May 2025

Building Enduring Success

In the realm of luxury, where exclusivity and experience reign supreme, creating an event that resonates with both brands and consumers is an art form. The Australian Financial Review's About Time Watch Weekend has emerged as a shining example, a unique and enduring industry-first event that connects luxury watch brands with highly engaged and affluent AFR subscribers and readers.

Nine Publishing's Luxury Client Partnerships team and the AFR Magazine teams together identified a opportunity: to establish an internationally comparable prestige watch event within Australia which, despite being a priority market globally, did not have such a fair. The vision for the About Time Watch Weekend was to provide a valuable platform for luxury watch brands to cultivate quality consumer engagement.

We spoke with Chloe Moo, Client Director of Luxury at Nine and the About Time Watch Weekend about this best-in-class brand experience.

The Evolving Landscape of Luxury Engagement

The appreciation for fine timepieces in Australia is not a fleeting trend; it signifies a deepening appreciation of craftsmanship, heritage and enduring value.

Explaining this nuanced evolution, Chloe Moo says:

“The growth in the luxury watch sector in Australia reflects a sophisticated appreciation of the artistry and desire for tangible investments. In creating the About Time Watch Weekend event, we sought to provide a platform that honours the appreciation for luxury and watches amongst our Financial Review readership by creating an immersive event for luxury brands to not only showcase products but speak to their heritage and craftsmanship behind their timepieces. A bespoke booking platform, built by Nine's Powered Studios, further elevated the experience by seamlessly connecting consumers with the brands on show."

Girard-Perregaux-AFR-ABOUT-TIME-MEL-0707-1-scaled_resized

The Art of Connection: Experience in Engagement

The innovative format defied the conventional style of a large-venue fair. Instead, AFR went for a series of intimately curated brand experiences hosted within the elegant settings of partner boutiques. This approach allowed attendees to rotate through pre-booked time slots, selected by participants based on editorial coverage and a bespoke custom booking platform, ensuring a highly personalised journey.

Our approach to luxury engagement balances experience and exposure. Luxury audiences seek more than a transaction; they crave understanding, connection with the brands and pieces they invest in."

"The About Time Watch Weekend, crafts deep engagement and caters to our readers and subscribers who love watches, Chloe Moo said. "It's an event that leverages the AFR's pioneering authority in watch journalism to create intimate brand encounters within partner boutiques. This allows attendees to connect directly with the brands, their heritage and craftsmanship, complimenting traditional advertising partnerships with the title."

Panerai-AFR-ABOUT-TIME-MEL-1065_resized2

Immersive Environments, Meaningful Dialogue

The results of the About Time Watch Weekend are a testament to the luxury expertise of Nine Publishing, the Financial Review, and the excellence of our partners. The event has garnered significant acclaim, attracting 970+ high-value attendees, with 98% of attendees rating their experience as excellent, 94% saying others in their network would have found the experience valuable, and 80% declaring they would attend again.

Though not a KPI of the event, the commercial impact was clear: nearly 1 in 2 attendees said they were likely to purchase a watch they saw at the event, and 17% had already made a purchase. The 2024 event also welcomed a 15% uplift in female attendance, reinforcing its growing appeal across a broader audience of luxury consumers.

Source: Nine Insights October, 2024

Looking ahead, the success of engaging with the luxury market hinges on the ability to forge genuine connections. At Nine, we understand this implicitly. Through platforms like the AFR Watch Weekend, we are not just showcasing products – we are cultivating relationships, fostering understanding, and building lasting desire.

Looking to put your brand at the heart of the AFR's Watch Fair in 2025? We'd love to hear from you.

WHAT'S HOT AND WHAT'S NOT

The national mood is recovering; Clothing and Home tech drive EOFY shopping plans; Most plan to spend $101–$500 for EOFY; Credit cards lead EOFY purchases payment, debit cards popular among younger and female audiences are all fuelling opinions and conversations this month.

A female customer and a young Asian female clerk making cashless mobile payment at a restaurant

2-5 May, 2025

Inside this month’s Consumer Pulse dip

Grandmother and granddaughter hugging in kitchen in kitchen at home

Mood of the Nation >

A young family goes shopping for household appliances in a large warehouse store. Part of a series.

CONVERSATION STARTERS >

Mood of the Nation

The national mood

The national mood has recovered after a continuous decline since November 2024, peaking in April 2025, although net negative sentiment remains slightly higher. Overall, net negative emotions are ahead of net positive emotions, with the negative mood driven by Australians feeling anxious, stressed and frustrated.

NOTE: For the best viewing experience on mobile, please view landscape.

Dominant mood indicators

The top 10 dominant moods are a mix of positive and negative emotions. The top 2 feelings are positive, with calm and hopeful topping the list this month. The remaining top 5 emotions are mixed, with anxious, optimistic and relaxed the next dominant moods.

NOTE: For the best viewing experience on mobile, please view landscape.

Conversation Starters

EOFY shopping plans

plan to make purchases during the EOFY sales

Clothing and home tech drive EOFY shopping plans

Among Nine’s audience, more than 1 in 2 (52%) plan to make purchases during the EOFY sale. Clothing is the top category, with 27% intending to buy, rising to 35% among younger audiences under 45.

Home tech is the second most popular category at 15%, with male audiences more likely to purchase at 19%.

Woman tries on hat in shop, while friend looks on.

BRAND CONSIDERATION

Clothing is the most sought-after category, especially among under-45s. Brands should focus on style refreshes, limited-time offers and trending winter wardrobes.

EOFY Spending Habits

plan to spend $101-500 in the upcoming EOFY sale

Most plan to spend $101-$500 for EOFY

Among Nine’s audience, nearly 3 in 10 plan to spend $101–$500 in the upcoming EOFY sale, with younger audiences under 45 and female audiences more likely to spend within this range (33%).

Male audiences show a greater tendency to spend larger amounts of money, with a higher percentage of them intending to spend between $501 - $1,000 (23%) and also between $1,000 - $5,000 (22%) when compared to female, where the proportions planning to spend in those ranges are 14% and 12% respectively.

BRAND CONSIDERATION

With male audiences more likely to spend larger amounts this EOFY, brands should tailor their messaging to match the decision-making mindset - rational, informed and outcome-focused.

Owner of antique shop talking with customer in his store

Preferred Payment Methods

plan to use personal credit cards for their EOFY purchases

Credit cards lead EOFY purchase payment, debit cards popular among younger and female audiences

Among Nine’s audience, nearly half (45%) plan to use personal credit cards for their EOFY purchases.

Younger audiences under 45 are more likely to use personal debit cards than those over 45 (46% vs. 27%), while females also have a higher usage rate than males (37% vs. 24%).

Cash payments are more popular among male audiences (44%) than female audiences (33%).

BRAND CONSIDERATION

With nearly half of Nine's audiences planning to use personal credit cards, brands should ensure frictionless checkout with trusted card gateways, offer bonus points, cashback offers, or loyalty perks for credit card users.