Unexpected lesson of communication from Greubel Forsey : Trajectoire magazine

Hi,

In circumstances that decency prevents me from developping, I pick the « Trajectoire » Magazine out of the stack of toilet magazines, because my phone’s battery is too low to play an Android game…

I  receive Trajectoire because I replaced my hydropneumatic  Citroëns and my subscription to the garage with a pneumatic Mercedes, a leasing and  a large insurance.

Become gentrified somehow is weakening the link with our mechanic.

So, Trajectoire is a watchmaking-orientated lifestyle magazine distributed to Merc customers in Switzerland. If I was working in communication for Mercedes, I would distribute a compilation of rappers and funk bands who made the apology of Mercedes in their hits, rather than carving up the forests.

In this spring issue, Trajectoire’s editorial contents are meant to be luxurious, except for Cyril Hanouna’s mug (disguised as Conchita Wurtz, awful²), which  fits in this magazine just as much as Michael KorsWatches exhibiting at SIHH would.
A mixture of watchmaking & peoples (Angelina Jolie, the friendly Stéphane Bern, prestigious Swiss families). The lenitive whole thing is however professionally made (plus,  glossy paper is classy, it smells good and the ads are pretty).

• About the SIHH2015 precisely, Trajectoire does very short interviews of 12 of the 16 exhibiting brands’ CEO.

The questions are highly stereotypical and work together around the word « time »: “a pass-time”, “lost time”, “saving of time”, ect…

The answers from the CEO are equally classical: sport, efficiency, management, family, products…
A contemporary version of « Travail, Famille, Patrie »
Then, each CEO chooses his favourite watch to show it off. No surprise, they generally select a recent model, if not a novelty, rather low to mid range, in order to optimise the chances of selling some.

• Until the saving intervention of Robert Greubel. First, his answers are totally off the wall. Typically, the question about “lost time”:

« Even if we follow crosswise paths, time is never lost. We need to make room for reflection and contemplation periods. If the time seems to be lost, we find it other forms, enriched, revitalized.”

Boo Yaa

• The answer  rocks in itself, but what is really great and, in my opinion, a stroke of genius, is the choice of Robert’s favourite Time-keeper: the IP1

Contrary to his counterparts, Robert chooses his favourite watch in real life (he wears his platinium/pink gold dial IP1 very often, as we can see on those pictures taken at SIHH2014, in the “Le Garde-temps, la naissance d’une montre” stand).
What is terrific is that the IP1 were produced in limited edition, over now. Thus it’s not about selling watches.

• And by promoting this watch, we’re entering a new reasoning. It’s no longer advertisement, it’s communication: the construction of a myth, of a brand.

In addition, for the insiders, the IP1 is indeed the most beautiful GF’s Time-keeper, but also a banner of mechanical watchmaking of the 2000’s. A wink to collectors and enthousiasts.

Just great !
See you soon.
Malik.