Talking Shop With Armitron CMO Marisol Tamaro
Armitron is known for its fashionable and affordable watches. They appeal to both the budget-consious collectors as well as people who want a watch that is on par with current trends. We sat down with the brands CMO Marisol Tamaro, who recently led an extensive rebranding of this family company, to talk about past, present, and future.
Martin Green: What do you consider the most fun part of your job as CMO?
Marisol Tamaro: The most fun part of my role as CMO is blending creativity, innovation and experimentation to more effectively reach and engage consumers, especially within the online/digital media landscape. As competition and costs increase, it requires finding new and different ways to break through the clutter.
How do you set a course for a rebranding, and what are the most important aspects when you do this?
A rebrand is a major strategic initiative and it should not be considered lightly. The most important aspects include setting clear objectives, defining the deliverables, ensuring you have the right people / key stakeholders involved, crafting a comprehensive execution plan and establishing a realistic timeline. This type of complex initiative often takes longer than expected.
Armitron is a family company. How different is that from doing a rebranding for a company that has investors / is publicly traded?
In the case of Armitron, the brand and the family are closely intertwined. Our brand values are a reflection of that of our founder, Eugen Gluck, and they serve as our guiding principles. In doing the rebrand, it was important for us to preserve our legacy and these principles while also setting the stage for future growth and expansion. It's different from a publicly traded company in the sense that it's much more personal. Our values permeate all aspects of the business and as well as the company culture so we had to ensure that we struck the right balance between respecting our heritage and contemporizing the Armitron brand.
Armitron is known for offering affordable watches. How important is this in regard to the DNA of the company?
Affordability and accessibility are key tenets of our brand. It’s the main reason why our founder Eugen Gluck started Armitron. He believed that everyone should feel valued and he wanted to use this business to demonstrate human decency. He had a passion for watches and he dedicated his life to making beautiful and quality timepieces that instilled a sense of pride and happiness, and was attainable by all.
Armitron is celebrating its 50th anniversary next year. What do you consider the most crucial event in the past of the brand?
I think one of the most crucial events of our past was when Armitron developed and launched one of the first LED watches. It put the brand on the map with over 2 million units sold. However, that wasn’t the key defining moment. It’s what happened after, that is a true reflection of who we are as a brand and company. There was an issue with the battery technology that resulted in a mass recall of the watches. Eugen valued his customers and he strongly believed in always doing the right thing. Therefore, he gave back every penny back from the sale of those watches which almost bankrupted the company. Despite this business challenge, his passion and resilience kept him going. Soon Armitron was back bigger and better than ever with licensing agreements across sports, media and entertainment.
Can you tell us anything about how the anniversary will be celebrated?
We are working on several exciting initiatives in celebration of our 50th anniversary in 2025. Some of these are still in the process of being finalized so I can’t be too specific at this moment. However, what I can tell you is that we will be introducing a very special, modernized edition of one of Eugen’s favorite watches. We will also be collaborating with a few of our historical partners, as well as new ones, to launch curated collections that honor our legacy in the watch industry. And in 2025, we will be making greater efforts to put Armitron at the forefront of culture, fashion and philanthropy.
What do you think is currently the most important development in the watch world?
As a marketer, I think the most important developments in watches today are design and utility. From new shapes to slimmer profiles and the incorporation of exciting new materials, colors and finishes, people are wearing watches again not just to tell time but as an extension of themselves and as an expression of their personal style. And, owning just one watch has become a thing of the past. Many people today own, and sometimes even wear, more than one watch, making watches THE ultimate fashion accessory.
For more info, visit Armitron, here
