Seiko Advertising — So Easy A Cavemen Could Do It
Image: © Seiko Corporation
In August 2007, Seiko announced a new worldwide advertising campaign implemented in all international markets and in all media, including T.V., print and digital media. The ads feature watches such as the Velatura (above), an all-new series of watches for sailing. They’re built around the word Me, and ask the rhetorical question, IS IT YOU?
I have a response: “Uh… what?”
Two things struck me about the new ad campaign.
First, the self-congratulatory tone of the press release on Seiko’s official site, and campaign’s narcissistic message. It reads This new campaign is a further expression of SEIKO’s vision “Innovation & Refinement” that has guided the brand to unparalleled success since its adoption in 2003.
I have another response: “Uh… what?”
The release goes on:
Each visual focuses on an individual who wears SEIKO and declares, via the headline “Me.,” that this watch is the one for him or her. The advertisement then invites the reader or viewer to see, learn about and assess each SEIKO watch, and ends with the open-ended invitation “IS IT YOU?”
I have a response: “Uh… not really.”
Second, I was struck by the models in the three ads, all upscale 30-something guys, two with heavy 5 o’clock shadows and one with a beard. They look like they’re trying to ape cavemen.
Image: © Seiko Corporation
Image: © Seiko Corporation
Seiko needs a new ad agency. How about putting someone like Don Draper at the Sterling Cooper Ad Agency in charge of the account. I mean, Pete Campbell might try to roll out the Me campaign, but it would sink like a rock. Draper would hit him with sarcasm like a club to the head.
Image: © amctv.com
Isn’t this new Seiko Me campaign the very thing the Geico Caveman commerical below satirizes? In the ad, the woman says, We live in a society where individual ego is at the forefront. In other words, it’s all about me. Do you suppose the woman is a consultant at Seiko’s ad agency? Is she the Me campaign copywriter, the brains behind Seiko’s unparalleled success?
I have a final response: “Uh.. what?”
To go to YouTube and play the Geico commercial, click the picture below.
To see the Seiko press release, click here. To see Seiko TV ads, click here.
###
September 11th, 2007 at 7:44 am
Uhh….YEP. I too am a bit perplexed by the direction of and images that these ads portray. In fact, I can’t help but think that fellow Seiko collector Shawn is on to something when he stated in the past that Seiko is missing the boat by not focusing on the fact that Seiko has a strong historical connection to military use.
Maybe it’s because I’m not a metrosexual, but I’d much prefer that my watch brand portrayed an image of tough-ness than a bunch of pretty boys. Oh well.
September 11th, 2007 at 8:22 am
“Metrosexual.” Exactly.
That is the image Seiko’s ad agency is going for, and the thing the Geico commercials satirize. It’s more creative and fun to satirize inane trends then to perpetuate them. That’s why Geico’s commercials are innovative, and Seiko’s aren’t.
Image: © Seiko Corporation
If you look at the Seiko full-page magazine ads above, the images of the metrosexual models take up a full half of each page. Wow. They are putting 50 percent of their efforts into promoting the metrosexual image, and the other half into showcasing the actual watch.
On their website, the banner ads/buttons they use (pictured below) divide space in thirds — one-third for the name of the watch, one-third to show the watch, and one-third to show the metrosexuals.
Image: © Seiko Corporation
I like Shawn’s idea for an ad campaign. Here’s another — focus on the watches themselves. Seiko has a great product. How about featuring that? What a revolutionary idea.
Another thought is for Seiko to call on Geico’s ad agency, the Martin Agency in Richmond, Virginia. Citizen might want to consider that too.
[UDATE — Well, it seems from online research that the Martin Agency may actually BE the ad agency that designed Seiko International’s ad campaign! So, they just recycled the Geico metrosexual theme (bearded upper middle class urban male) and sold it to Seiko? Interesting! You can see how Les Perry, one of Seiko’s marketing executives, was thinking about Seiko’s ad strategy in 2004 by clicking here.]
Regards,
Bryan
September 11th, 2007 at 9:55 am
I find it perplexing that Seiko chooses to advertise their products based on cheesy imagery. Seiko has so much history and their contributions to horology are amazingly comprehensive. And yet they ignore all of this and push their watches based on a stereoptypical image of what “cool” is.
What a shame.
September 11th, 2007 at 4:48 pm
The tagline is risky at best. Any salesman will tell you that you never ask a yes/no question; you always ask an ‘alternate of choice’ question. “Is it You?” just dares me to say “Nope” and turn away. Much better would be something like “When will you be getting YOUR Seiko?” or “Which Seiko will YOU be depending on?”.
I’m not a big fan of the ‘horological tradition’ approach in advertising. It’s a Swiss conceit and they’ve used it to excellent advantage but they should be left with it. Now if Seiko wanted to really be gutsy they could do a humorous approach on the whole ‘horological tradition’ thing and win big points for originality - here in the USA we love folks (and companies) who go out on the edge. Make me laugh and I’ll remember you.
Perhaps they should hire the agency that does the Bud Lite commercials…
September 11th, 2007 at 6:45 pm
Hi casiophile,
That’s an astute point about asking an open-ended question. I also liked your reference to the Bud Light commercials, because Anheuser-Busch is targeting the same demographic as Seiko (Gen Y), but the brewer’s Downtown Partners DDC Ad Agency is doing so, as you point out, with creativity and humor.
Thanks for your comments!
Regards,
Bryan
September 12th, 2007 at 1:06 am
I noted that the Japanese tagline for the Galante Spring Drive was “Energy and Power is Sexy”, which might be true but I am not sure if it would really make any rich Japanese male or female person buy the watch. It could also be the result of the the traditional Japanese “Any randomly put together English words sells things”-approach.
/ mart
September 12th, 2007 at 1:14 am
Further research shows that the tagline for Seikos new Japan-only line of womens watches called the M-line is “Climax has come”, which does bring even more credibilty to my theory of the ad-men using random English words.
Also, any post referencing the extremely stylish but slightly worrying series Mad Men on AMC gets a bonus point.
/ mart
September 12th, 2007 at 8:00 am
Hi martback,
You may have seen Seiko Japan has a Grand Seiko tag line that reads “Seiko Loves Ladies.” The phrase “he loves the ladies” often has a negative connotation in American culture. It’s often a wry put down of a man’s weakness, in a Clintonesque sense — so it seems like an odd catch phrase for Seiko to use. It’s the Japanese-English issue you raised.
To see the ad, click here.
Thanks for your comments. I’m especially pleased you mentioned Mad Men, since nobody else had. Working that into my story was a big part of the fun for me.
September 12th, 2007 at 8:26 am
Casiophile..thanks for the comments….you guys are telling me things about myself that I didn’t realize. You’re right..rephrasing the question in a manner that makes me think about the product does engage me more. Every time I’ve seen those Seiko “It’s your watch that says the most about who you are,” commercials, I cringe and I always think…”no it’s not.”
Mart, I think every person I’ve known who’s returned from a trip to Japan comments about the funny English phrases that they see on T Shirts, in stores and in advertising. It certainly must be a “Japanese” thing although I’ve seen it creep into US advertising lately too. Like Honda says…”The Fit is Go”
September 16th, 2007 at 11:16 pm
Hi GMT+9,
I have seen the Jenson Button commercial for several weeks now on our television and I think it’s very nice one. I like the 5 O’Clock shadows, since I often have one too. I think I won’t either complain when you would say I look like a caveman, ha ha.
That Bud Light commercial is very funny too, I had a good laught here.
Cheers (”Mud in your eye”),
Sjors
September 18th, 2007 at 8:14 am
Hi Sjors,
Mud in your eye, that’s a good one!
Regards,
Bryan
September 18th, 2007 at 8:41 am
Hi Brian,
Sorry for getting off topic, but can you maybe explain for me why “Cheers” translates into “Mud in your eye” and “Friendly greetings from…” often into “Greetings shut one self up”?
乾杯
Sjors