Swatch, the renowned watchmaker, recently experienced a dip in its online sentiment, registering a 17.8% negative response following the release of its Blancpain X Swatch watch in Singapore. This data, provided by media intelligence firm Carma, reveals a mixed bag of reactions from the public.
Key Highlights:
- Swatch collaborates with Blancpain for the Bioceramic Scuba Fifty Fathoms Collection.
- The collection, an interpretation of Blancpain’s iconic Fifty Fathoms, was globally released on 9th September.
- Negative sentiments revolve around the unusual pairing of budget and luxury brands.
- Positive feedback highlights the comfort of the watch strap and the fun nature of the collaboration.
- Last year’s collaboration between Swatch and OMEGA witnessed a massive positive response.
The collection, a joint venture between Blancpain and Swatch, comprises five mechanical watches. These timepieces are a playful rendition of Blancpain’s legendary Fifty Fathoms watch. The announcement of this collaboration was made on 7th September, with the watches hitting the global market just two days later.
Interestingly, much of the negative online chatter centered on Blancpain. Many netizens expressed confusion over the partnership between a budget brand like Swatch and a luxury brand like Blancpain. Some even labeled the collaboration as “pointless,” questioning the rationale behind spending a significant amount on what they perceived as a “disposable watch.” Others took a jab at the hype, humorously suggesting that Singaporeans “have absolutely nothing else to do.”
However, it wasn’t all gloom for Swatch. Carma’s spokesperson highlighted that the brand also witnessed an almost equal positive sentiment at 18.7%. Supporters of the collaboration praised the comfort of the watch strap and appreciated the fun element it brought.
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This lukewarm reception is in stark contrast to last year’s overwhelming enthusiasm when Swatch and OMEGA unveiled their BIOCERAMIC MoonSwatch collection. That launch saw eager consumers lining up in the early hours across various markets, including Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, and Japan. The overwhelming demand even prompted Swatch to limit purchases to one watch per person.
In Singapore, the excitement reached such heights that the police had to intervene for crowd control. Some overzealous consumers even confronted the police. Addressing an incident, Singapore’s Minister of Law and Home Affairs, K Shanmugam, urged the public to maintain perspective, emphasizing the gravity of global issues compared to the availability of a watch.
This year, however, Swatch seemed better prepared. Orderly queues were observed at Swatch outlets in ION Orchard and The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands. Security personnel had even set up queue areas the previous night, ensuring a smoother sales process.
