TAG Heuer
Turning a timepiece into an aspirational community
TAG Heuer
Turning a timepiece into an aspirational community
Where we started
With 150 years of luxury, hand crafted watchmaking heritage, delivering a software ecosystem for TAG Heuer’s first ever smartwatch raised some immediate questions:
Shortly after we were awarded the project, LVMH (TAG’s parent company) announced the launch date - in six months. Within that span of time we would have to work hand in glove with TAG to provide the case, Intel to provide the tech, and Google to provide the still evolving Android Wear platform.
An early branding exploration developed for the project pitch.
Our approach
We immediately set out on two tracks: researching the audience and determining their expectations; and exploring the types of data visualization we could accommodate on the watch face.
A familiar situation: TAG had developed 16 precise and unique market segments, which we would need to validate, streamline, and observe.
Above, the watch face interaction design system that would form the basis of TAG's in house watch face design and that of its offcial application partners.
What emerged was an interesting (if familiar) insight into our market’s psychology: what they wanted and needed from a smartwatch did not perfectly align with what appealed to them in a smartwatch.
Including dedicated watch faces for activities like yachting and auto racing - despite the fact that they likely wouldn’t be used - played into the brand image these users associated with TAG. And it was that brand image that most sought to emulate with their purchase.
And despite being the cheapest watch in the TAG catalog, what would come to be named the TAG Heuer Connected cost nearly as much as the Hermes co-branded, gold Apple Watch.
Given the loose quality control of the Android Wear App Store relative to Apple’s, how could we ensure a luxury smartwatch experience that fulfilled TAG’s brand position?
Our answer was curation.
Our content partner recommendations spanned the visual arts, music, sport, and editorial. Drawing exclusive content from these partners would activate and engage our Connected community, providing a pipeline to emerging culture and trends.
Our app partner recommendations would include special offers and deals to make a luxury lifestyle more accessible to the Connected wearer: upscale services such as Silvercar, Blade, and Caviar; but also sports partners like Golfshot, Glassy Pro, and upstart auto racing tool Racechrono Pro.
Below, examples of how app partners would be accommodated by bespoke TAG Connected watch faces.
Starting with TAG provided apps and officially co-branded (and co-designed) partner apps, we would create a kind of store within a store, where TAG would bless only the best Android Wear apps and most consistent designs, separating the wheat from the chaff, and doing the legwork on behalf of the user.
But we took that same idea further: we built an influencer led community with curated content partners and a program plan for coordinating real life events, all with the TAG Heuer Connected as your entry pass.
The results
While initially planned for 10,000 units, TAG received over 100,000 orders within the first two weeks of the Connected release.
… unprecedented in the smartwatch world.
… easily the best-looking Android Wear watch out there.
… a potential turning point in smartwatches.
TAG Heuer’s first foray into smartwatches was the most successful TAG launch in history.
