Swatch Case

SWATCH CASE

1).Why was the Swatch so successful? In what ways was the Swatch different from any watch the industry had ever seen?

2) What elements of the original Swatch marketing plan were most critical to the brand's success? Do you agree with the original product strategy? The channel strategy? The promotional strategy? What about the pricing strategy - what does Franco Bosisio mean when he says that the Swatch is sold at a "clean price"? Given the huge demand for Swatches (particularly for certain models), did the company make a mistake in not raising the price for some of its styles?

3) Prior to the introduction of the Swatch, what kinds of watches were popular among consumers? In what ways was a Rolex different from a Timex, or from a gold-plated Seiko? How did consumers make buying decisions?

4). In many ways, the Swatch forced people to think about watches in a way they had never thought of before. Can you think of other products in other product categories that have done the same thing? Bring at least one example to class. The example can be from any category - the more broadly you think about this question, the better. What do these examples have in common?

There are several organizations that has forced people to view their brands and products under a different perception, but the ones that I can consider and that we are drawn to would be the video game industry at large. The video game industry has been able to bring enterntainment from specialized locations right to the living rooms and bedrooms of children and adults alike. The industry's top three contenders are currently Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony. These three powerhouses have single handedly taken console gaming to the next level. Nintendo has been able to create a console that not only relies on eye hand coordination but now the full effect of the arm and body can participate with the effect of the game.

Microsoft with the unveiling of the Microsoft Xbox 360 Kinect, has been able to take the concept created by Nintendo, and enhance by providing more features within the effects of voice and facial recognition, allowing the gamers to be fully involved completely. Sony, created the Sony Playstation Move which applies the same concept to that generated by Nintendo and their Wii system. But Sony also was able to be the very first, to take the concept of blue-ray and apply it to all platforms and genres of gaming, as well as apply the concept of 3D.

Not only the console manufacturers have forced people to view at gaming differently but also the game developers as well. Instead of a one level perception of gaming, developers have been able provide with gamers with the opportunity to make decisions that may affect the overall outcome. As well as provide various options as to how to complete various objectives within