The abridged case examines the marketing challenge of repositioning Swiss watch brand TAG Heuer in the digital era. It delves into the decisions taken by Jean-Claude Biver – the newly appointed CEO of the company – in his effort to create and execute a new strategy and to position TAG Heuer as an affordable luxury brand that would appeal to both traditional customers and the new generation.
It begins by highlighting recent developments in the Swiss watch industry and then focuses on Biver – a celebrated icon of this industry. It offers a snapshot of Biver’s resume and a glimpse into the marketing principles that he has applied during his remarkably successful career.
The second part of the case addresses the emergence of a new product category – the digital watch, which many industry executives considered to be a major threat. TAG Heuer decided to enter the digital space and launched TAG Heuer Connected, in partnership with Intel and Google. Connected (and the series 2 model TAG Heuer Connected Modular 45) turned out to be a key pillar of the company’s new brand strategy. It also acted as a springboard for experimenting with unconventional sales and marketing tactics.
