Swatch doubles ad spend to ú3m
Swatch is boosting its advertising spend by 50 per cent to ú3m to support the launch of a range of new products including the world’s first wristwatch pager, Swatch the Beep.
Swatch is boosting its advertising spend by 50 per cent to £3m to support the launch of a range of new products including the world’s first wristwatch pager, Swatch the Beep.
The increased spend, which is channelled through a roster of international agencies, coincides with the appointment of Karl Oliver as Swatch’s divisional director for the UK. He replaces John Haines, who left the company late last year.
Oliver was sales and marketing director at CIC where he was responsible for restructuring the company’s sales and marketing operations.
Swatch has just appointed YMG Carat to handle media planning for watches. YMG replaces Bygraves Bushell Valladares & Sheldon. Media buying and planning for Swatch pager products is being handled by Zenith Media.
Oliver says major range extensions are planned in watches and telecoms after the launch of Swatch the Beep later this year in conjunction with BT. BT is supplying a “caller-pays” airtime package for the wristwatch.
Swatch is also on the lookout for new TV sponsorship after Tango replaced Swatch as sponsor of The Word when it returned to Channel 4 last November.
