Hublot has a strong foothold in the Gulf
Technically Hublot are not part of the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie, but their exhibition in Geneva did not fail to captivate horology enthusiasts at the start of the New Year 2015, where they showcased the stunning Big Bang Steel and Ceramic watch and the innovative Forbidden X, which brought a new twist to smoking hot timepieces
In total Hublot introduced six new models in Geneva, but its most anticipated work, such as the new Ferrari watch 2015 is being saved for Baselworld 2015. “Day and Night” Magazine was on hand at the Hublot presentation, where Regional Director, Marco Tedeschi, provided some insight into the brand’s performance in the Middle East and its latest products.
What led you to your current position with Hublot MEA?
I started my career with Hublot at the beginning of 2007 as a product director, where I was responsible for product development. When my father retired from being the head of the Middle East market at Hublot, they decided to appoint me as his replacement. Over a period of 40 years, my father had built close relationships with Hublot retailers that turned into friendship more than business acquaintances, so I’ve known his friends since I was a child and taking over from him was a smooth transition as the retailers already knew me.
Hublot recently opened a boutique in The Mall of Emirates. Are there any plans to open another boutique in the region?
The Mall of Emirates boutique is doing remarkably well. It exceeded sales expectations in December by beating the Las Vegas branch in terms of revenue in a month. Hublot is very keen to see how its new boutique at Dubai Mall will do when it opens in March later this year, however the grand opening ceremony will be held on the 12th of April 2015.
In general, how is the brand performing in GCC countries?
Last year, we saw incredible growth in Qatar, where we are planning on opening a boutique later this year. Surprisingly, the brand is doing very well in Jordan too. On the whole, we have a strong foothold in the GCC countries, except Saudi Arabia where there is room for development.
During September you had the Hublot Challenge with the pop-up store in Dubai Mall; did that campaign achieve what it was intended to? What was the outcome?
Although it was the first time for us to run an event like this, it opened many doors for us, as straight after the event we received confirmation to open a new boutique at Dubai Mall. With the success of the Hublot Challenge, we are expanding its reach my bringing it into Europe, Asia and America in 2015.
Is there a specific model or collection that performs particularly well in the region?
Since 2005, we have the same bestseller which is the Big Bang Steel and Ceramic. We have a lot of limited editions because we want to satisfy client’s demand. 80 percent of our sales come from the Big Bang collection and the Classic Fusion collection.
Hublot is an extremely popular brand in the region, how would you rate the sales performance in the Middle East?
Both the Middle East and Japan have a good sales turnover. Hublot experiences 12 percent growth worldwide, while the oil industry is around 4 percent. This proves that Hublot is doing very well and the Middle East plays a big part in our success.
How many product lines does Hublot currently have?
At present, Hublot has five product lines; one, is the Big Bang, with the iconic model and the bestseller. Two, is the Classic Fusion which is a tribute to what Hublot used to do in the 80’s and 90’s. Three, is the King Power which is a sporty line with a 48mm case. Four, is the Masterpiece collection which is a unique selection of watches with different shaped cases and complex complications. Last but not least, we have The Spirit of Big Bang, which was launched last year and has a tonneau shaped case that is different from the standard circular case, perfect for our regular clients who want something unique.
What was the feedback like for The Spirit of Big Bang?
We received a phenomenal response as we sold out all the 2,000 pieces manufactured last year. Currently there is no model on display in any of our boutiques and there is a waiting list for this particular model.
At first, Hublot created watches specifically for men. The ladies collection came out much later. What is the percentage of sales for each collection?
That really depends on the collection, but roughly the percentage of ladies watches we sell is around 30 to 35 percent, which is impressive for a Maison that caters primarily for men. However, we must keep in mind that some women purchase men’s watches for themselves as they like the masculine look. Large watches of around 44mm are popular in the Middle East as ladies want their accessories to stand out.
The Middle East is a fast moving market. How do you keep the momentum going to keep up with the pace?
We are always doing something new, this keeps clients interested in our brand. Hublot has an event marketing strategy where we have around two or three events running per day per year around the world.
The latest timepiece launched was the Forbidden X. How did the concept for this watch come about?
Behind each one of our partnerships, there is a story of friendship. All of our brand ambassadors and partners are dedicated fans of Hublot before coming to work with us, this was important for us because we wanted people with passion and drive. Carlos Fuente Jr, the grandson of the famed cigar manufacturer, Arturo Fuente, is a horology enthusiast with a passion for cigars. Our passion is watches and together we teamed up with the Cuban brand and created the Forbidden X out of real tobacco leaves.
