Alexandre Meerson does not think of his customers as customers. Nor does he really think of them as fans. For him, they’re friends.
Alexandre is the man behind Alexandre Meerson watches, a designer-led luxury watch brand which presented its first collection to the public in 2014. Since then, it has grown quietly and steadily, but with a fiercely loyal customer-base forged from personal connections.
The personal touch
By getting to know the real stories behind the lives of those purchasing his watches and their journey to that point, Alexandre made the realisation that, actually, these stories were the essence of the brand he has created.
These stories are now what inspire the House’s Collection: watches designed for extraordinary women and men, people who create their own luck and do what is not expected of them.
The benefits of establishing this personal connection to the brand are far-reaching. Customers become fans, then become friends, increasing advocacy, word of mouth and, crucially, growth.
Communicating a luxury brand experience
How do you communicate a luxury brand beyond a core of loyal friends?
For Meerson, the message centres around three subjects: ‘Pleasure, People and Design’
‘Pleasure’ is the defining moment of the Meerson customer experience, from how a customer comes to possess a Meerson watch, to the emotion behind such a personal, crafted keepsake.
‘People’ is a celebration of the independent-minded Meerson watch owners. Those who do the unexpected, those who make bold choices and do extraordinary things in daily life.
‘Design’ reflects the craftsman’s pursuit of perfection, the fine balance between imagination and creation.
By grounding the brand in these core differentiating factors, Meerson highlights what makes it so special, while simultaneously appealing to a range of emotional sensitivities: aspiration, curiosity, identity, rebelliousness.
Go where the energy is
Although any business will have a clear picture of who its typical customer or target customer is, there is always room for the unexpected.
Meerson started out with predominantly masculine and unisex designs, but quickly learned of a broad appeal to women. Not anticipated, but certainly welcome nonetheless.
Initially, this led to over 3,000 female participants joining Meerson’s Insiders’ Club and later prompted the inception of Project Anna: a dedicated community of women from all over the world, collaborating with Alexandre to understand the essence of what is meaningful for women and helping to inspire future collections.
By bringing influential women into the design process, Meerson created a platform for discussion which extended beyond the meeting room, with the group documenting their discussions, sketches, images and ideas over the internet and social media too.
Learning from luxury
How has Meerson transcended the boundaries of the average brand consumer relationship?
By going direct.
Through targeted social media and CRM techniques, Meerson has established a direct channel to consumers, paving the way to develop personal connections. Connections which craft both the inspiration for custom watch designs and the platform from which his customers share their stories. Connections which act as the essence of Meerson’s luxury branded experience – and what sets it apart.