Breitling is a well-known privately luxury Swiss watch manufacturer. The World Watch Report (2009) categorizes it as a Prestige watch, a luxury segment it shares with Hublot, Omega, Rolex and Tag Heuer. Depending on the precision-made quality, fine mechanism and signature styling, Breitling have successfully occupied a space in the rapidly changing market of Prestige watch and made unceasing progress for more than a century. By comparing Breitling with other competitors for different aspects of positioning, this essay aims to examine how the various elements of marketing mix especially the 4P (Product, Price, Place and Promotion) interact and are being used as tactics to help Breitling achieve the desired position in the market of luxury watches. In addition, academic concepts in this essay are taken from either the course lectures or the core textbook (Brassington and Pettitt, 2013), and material on Breitling is drawn from the company website.
2. Background
Breitling was founded by Léon Breitling in the Swiss Jura in 1884, manufacturing the chronographs and timers. In the early 1930s, based on their reputation for precision and sturdiness, their product range was enriched with a "specialty" that helped Breitling earn the worldwide fame: onboard chronographs intended for aircraft cockpits. During more than 100 years, on the basis of constantly pursuing the senior-level accuracy, sturdiness, functionality and reliability, Breitling have achieved the status of "official supplier to world aviation" and created numerous classic watches in the area of sea, land and air. According to World Watch Report (2013), Breitling have become the top 15 most searched luxury watch brand globally, which reasonably indicates that they have successfully achieved a steady market position and brand loyalty from consumer. In the past few years, however, the demand diversification of consumer and marketplace as well as the emerging and developing competitors in the same market of luxury watches become the new challenges for Breitling.
3. Market Positioning
As the ultimate thing being bought, product is the most central element in positioning, which includes both goods and services. Since founded in 1884, Breitling have devoted themselves to manufacturing the technical watches mainly intended for aviation, diving and other extreme sports. Initially, defining their brand as “Instruments for Professionals”, Breitling are always pursuing to the accurate, sturdy and durable products with stable quality as well as masculine appearance by unceasingly improving their workmanship. Moreover, they constantly aim to be the master of performance in the way of giving their products various functions to meet different needs of aviation, marine, navigation, diving and other special trades. Hence their watches become the perfect combination of practicality, functionality and diversity.
Recalling the history of Breitling, they have been famous for their reliable and rugged movements which are certified via the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute. Also, they make use of top material and advanced techniques to fabricate the case so that the precision as well as professional waterproof performance can be guaranteed and watches can withstand high-intensity specialty use. In particular, relative to the seriousness of Rolex, sumptuousness of Omega and originality of Tag Heuer, the appearance design of Breitling watches tend to straightforward and bold style which reflects their brand connotation of accuracy and sophisticated technology in product manufacturing. In general, their exact orientation of product makes a contribution to provide Breitling market positioning with clarity and consistency.
