It seems that nothing and no one is impervious to the digital wave that’s sweeping across businesses around the globe, including the world of horology. The Peak speaks to leaders of the watch industry to better understand how this march towards digitalisation is making its impact on an area that prides itself on the rich history, careful mechanics and art of it all.
Davide Cerrato, Managing Director, Montblanc Watch Division
How is Montblanc developing its digital channels?
The digital era allows Montblanc to deliver a luxury purchasing experience everywhere, even where we do not have boutiques or for customers living in very remote areas, and every time – meaning the best one for the customer and to create a unique personal experience with the product he’s looking for. We see online retail of luxury watches as a great opportunity to offer the best solutions for our customers. As digital technology becomes a central part of life, it opens a whole new world in terms of purchasing experience. It is a great opportunity to target younger audiences and digital professionals as well. Montblanc has been a successful business with a strong network of authorised e-retailers across the globe.
Montblanc has previously partnered with e-commerce sites such as Mr Porter for the Summit collection. Will we be seeing an expansion of your watches on these platforms?
Montblanc was the second maison of the (Richemont) group to activate a strong partnership with Mr Porter, and not only on Summit but on all our offer and novelties of last year, in particular the re-launch of Time Walker. The result has been very positive, with the possibility of enhancing the product presentation with a rich content and editorial, which is a fundamental part of a successful online customer experience. This collaboration will continue in the future and display all our watch novelties.
Why partner with other e-commerce platforms when you already have your own online boutique that was launched on 2011?
Technology is pertinent in our everyday lives and has definitely changed the way we all shop. The consumers’ digital demands are getting more significant and differentiated, and this will increase in the next years. As a maison, we have to continuously adapt to the digital changes and circumstances in order to offer the best shopping experience to our clients. A strong network of authorised e-retailers across the globe has been established. We can say that online retailing plays an important role in the maison’s business, offering our clients a rich shopping experience.
How does Montblanc bring together the physical and digital realms for a seamless experience of the brand?
The physical and digital realms strengthen and complement one another. Our strategy is to initiate the purchasing process online, and – if requested by the customer – to continue in our stores. Online shopping needs to be closely linked to the physical world, especially with purchasing luxury watches. The emotional experience and touch-andfeel aspect play an important role in the buying process, same as the digital flexibility and convenience that our customers request. We see it as a great opportunity to offer the best solutions for our customers – the best of both worlds, constantly looking to rethink, evolve and explore new ways of shopping experiences. The two areas strengthen and complement one another. A customer who has a great experience online will be more connected to the maison, and will also enjoy shopping in our boutiques and vice versa. They key is to manage all channels well in order to offer the best possible shopping experience.
How do you balance the democratising nature of the online realm with the luxury values of the brand?
For sure, we as a maison have a strong focus on keeping our brand value and exclusivity to be perceived as a global luxury brand. This is not in contradiction with the need to inject dynamism and emotion, and the digital environment, social in particular with the rise of videos, is the perfect platform to do that. What is needed is to maintain a strong consistency in the message and strong codes of luxury in the maison’s language.
