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."
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."
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.
