Jean-Claude Biver is repositioning TAG Heuer. The brand gets cooler, younger and its products less expensive. Listen to this impressive lesson in entrepreneurship I have just recorded.
Jean-Claude Biver is the President of the LVMH Watch Division and directly responsible for Hublot, TAG Heuer and Zenith.
TAG Heuer has no own CEO, it is Biver himself steering the company. Biver took over 21 months ago and since then TAG Heuer starts to rock again. The brand is getting cooler, younger and its products less expensive.
Compared to the Swiss Watch Industry TAG Heuer is growing by 32 %!
Today at noon I met Jean-Claude Biver and we talked about what is going on at TAG Heuer since he took over and what his plans for the future are.
The in my eyes unbelievable charismatic Jean-Claude Biver, a mover and shaker, literally gave me a lesson to remember in entrepreneurship, marketing and communications. It was like being back at university again and listening to my favourite professor … 🙂
Guys, don’t miss these 25 minutes and 19 seconds!
Jean-Claude Biver, CEO TAG Heuer today in his office …
Did you like what you have just heard? Your comments, as always, are highly welcome!
Awesome interview Alexander, as usual. I really have a lot of admiration for JCB’s style of leading with entusiasm. I think his 3.5 pillars are great, but let’s face it, what driver the whole thing is him as a character. This I think is something to draw inspiration from. With that said, they are no where near where they could take this. Zero separation is great, but putting out countless limited edition watches for special occasions which will eventually become irrelevant (if they are not already to begin with) can hardly be a valid long term route. For what he has in excess energy, he does lack a bit in simplicity and and structure. This shows in a collection which could become far more coherent and a website which I’m sorry to say is far from elegant and easily accessible. Much better than it used to be at TAG? Without a doubt. WTG? sure. But one should not let his enthusiasm obstruct that there are still many steps left to be walked on such way. Anyway, I like what I’m seeing so far and I’m staying tuned for more. Cheers from Switzerland, Fred
Cheers from Acacias, doesn’t it, (Jean-)Frederic?:))
Hello Alexander, do you know is it possible to meet Mr.Biver somehow i have created a marketing slogan- that would fit to Tag Heuer even better than “dont crack under pressure”..do you know who is responsible for such ideas at Tag Heuer..thanks in advance.
Where is the video, where is the link to it?
On the picture SOUNDCLOUD which I received with your email there is nothing to click on…
It is a sound file and it is there. Your browser/security settings seem to block the link/file … Almost 1300 have already listened my conversation with JCB …
Hi Alexander, Soundcloud does not load in Malawi in spite of very good internet speed. will try in South Africa again. Cant wait to listen to your interview!
Rainer, I have just double checked everything and it works… Plus you can listen to the interview through my Twitter account, I have just linked the interview there …
Here is the answer to all your questions…
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THANK YOU VERY MUCH
ALEXANDER PLEASE, CAN YOU UPLOAD THIS VIDEO ONCE AGAIN. I TRIED ON SEVERAL COMPUTERS BUT SOMETHING I WRONG WITH SOUNDCLOUD.
BEST REGARDS.
SORRY NOT VIDEO,INTERVIEW
Alexander
All of us watch lovers around the world love your interviews, instead to listen to sound (yesterday technology) we would like video, please can you look into this and come back to us.
Sorry, Alexander, I wasn’t able to stick with him. But I agree with your response above. There are so many new watches on the grey market at deep discounts now the industry must reinvent itself to stay alive.
It looks like Mr Biver finally has got the Tag Heuer legal Swiss Franc note printing press up to full capacity. His watches looks like young ladies in their bikini that will get the men attention 5 km away.
You can talk to Jean-Claude Biver all you want. Have you noticed what an Eterna Automatic Legacy 1948 sells for? A Glycine Incursore Manual Hand Wind? A Louis Erard 1931, $444. I bought two brand new Frederique Constant models for less than $200. The Swiss Watch industry is almost dead. For some of these companies there just is no coming back. It is all over.
The Swiss Watch Industry is everything else but dead. Only because you were able to buy some watches for such a price, this does not proof that the industry is dead. Yes, some brands will disappear very soon, but they would have disappeared anyway, simply because there products are not attractive and to expensive. It’s not only TAG HEUER that is repositioned, the entire industry is and we will see where the clever and smart managers are and who will survive. It’s easy to be a good manager in good times, but not as easy in these times…
I have been in Switzerland, the Swiss industry are healthy far from dead, have smart people like Mr Biver and Mr Stern. I suggest to take a look at Mr Biver’s watches, they looks like young ladies in their summer cloths that will get the man attention if is young or grumpy.
Indeed an incredible lecture! Respect Mr. Biver and well done Alex.