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Brand Vitality

Timex's new get-with-it game is to think ahead of the curve. A look at its plans.

By Amanpreet Singh

Boy, has Timex changed. The American brand entered India on the durability platform, did badly, and then discovered that Titan, its one-time partner, had already taken the middle-to-upper zone of the Indian market to another plane of evolution --- where a watch is a fashion accessory, not just a timekeeping device.

Has Timex, another time round, finally got its act together? Is fashion the brand's best bet in a market like this?

Depends on what is to be understood by 'best'. As demonstrated by the tragic climax of Samay, a time-series cinematic thriller with a haunting soundtrack, the very word consists of nothing more than a set of human perceptions.

Timex tried to sell itself as a hi-tech brand, but didn't get much beyond a few yuppies. It then tried all sorts of things, including some cricket stunts (a left-handed versus right-handed players' match) and sporty celebrity endorsements. But that too seemed to fizzle out.

So what makes anyone think Timex is finally getting with it?

For one, it is getting ambitious all over again. Kapil Kapoor, Managing Director, Timex Watches, is aiming to sell every third watch in India (organized sector) by the end of 2004. To get there, the brand has roped in Aussie stump-wrecker Brett Lee as its brand ambassador and intends to swamp the market with snazzy new watches of assorted kinds. All this, of course, backed with an ad blitz.

"The Indian watch market is at a tipping point," believes Kapoor. According to his research, disposable incomes have reached just the point to create a boom in demand for wristwatches. Especially watches in the Rs 1,000-5,000 price range that includes almost everything the brand sells - from gold-plated watches to the glow-in-the-dark Indiglo series.

The immediate focus of attention, though, would be on the sporty Brett Lee collection. And by January 2004, expect the spotlight to shift to a bold new fashion series to be launched in association with the British fashion label FCUK (formerly French Connection, UK). The idea is to target the edgy, fashion-conscious youth.

For women, exclusively, Timex expects to present Opex, a French label that would sell on dressy elegance. Another launch planned is in partnership with Timberland-to target the rugged outdoorsy 30-year-old who's pleased to brave the elements. A similar tie-up being mulled over is one with Reebok, which would represent quite another sort of fitness.

The broad intention is to take on Esprit and Swatch, both of which have caught the Indian youth's fancy with their funky designs and sleek good looks. There is yet another rival in Titan's FastTrack, which has been making up for lost time.

But is Timex really getting itself ahead of the curve? That's not very clear. At least not yet. Fashion is always tricky. Thankfully, there is a good way to avoid being let down by a bunch of perceptions. It's the 'Billennium brand', after all. Get the basic testimonial through. Creatively, of course.

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