2020
    Location
    Chester
    Posts
    155
    Quote Originally Posted by Mick P View Post
    The intention of advertising is to ensure that the memory of the product is stuck in your head. The very fact that you are compelled to write in about it, proves that they got it right.
    I’ve always believed that to be nonsense. Plenty of products are stuck in my head but for all the wrong reasons and as such I’m never likely to purchase the product. For example, I’ll never bank with Halifax after they inflicted us with those awful, annoying song and dance adverts about ten years ago.

  15. #15
    Craftsman Russ's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Manchester
    Posts
    830
    About one in one hundred advertisements show clever creative thinking IMO. Some are just lazy versions of the same thing. Cars driving at night in deserted Cities spring to mind. Come to think of it that might be possible now.

  16. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by SlipperySam View Post
    “You never actually own a Patek Philippe....” complete with B&W father/son photo.

    Pure cheese.
    Yet everyone knows that slogan & ad. What is poor, is the lack of non white people in those ads IMHO


    Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app

  17. #17
    Master
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    Unknown
    Posts
    5,719
    Blog Entries
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by Mick P View Post
    The intention of advertising is to ensure that the memory of the product is stuck in your head. The very fact that you are compelled to write in about it, proves that they got it right.
    The purpose of advertising is to create positive desire for the product or service ...

  18. #18
    Master ozzyb123's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2019
    Location
    London
    Posts
    1,027

    Worst watch advertising ever?

    Quote Originally Posted by Montello View Post
    The purpose of advertising is to create positive desire for the product or service ...
    The purpose of advertising is to change behaviour

    Not all ads are trying to sell you a product or a service, such as gov ads

    Anyway, watches, perfumes, cars are particularly poor advertisers from a creative perspective. Total lack of distinctiveness in most cases

    Audi is a notable exception, as is VW. Particularly if you look at historical ads from the Beetle launch in the US


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

  19. #19
    Master ozzyb123's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2019
    Location
    London
    Posts
    1,027
    Quote Originally Posted by Mick P View Post
    The intention of advertising is to ensure that the memory of the product is stuck in your head. The very fact that you are compelled to write in about it, proves that they got it right.
    The belief that all PR is good PR is pretty old hat now. And incorrect.

    BP is stuck in my head for all the damage done in the Gulf of Mexico. Given a choice, will I fill up at BP next time?

    Watchbrand A is famous for their expensive and untimely servicing experiences. Buyer beware, they’ll say on the forums.


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

  20. #20
    Grand Master SimonK's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Paris, France
    Posts
    19,497
    TaG Heuer have had some odd ideas - celeb's like DiCaprio and Cameron Diaz apparently wear their watches wrapped around their fists rather than on their wrists.

    And 'Don't Crack Under Pressure', featuring Ayrton Senna, Mohammed Ali, Tom Brady, Christiano Ronaldo and... Cara Delevingne. Gosh, the pressure of having to sit still while you have your photo taken must be intense.

  21. #21
    Master
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    CUMBRIA
    Posts
    1,109
    I think the Hublot Ecclestone advert is bang on for the target audience. I always thought the Audi advert with the thrusting yuppie exec jumping back into his 3-series after test driving the subtle Audi was quite clever. Very out of date today, though, as that very demographic migrated to Ingolstadt many years ago now.


    Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app

  22. #22
    Master
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    CUMBRIA
    Posts
    1,109
    Did anyone ever buy a Montego after seeing Russ Swift 2-wheel one ?!


    Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app

  23. #23
    Master
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Lancashire
    Posts
    2,562
    Quote Originally Posted by SlipperySam View Post
    “You never actually own a Patek Philippe....” complete with B&W father/son photo.

    Pure cheese.
    Hate those ads...what do you mean you never own it...just paid 20k for a bog standard watch and you say it's not mine.

  24. #24
    Grand Master learningtofly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Everywhere & nowhere, baby
    Posts
    37,530
    Quote Originally Posted by Mick P View Post
    The intention of advertising is to ensure that the memory of the product is stuck in your head. The very fact that you are compelled to write in about it, proves that they got it right.
    No - as usual you're bing too simplistic. The purpose of advertising in to promote or sell a product (or service, or idea, etc). If product advertising sticks in your head because it's convinced you not to buy, then it's failed in its objective.

    Anyway, here's some proper advertising!

    Last edited by learningtofly; 25th May 2020 at 10:48.

  25. #25
    Master
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    Unknown
    Posts
    5,719
    Blog Entries
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by ozzyb123 View Post
    The purpose of advertising is to change behaviour
    Not if your campaign objective to to entrench the customer base.

  26. #26
    Master
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    Mountsorrel uk
    Posts
    1,905
    I don’t know about Breitling but I love the 70s national geographic Rolex adds pure class

  27. #27
    Grand Master jwg663's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    21.5 km From Moscow
    Posts
    16,881
    John Barrowman as an 'ambassador' for Tudor was pretty bad.

    'Sir' Bob Geldof pimping Maurice Lacroix was truly cringeworthy.
    ______

    ​Jim.

  28. #28
    Master
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    N/A
    Posts
    7,769
    Quote Originally Posted by learningtofly View Post
    No - as usual you're bing too simplistic. The purpose of advertising in to promote or sell a product (or service, or idea, etc). If product advertising sticks in your head because it's convinced you not to buy, then it's failed in its objective.

    Anyway, here's some proper advertising!

    OK ask yourself this simplistic question - why do companies and their agencies produce these bad adverts if they deter people from buying ?

    I will give you the simplistic answer - some people will stay away but most won't and the evidence is there to prove it. Agencies are not idiots, their adverts have to generate sales and
    profits or else they would be history.

    You don't like the advert, that's fair enough but most people couldn't care but at the same time they become a bit more familiar with the maker and that's it, job done.

  29. #29
    Grand Master learningtofly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Everywhere & nowhere, baby
    Posts
    37,530

    Worst watch advertising ever?

    Quote Originally Posted by Mick P View Post
    OK ask yourself this simplistic question - why do companies and their agencies produce these bad adverts if they deter people from buying ?

    I will give you the simplistic answer - some people will stay away but most won't and the evidence is there to prove it. Agencies are not idiots, their adverts have to generate sales and
    profits or else they would be history.

    You don't like the advert, that's fair enough but most people couldn't care but at the same time they become a bit more familiar with the maker and that's it, job done.
    Complete piffle. There are successful campaigns and unsuccessful campaigns; good agencies and bad; and everything in between. It’s not an intellectually challenging idea, is it?

    How strange it must be to live in your world where everything is either black or white.
    Last edited by learningtofly; 25th May 2020 at 11:43.

  30. #30
    Master ozzyb123's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2019
    Location
    London
    Posts
    1,027
    Quote Originally Posted by Montello View Post
    Not if your campaign objective to to entrench the customer base.
    It’s a philosophical point in marketing but evidence seems to suggest growth from new buyers should be the primary focus, as retention / loyalty marketing has been proven ineffective. I reference Byron Sharp’s work at the Ehrenberg Bass Institute


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

  31. #31
    Quote Originally Posted by FrontierGibberish View Post
    That's put me right off my toast and Marmite...
    The fact that it took more than Marmite itself proves your will is exceptionally strong.

  32. #32
    Master
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    Unknown
    Posts
    5,719
    Blog Entries
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by ozzyb123 View Post
    It’s a philosophical point in marketing but evidence seems to suggest growth from new buyers should be the primary focus, as retention / loyalty marketing has been proven ineffective. I reference Byron Sharp’s work at the Ehrenberg Bass Institute


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
    The point is different campaigns have different objectives, yes you can question the objectives but the fact remains that not all campaigns are to recruit new business

  33. #33
    Master Christian's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    London
    Posts
    9,876
    Breitling are the kings of cringe. Anything with this volcano-space alien worshiping weirdo is up there with the worst of advertising:


  34. #34
    Master
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    N/A
    Posts
    7,769
    Quote Originally Posted by learningtofly View Post
    Complete piffle. There are successful campaigns and unsuccessful campaigns; good agencies and bad; and everything in between. It’s not an intellectually challenging idea, is it?

    How strange it must be to live in your world where everything is either black or white.
    Ok we disagree, no big deal is it.

  35. #35
    Grand Master Saint-Just's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Ashford, Kent
    Posts
    28,934
    No big deal at all. But maybe one of you knows more about advertising than just listening to his gut feeling.
    'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.

  36. #36
    Master Christian's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    London
    Posts
    9,876
    I'll be interested to see which way watch advertising goes in the coming months if we suffer an economic downturn. I noticed in 2012 when we had a bit of a boom after the recession, Breitling clearly shifted their advertising to a younger generation...went for pop-art and celebrity.

    I think the young are going to be hit far harder than the old in a downturn so I wonder if we see a shift in advertising to target buyers who can still afford their products.

  37. #37
    Late to the advert chat, and reposting myself, which is bad form, but here we go...





  38. #38
    Master Christian's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    London
    Posts
    9,876
    Have we mentioned the utterly cringeworthy Casino Royale script....

    "Rolex?"

    "Omega."

    "Beautiful."

    Personally, I'd have given Versper Lynd a slap round the face there and then for confusing a Rolex with an Omega...

    Last edited by Christian; 25th May 2020 at 12:59.

  39. #39
    Grand Master abraxas's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    London
    Posts
    33,737


    People that use buses cannot afford IWC Big Pilots.
    "Owning one is almost as satisfying as making one." ~ Rolex 1973

  40. #40
    Casio’s latest YouTube ad/info video has various people doing active stuff but most aren’t even wearing a watch

  41. #41
    Grand Master abraxas's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    London
    Posts
    33,737


    “Elegance is good taste plus a dash of daring!”

    Mariner Watches

    Last edited by abraxas; 25th May 2020 at 13:17.
    "Owning one is almost as satisfying as making one." ~ Rolex 1973

  42. #42
    Master ozzyb123's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2019
    Location
    London
    Posts
    1,027
    Quote Originally Posted by Montello View Post
    The point is different campaigns have different objectives, yes you can question the objectives but the fact remains that not all campaigns are to recruit new business
    Hence why it was a philosophical point :)


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  43. #43
    Grand Master abraxas's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    London
    Posts
    33,737


    "Owning one is almost as satisfying as making one." ~ Rolex 1973

  44. #44
    Master
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    N/A
    Posts
    7,769
    Quote Originally Posted by Saint-Just View Post
    No big deal at all. But maybe one of you knows more about advertising than just listening to his gut feeling.
    I am not an expert on advertising but I was responsible for negotiating terms and conditions for Royal Mail advertising contracts. This meant visiting advert agencies and negotiating fees based on revenue increases etc. The agencies employed the luvy element who were the creative side but I dealt with the finance people and lawyers.

    However during lunch, the concept of advertising was often discussed and the Elton John adverts (around 2001 -2003) were extremely successful but the content was heavily criticised as total rubbish. Charley Dimmock had an advert where she opened an envelope and pulled out a big red bra which was slagged off by feminist as being puerile and degrading to women. It certainly lacked creativity to the point of being boringly brain dead but it had the desired effect of making us lot buy more stamps.

    The main task was to get us to think of a given product and keep it in the back of our heads whether we liked it or not.

    That is purely my experience but I was dealing with people who knew their stuff.

  45. #45
    Master
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Berkshire
    Posts
    9,154
    Quote Originally Posted by ozzyb123 View Post
    It’s a philosophical point in marketing but evidence seems to suggest growth from new buyers should be the primary focus, as retention / loyalty marketing has been proven ineffective. I reference Byron Sharp’s work at the Ehrenberg Bass Institute


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
    Exactly, it is all about penetration, stop giggling at the back. Frequency / repeat are not the viable metrics with regards to brand health & account for a smaller proportion of sales than one would imagine, despite what we think.

  46. #46
    Master
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Berkshire
    Posts
    9,154
    Quote Originally Posted by Montello View Post
    The point is different campaigns have different objectives, yes you can question the objectives but the fact remains that not all campaigns are to recruit new business
    Those trying to bring back lost shoppers have a considerably lower ROI than the penetration driven ones, it’s all in the science and marketing mix modelling that brand managers are using to optimise their media spends, along side promotions which are a more effective reward for loyal shoppers.

  47. #47
    Quote Originally Posted by Christian View Post
    Have we mentioned the utterly cringeworthy Casino Royale script....

    "Rolex?"

    "Omega."

    "Beautiful."

    Personally, I'd have given Versper Lynd a slap round the face there and then for confusing a Rolex with an Omega...

    Wearing that dress in Casio Royale Vesper could confuse a Rolex with a Timex for all I care

  48. #48
    Grand Master dkpw's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Edinburgh
    Posts
    10,802
    Quote Originally Posted by Mick P View Post
    OK ask yourself this simplistic question - why do companies and their agencies produce these bad adverts if they deter people from buying ? I will give you the simplistic answer - some people will stay away but most won't and the evidence is there to prove it. Agencies are not idiots, their adverts have to generate sales and profits or else they would be history.
    How long were you in advertising? I was in IT in an agency for 19 years. Nobody sets out to make a bad advert. However they do happen for a variety of reasons, most often from my experience, when the client interferes with the creative process and think they know better than those whose advice they have sought. Imagine needing the services of a QC and ignoring their advice. Same thing. Anyway moving on.

    Here's a couple that are good examples of bad advertising.

    First, one that is so sexist it would not be allowed now, which is not to say that agencies don't think in sexist terms, it's been my experience that they do - regularly.



    Next, the famous Bremont Wright Flyer ad, in which they lied exaggerated about creating their own in house movement, even if, when challenged later, they weren't quite sure what in house meant.



  49. #49
    Quote Originally Posted by abraxas View Post


    People that use buses cannot afford IWC Big Pilots.
    Haha! I did always like this one personally

  50. #50
    Master
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    N/A
    Posts
    7,769
    Quote Originally Posted by dkpw View Post
    How long were you in advertising? I was in IT in an agency for 19 years. Nobody sets out to make a bad advert. However they do happen for a variety of reasons, most often from my experience, when the client interferes with the creative process and think they know better than those whose advice they have sought. Imagine needing the services of a QC and ignoring their advice. Same thing. Anyway moving on.

    Here's a couple that are good examples of bad advertising.

    First, one that is so sexist it would not be allowed now, which is not to say that agencies don't think in sexist terms, it's been my experience that they do - regularly.



    Next, the famous Bremont Wright Flyer ad, in which they lied exaggerated about creating their own in house movement, even if, when challenged later, they weren't quite sure what in house meant.



    I was never in advertising as such but I was responsible for negotiating the commercial side of projects for about 8 years. I was never involved in the talent or creativity side. I can see your point about client interference as I was representing the RM marketing departments who were determined to get what they wanted and were at constant loggerheads with the agencies who wanted to inject more creativity etc and the finished product was often a compromise of two extreme opposing views.

    However I cannot ever recall a bad advertising project that failed to increase revenue to pre agreed targets.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Do Not Sell My Personal Information