The Rolex of Microbrands - Marketing Desire

Just my 2 cents with an unhealthy dose of sour grapes and a clickbait title. Why do I consider Studio Underd0g the Rolex of microbrands? Let's begin by quantifying certain values.

Consumers can perceive a watch's value in many different ways. Some place emphasis on getting the most specs for their buck. Even though I never dive beyond my desk, a 300m capable watch is definitely better than a 200m one at the same price.

Some find it in China-made "homage" watches. I tread lightly, but for me, changing the logo on a copy watch is just half a step away from being a full-blown counterfeit. They would argue that a Tudor watch should not cost 50 times more than its equivalent lookalike. But they do not see the work that went into making the watch desirable in the first place. The watch itself is the final product of a long journey of heritage, craftsmanship, branding, and, of course, marketing.

Some see value in design. This is where many microbrands plant their flag, UBIQ included. There might be some crossover, like offering more specs for less money or taking cues from popular watches, but offering a unique take on a product that has been iterated to death is no easy task.

With that said, Studio Underd0g's watches and messaging are expertly crafted. They are playful, clever, and fun. Although some feel the brand has lost its way with recent collaborations and releases, make no mistake. Selling 4,631 watches in a nine-hour preorder period is a stroke of marketing genius rather than watchmaking expertise.

This is where my Rolex comparison comes in. Both brands excel at creating demand, making their watches fly off the shelves. This is not because they are significantly superior to their peers but because of brilliant marketing. Richard Benc, the founder of Studio Underd0g, may be a talented watch designer, but he is an even savvier salesman. I consider him and Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of Rolex and Tudor, to be in the same category, though in different leagues.

I'm first and foremost a designer. I enjoy the process of creation. But turning watch designs on my hard drive into reality has been extremely challenging. The biggest hurdle is funding. I sank considerable funds into getting DUAL made, but marketing and selling them has been a tough yet invaluable learning journey.

I know I have a beautiful product in DUAL. But how do I convey that to a watch-savvy audience that is constantly flooded with options? Advertising on Meta, securing reviews, and collaborating with IG watch photographers have been my key tools so far. But I feel that something is missing. A wider audience beyond my tunnel vision.

UBIQ managed to grow its Instagram followers to 4k within a year, but that pales in comparison to the 58k followers of Studio Underd0g. Ivan from Vario gave me a piece of advice that stuck in my head during a recent watch show. He said, "You've got to pay to learn." It's the eternal challenge of small businesses, to invest now to improve sales and scale upward or to play it safe until profits allow us to promote more.

With the amount of cash that Studio Underd0g is rolling in, I hope to see something innovative for their next release and not just another color variation with a price increase. But kudos to their sales team for achieving huge figures in 9 short hours. As I sit here writing this at 2 a.m., reflecting on how to market desire and make UBIQ stand out in a saturated market, I'm still eagerly awaiting for our first sale 48 hours into our Black Friday promotion.

Despite UBIQ still being in the red, my passion for creating a new watch has prompted me to start prototyping our second timepiece.

Our next watch, TREK, is a vibrant, affordable, lightweight titanium timepiece. It will be offered with a choice of a high beat quartz movement or an automatic Miyota 9039 caliber. First looks and more information will be coming soon, so stay tuned. We cannot wait to share the details and hear your thoughts on our take on a field watch.

If you have made it to the end of this article, your support means everything to me as I work to bring this vision to life. Thank you for being part of our journey. And if this is my last article of the year, have a great year end and see you all in 2025!

Reference: Studio Underd0g