They sound like characters from a fighting video game - Orange Monster, Black Samurai, White Knight, but actually these are three of the most successful watches made by Seiko, and many enthusiasts and collectors think of them, especially in Asia.
This may come as a surprise, but Seiko watches acquire the image as a hip and collectible. In many parts of the world, the Seiko watch brand is considered reliable, but not remarkable. But take a look, and there is an unusual story.
Seiko burst onto the international watchmaking scene in 1969, when she caught off guard and almost destroyed the Swiss watch industry with the launch of the world's first quartz wristwatch, an Astron quartz battery. The Astron was more accurate and durable than the manual mechanical Swiss watch, which cost several times more. At night, the demand for mechanical watches has fallen sharply.
Many watch innovations over the past three decades are probably related to Seiko: the first quartz watch; the first quartz LCD display with a six-digit display (hours, minutes and seconds); the clock of the first calculator; first quartz day and date; first quartz chronograph (date, stopwatch and alarm); the first television clock; first thermal quartz watch (powered by the body); The first kinetic quartz watch (based on user movement) ... and the list goes on. Seiko watches were at the center of the evolution of watches, and its influence goes far beyond watch making: the LCD displays in your clock radio, microwave or CD player are all connected with the new products made by Seiko.
Seiko, in fact, was an innovator of so many “first” in the industry that it is difficult for them to name them all. Recently, for example, there was the 40th anniversary of the first quartz chronometer launched at the Tokyo Olympics. Used during marathons, he bought unprecedented accuracy for sports timekeeping, with an accuracy of 0.2 seconds per day. Just a few years ago, the 10th anniversary of the world's first kinetic chronograph, the quartz watch, created by the movement of the user's hand, was celebrated, thereby eliminating the need for a battery. To celebrate this event, Seiko launched the Kronetic Chronograph from Arctura, which takes kinetic movements to a new level of accuracy, with an accuracy of 15 seconds per month.
Although innovation and continuity rarely go together, Seiko has both. The company, founded in Tokyo Kintaro Hattori in 1881, is still a family business. Although part of the business is a publicly traded company, the current president of Seiko Watch Corporation is the founder of the great-grandson of Shinji Hattori, who is also the nephew of the current distinguished chairman.
Given Seiko's story about the release of revolutionary products and ideas that are emulated everywhere, you can expect it to enjoy a reputation similar to that of Apple or Sony. Nevertheless, many people do not even understand that Seiko is the world's leading manufacturer of watches, selling more than 14 million watches annually. He also sells more than 350 million quartz movements to other watch manufacturers annually. And here Seiko revolutionized the production of watches. Previously, only Swiss and Japanese companies could make reliable watches. But now anyone can simply add a dial, case and strap to the Seiko quartz movement and sell it under their own brand. Despite the fact that he does not want to name the companies in which he provides the movements, the quartz movements of Seiko are at the heart of many watches sold by some of the largest name brands in fashion and sport.
Seiko does not really receive the respect that he describes. The quality of the product is phenomenal, but there is a wrong perception of their brand.
Some people believe that Seiko offers too many models of budget prices. Cheap, in the public mind, means poor quality, even if it is not. In addition, Seiko watches often change. Some of the best models of Seiko watches will never have the opportunity to develop the following, while the best Rolex or Omega watches remain in production for 20 or 30 years. For collectors, this is a problem, and collectors add value to brands.
One of the leaders of Seiko said recently that the company is in the process of improving its brand. “We have very strong brand awareness, and about 70 percent recognize Seiko as a watchmaker. But there was some confusion about the brand, which is proud of the company, so we decided to optimize and focus branding and highlight our heritage. ”
Until recently, regional companies Seiko sold the brand in accordance with local tastes. But more recently, the Japanese parent, Seiko Corporation, decided to rethink its branding and marketing strategies. The company's position is that the brand's perception of the brand should be the same in Tokyo, London, Paris, New York or Sydney. This means creating a brand image that conveys core values, regardless of the market. Within a few months, Seiko updated its public profile - from advertising on billboards and TV to presentation and packaging in the store.
So far, the strategy has been successful. In line with the company's expectations, Seiko is usually regarded as a premium brand. Not just reliable and reliable, but a real brand status. Technological innovations are at the heart of the company, but Seiko watches have a certain refinement, which they also try to emphasize.
So how can Seiko improve its brand status? As the largest watch company, with an excellent product line and constant innovation, Seiko can start with what will be a little more modest with respect to its product.
