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Montblanc, Not Just Writing Instruments?


Jonathan V

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I personally have there cuff links, watches, wallets, and belts and I believe they are very high quality items that would compare with cartier and other high end brands. I attached a picture of one of my watches.

That is beautiful!

" Gladly would he learn and gladly teach" G. Chaucer

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MB is promoting a 'lifestyle' with their variety of products. On the watch front, Omega Boutiques do likewise with jewelry and leather goods, in addition to watches. Even though I am particularly drawn to pens and pen-related merchandise (such as pen cases and ink) I have enjoyed some of their leather products including a key fob, a bracelet, and a business card holder -- each is top-notch and I am tempted to buy a briefcase, although I find the $1,200.00 price tag a bit much! My wife likes their cologne, that is she likes me to wear their Legend product and we buy it periodically. I think they offer some nice watches, some of which have in-house movements, but I have not been particularly interested in buying one. I have to admit I enjoy the Boutique experience that MB offers in general, always friendly customer service.

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MB is promoting a 'lifestyle' with their variety of products. On the watch front, Omega Boutiques do likewise with jewelry and leather goods, in addition to watches. Even though I am particularly drawn to pens and pen-related merchandise (such as pen cases and ink) I have enjoyed some of their leather products including a key fob, a bracelet, and a business card holder -- each is top-notch and I am tempted to buy a briefcase, although I find the $1,200.00 price tag a bit much! My wife likes their cologne, that is she likes me to wear their Legend product and we buy it periodically. I think they offer some nice watches, some of which have in-house movements, but I have not been particularly interested in buying one. I have to admit I enjoy the Boutique experience that MB offers in general, always friendly customer service.

 

Ditto

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More power to 'em...Not my cuppa tea...No problemo..whatsoever....

 

Fred

this should be fun

 

Match the writer with alter ego..........................................................

William Styron Scout Finch

Richard Wright Jack Burden

Walker Percy Eugene Gant

Robert Penn Warren Will Barrett

Harper Lee Richard

Thomas Wolf Stingo

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This is the same strategy as employed by conglomerates. Pepsi would own hundreds, if not thousands, of brands to conquer the market. Similarly with Coca-Cola, Samsung and so on. Some of us may not know what Lay's potato chip is a subsidiary under Pepsi Co.

 

There are a few benefits of owning various brands. Flooding customers with plethora of options, especially with different brands, will likely to cause customer to buy more. Instead of 'I own a MB watch' - 'I own a Dunhill, MB and Cartier' watch. These three brands are just some under Richemont. The same tactics used widely by Nokia and Samsung by flooding 30 over new handsets in a year to cater every single consumer segment.

 

So instead of ;eating to their own market;, they actually expanding it. Acquiring other brands also poses less competition and better control of pricing as all under 1 group. Leveraging on higher volume of parts order and supply chain network will save the group lots of money as well.

 

Knowing this, I prefer to stick to a brand of what it does best e.g. MB for writing instruments and perhaps either IWC/Jaeger-LeCoultre for the watch.

 

My 0.02 cents (in my local currency).

 

The Group's businesses encompass several of the most prestigious names in the luxury industry including Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Piaget, Vacheron Constantin, Jaeger-LeCoultre, IWC, Panerai and Montblanc. For company information, please visit www.richemont.com.

 

It baffles me. Richemont owns Cartier. Why in the world would someone buy Montblanc branded jewelry? If someone is already shopping in the "luxury" market, they're well aware of Cartier. My wife would punch me in the jimmies if I said "let's pass up that Cartier store and head to a Montblanc boutique and shop for a necklace for you. Also, it's not like a $4500 Montblanc ladies' diamond ring is a add-on purchase when you're shopping for a pen. Who knows though, maybe wives get drug into a MB boutique and tell their husband "oooh, look at this" and do in fact "add on" the purchase of some sparkly thing...

 

The same goes for watches. Richemont owns Vacheron Constatin, Jaeger-LeColture, Baume & Mercier, Lange & Sohne, etc... That's a pretty wide spread of price points for watches. I'm sure that makes it easy to produce a watch with a MB logo, but why?

 

Seems like they're just eating into their own markets.

Edited by OngL
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I have to admit that I feel MB less exclusive with their current marketing strategy adding wide range of products line into the brand.

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Coffee - Ugh! :D I know you were kidding but a rebranded coffee will be crossing the lines for me. Too many great US regional brands.

 

How 'bout a coffee.........mug??

 

eebf_1.JPG

 

Rick

MY-stair-shtook eyn-HOON-dairt noyn und FEART-seeg (Meisterstuck #149)

"the last pen I bought is the next to the last pen I will ever buy.."---jar

WTB: Sheaffer OS Balance with FLEX nibs

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Sorry guys, I apparently did not get my pout across and I am sorry about that guys.

 

But right know I have some more pressing matter that take president over this little quibble of luxury groups and what they off.

 

 

Maybe latter this month I will have the time to write an essay about my thoughts making them more clear.

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Personally when I think of Montblanc I think of pens. However, some of their other luxury items have gotten my attention. I like some of their watches and also some leather goods. However, when it comes to actually putting some of my hard earned money on the table, I always end up turning to other established brands for those items. I think if I had more disposable income I would consider adding some of those MB items to the collection.

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If diversifying means Montblanc can continue producing their magnificent pens then that is a great thing. If I am going to spend a couple thousand on a fine watch, or couple hundred on a fine wallet, might as well be a Montblanc then. How cool would a Meisterstuck watch be to go along with my Meisterstuck fountain pen!

 

Too bad Rollex don't make fine writing instruments for you Rollex fans looking for a nice fountain pen to go along with your watch.

Edited by max dog
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How 'bout a coffee.........mug??

 

eebf_1.JPG

 

Rick

 

Clearly a fake mug. The star should be white in the middle and not black...

 

:P

Edited by dneal
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This is the same strategy as employed by conglomerates. Pepsi would own hundreds, if not thousands, of brands to conquer the market. Similarly with Coca-Cola, Samsung and so on. Some of us may not know what Lay's potato chip is a subsidiary under Pepsi Co.

 

There are a few benefits of owning various brands. Flooding customers with plethora of options, especially with different brands, will likely to cause customer to buy more. Instead of 'I own a MB watch' - 'I own a Dunhill, MB and Cartier' watch. These three brands are just some under Richemont. The same tactics used widely by Nokia and Samsung by flooding 30 over new handsets in a year to cater every single consumer segment.

 

So instead of ;eating to their own market;, they actually expanding it. Acquiring other brands also poses less competition and better control of pricing as all under 1 group. Leveraging on higher volume of parts order and supply chain network will save the group lots of money as well.

 

Knowing this, I prefer to stick to a brand of what it does best e.g. MB for writing instruments and perhaps either IWC/Jaeger-LeCoultre for the watch.

 

My 0.02 cents (in my local currency).

 

The Group's businesses encompass several of the most prestigious names in the luxury industry including Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Piaget, Vacheron Constantin, Jaeger-LeCoultre, IWC, Panerai and Montblanc. For company information, please visit www.richemont.com.

 

 

Good point, and a very useful example. I guess to refine the analogy a little bit, suppose Pepsico relabled their cans "Lays" or "Fritos" and sold the Pepsi formula under those names, or if there were a "Lays" brand corn chip (or Frito brand potato chip).

 

I think you can go a little too far cross-pollenating your products.

 

I do think the watch Ash pictured is very attractive. I don't know why, but I would buy it if it were a Jaeger (which it reminds me of) but find it less appealing as a Montblanc. On a side note, I was looking for who made the movements and it seems the old Jaeger boss moved over to the MB watch division.

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Yamaha is another example of a company diversifying, from their musical roots to motorcycles and jet-skis that carry their tuning fork logo.

 

Still, Montblanc is branching out in other areas also:

 

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=bl_sr_beauty?ie=UTF8&field-brandtextbin=Montblanc&node=3760911

 

If you get nervous scribbling with a $500 pen on a subway, you'd better get:

 

http://www.amazon.com/EMBLEM-MONT-BLANC-DEODORANT-STICK/dp/B00JO7LHDO/ref=sr_1_44?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1422082687&sr=1-44

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Clearly a fake mug. The star should be white in the middle and not black...

 

 

Only if it's for Latte macchiato.

Greetings,

Michael

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Yamaha is another example of a company diversifying, from their musical roots to motorcycles and jet-skis that carry their tuning fork logo.

 

Still, Montblanc is branching out in other areas also:

 

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=bl_sr_beauty?ie=UTF8&field-brandtextbin=Montblanc&node=3760911

 

If you get nervous scribbling with a $500 pen on a subway, you'd better get:

 

http://www.amazon.com/EMBLEM-MONT-BLANC-DEODORANT-STICK/dp/B00JO7LHDO/ref=sr_1_44?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1422082687&sr=1-44

 

I don't know if Yamaha is an appropriate comparison. Asian mega-corporations have always been different. Yamaha started their motor division in the 50's, when Japanese industry was evolving post-war. The analogy would be closer if they bought Sony and started making Sony-branded motorcycles.

 

I wonder if the MB deodorant comes in Limited Editions...

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I read an annual report a year to two ago that said that greater than 50% of MB's revenue was generated from products other than pens. In an age when the fountain pen isn't the dominant writing instrument, I think it would be essential to diversify. As for recognition and market share in non-pen related MB products, who is to say what it will be in 20, 50, 75 years? Honda once was known only for motorcycles. In a very short time Honda cars and their luxury arm, Acura, have become very well respected and profitable. And unlike the fledgling Honda car company, MB already has high end name recognition.

Edited by Blade Runner
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I'd have to go back and look to see what those other products were. There's got to be quite a bit of profit in selling $200 leather pen pouches. Montblanc's net profit was around 120M euros for 2012 and 2013. Net profit for 2014 was 43M. Clearly they're investing in the brand (and I think it's the boutiques cutting into net profit).

 

Roughly 50% of Richemont's business is Jewelry, and 25% is watches. MB accounted for 7% in 2014. It's a 10B euro per year company in gross sales. Montblanc is a footnote in comparison.

 

Although I'm not a fan of the mark expanding into areas outside of writing instruments and accessories, it really bugs me that they'll spend all this money turning it into whatever it's becoming and not putting forth any effort on the pen line. You want $900 for a pen? Make a celluloid 139 or 149 (and one in green striations too, please ;) ). I'll pay WE/POA/LE prices for that without batting an eye. Let's see the same level of craftsmanship in a pen that we see in Richemont's jewelry and watchmaking brands.

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Montblanc leather goods are actually very high quality and used to be a good value, though prices have creeped up over the years. My wallet is over 10 years old and has held up extremely well, if it weren't for a washing machine mishap a few years ago it could pass as new. Same with my briefcase. Both are well designed and have understated styling unlike other brands that are more form over function.

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