Chapter 16: Integrated Marketing Communications

MKTG 5 says it best in the opening line of this Chapter. It states "Fews goods or services, no matter how well developed, priced, or distributed, can survive in the marketplace without effective promotion". Awareness of the product is vital for a company to prosper, not only for a short time period, but for 150 years, like TAG Heuer. While always a larger sports watch manufacturer, TAG Heuer has seen rapid growth since being acquired by powerhouse conglomerate, LVMH, on September 13, 1999 for $739 million. Belonging to LVMH has given them a competitive advantage. TAG Heuer produces over 1,000,000 watches a year and now have their own facilities to work on new innovations, such as the Mikrotimer, pictured above.

For TAG Heuer, advertising is its key to success. Year in and year out, TAG Heuer is in the top 5 globally in Swiss watch advertising, spending $22.7 million in advertising in 2010. Due to its higher available funds, you will see TAG Heuer advertising in various channels such as newspapers, magazines, billboards, and store ads. Some of these include Luxury magazines such as Robb Report and Industry magazines such as WatchTime and International Watch.

TAG Heuer public relations is one of the best I have personally experienced. When the Tiger Woods scandal broke, they were one of the first companies to drop him and all of his ads. TAG Heuer just doesn't need the negative publicity. TAG Heuer has moved into the new age with Twitter and Facebook pages. There provide consumers with all the latest news and previews of their products. They are also there to help you. Any questions you have whatsoever, they are there to assist you with any questions or concerns you might have.

While advertising is TAG Heuer's main channel of connecting to consumers worldwide, BaselWorld is one of the most important events for the company yearly. BaselWorld is an industry event where many companies promote their new products for that year as well as concept items. There, they inform the industry on what these particular products do, what they might run, when they are available, as well as giving them the opportunity to hold and preview the product for themselves. In turn, word spreads through these people, as many own a store, work at a magazine, or even have an industry blog. I tend to read many of these blogs and jump for joy when I am informed of these products, being that I unfortunately cannot make the travel to Switzerland to attend this marvelous event. I, for one, am looking forward to the next BaselWorld!