The Challenge

An Audemars Piguet watch is appreciated most when you’re able to see and understand the time and effort that goes into crafting each piece by hand. After nearly 150 years refining the art of watchmaking, Audemars Piguet is still relatively new to the U.S. market, so exposure to new audiences in the right setting is critical to the brand’s growth.

The Idea

The desire to reach ultra-high net worth clientele in a unique and out-of-the box setting led us to Forbes Travel Guide, the authority in hospitality ratings, to leverage the brand’s tight-knit relationships with hotels and resorts. In partnership with Forbes Travel Guide and its Star-Rated hotels, we developed a multi-city event series that incorporated exclusive watchmaking classes, panel discussions, cocktail receptions and, of course, a Five-Star Lounge that showcased Audemars Piguet’s latest product available for sale, set in a high-traffic area in the hotel.

We worked with the brands to invite top clients and VIPs, as well as hotel suite guests and property residents through personalized invitations. Encouraging timepiece aficionados to stay at the hotel during the activation, we developed a special package that was shared with a pre-qualified UHNW audience, as well as promoted on the hotel’s website.

To create buzz before and after each event, while simultaneously maintaining the exclusivity for the next one, we worked with Forbes Travel Guide and its partner Forbes Media to promote the event via editorial content and e-blasts to the UHNW database.

The Results

By integrating third-party brands, such as Glenmorangie and Napa Valley Reserve, we added “surprise and delight” elements for the guests, while offsetting food and beverage costs.

Each watchmaking class was fully booked, averaging 75 attendees over the course of the activation, while panel discussions and cocktail receptions added another 25 guests per event.

Brand awareness was lifted via digital efforts that reached more than 144K people on average through website and email communications and social media mentions extending to 1MM.

Lead generation and customer acquisition saw an uptick, as Audemars Piguet was exposed to new clients through brand partners.