Hublot North America President Jean-François Sberro On The New Big Bang E, Art Partnerships & Shifting Digital In Exclusive Interview
The luxury watch world is shifting, both in general and in large part due to the global impact of the pandemic. As a result, brands have adapted their strategies to accommodate the “new normal” and their clients, in ways that are still just as impactful and reflective of the high level of experiences that were being delivered during a pre-COVID era. Hublot has remained ahead of the curve, having most recently launched its latest watch, the Big Bang e—a connected watch—and debuting e-commerce on its website—a first for the brand. To speak on this digital shift and more, I sat down with President of Hublot North America, Jean-François Sberro, to get some insight and to hear about what we can expect from the brand, moving forward.
Photo Credit: Hublot
DEYVANSHI MASRANI: Since shutting down the manufacture in March, how has coronavirus had an impact on Hublot and its boutiques, particularly in the US, and on the brand as a whole across the globe?
JEAN-FRANÇOIS SBERRO: Hublot North American distribution network shut down around mid-March—pretty much at the same time as our Hublot Headquarters—as a precautionary measure dedicated to help slow the spread of the virus and protect all our employees. Our whole network then remained closed approximately until mid-May, when a partial and gradual opening was finally possible. In the second half of May, about a third of our North American network was reopened. Unfortunately, we were forced to shut down all operations again, for safety reasons, following the lootings that took place around the George Floyd-related protests. Now that the protests are completely peaceful, our retail network is progressively reopening. Our objective is to have 100-percent of our North American network fully operational by around July 1st and we are hoping by then to see levels of demand in line with those of the pre-COVID-19 era. During these trying times, our absolute priority has been the safety, protection and well-being of all of our employees. Hublot North America has therefore maintained 100-percent of the salaries for all employees during the whole duration of the crisis—some still going on as we speak in San Francisco, New York and Toronto—despite the very sharp decline in business.
DM: As quarantines are ending and lockdowns are being lifted, what is Hublot doing to prepare for reopening/what has it done, and what are the expectations, in terms of how the luxury watch consumer will shop?
JFS: We have taken advantage of the various lockdowns to reengineer many of our retail processes, well in advance of the reopening of our stores. Our absolute priority was and still is to keep our employees and customers safe and protected at all costs and at all times. More specifically, this means that we comply very strictly with all the CDC recommendations, as well as with every single local regulation, be it at the state, county, or city level. Additionally, we have come up with a whole series of precautionary measures and sanitary protocols to guarantee a safe environment both for customers and employees. Fortunately, our brand is active in a very high-end segment of the watch industry and our business model is not skewed towards volume. As a consequence, the amount of persons present in a store will be more limited than ever, allowing us to provide both a very safe and more-than-ever, a very customized experience to our customers.
Photo Credit: Omar Vega
DM: A few days ago, Hublot announced the launch of the Big Bang e—the second connected watch for the brand, the first being released at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, where Hublot was the official timekeeper. The Big Bang is such a foundational and iconic piece for the brand, and this year marks its 15-year anniversary. Why was this the perfect “canvas” for this new, contemporary and innovative connected version of the watch?
JFS: The Big Bang is indeed the foundational collection that marked the turn-around of the company in 2005. It was a major move executed by Jean-Claude Biver and Ricardo Guadalupe, only a short time after they took the helm of the company. Year after year, the Big Bang has established itself has one of the true icons of the watchmaking landscape. Considering how smartwatches have revolutionized our industry since their introduction, it was very natural to use nothing less than our most iconic family of product to introduce our second series of connected watches.
Photo Credit: Hublot
DM: Marc Ferrero has created eight dials for the first Big Bang e collaboration. Which other Hublot ambassador collaborations can we look forward to for the BBe?
JFS: Marc Ferrero is the creator of the Storytelling Art Movement. He started narrating a story with us through the eight dials he created for this specific piece and more generally since the start of its collaboration with the brand. Something tells me he has more chapters to tell before reaching the end of the story…Additionally, Hublot is partnering across the planet with several world-famous artists that are eager to express their creativity through this canvas at this point…But I will not disclose more in order to keep some elements of surprise here!
DM: Speaking about Marc Ferrero and world-famous artists, Hublot continues to partner with some of the leading artists of our generation who are at the forefront of the cultural climate. For instance, you were responsible for Hublot’s partnership with Tristan Eaton, one of the most celebrated street artists in the world, and some of his latest pieces entitled “Human Kind” were a part of the historic NASA and SpaceX launch. How does Hublot choose who to partner with and what are some upcoming partnerships in the works?
JFS: Tristan Eaton is, without any doubt, one of the most gifted street artists of his generation and his art is systematically at the forefront of many cultural moments. In the limited time of only five months this year, he already managed to design the ticket for the Super Bowl LIV, dedicate a spectacular mural [in New York City] opposite Madison Square Garden to COVID-19 frontline workers and sent his art to space through the latest SpaceX launch. And that is only to name a few projects! When it comes to Hublot, one of our mottos is always to be First, Unique and Different. This is the case in literally every project that the brand undertakes and choosing a partner is no different. We therefore like to partner with artists that are bringing the same approach to their art but also that share our values of excellence, aesthetics and craftsmanship. However, in the vast majority of cases, we like our partner to choose us rather than the opposite. One of the most important elements in a collaboration is the authenticity factor and no partnership is more genuine than when we work those that love our products and were clients before starting working with us.
DM: Continuing on impactful and genuine partnerships, you were also behind Hublot’s collaboration with another world-renowned street artist, Shepard Fairey. Just a few days ago, Fairey announced that he is donating several of his pieces to various organizations that fight social injustices on the frontlines here in the U.S., given the current situation and environment our society is facing. Hublot also has a history of partnering with fantastic philanthropic organizations in the name of giving back, like Best Buddies. Why is that so important for the brand, and for you in particular?
JFS: In addition to being one the most celebrated street-artists in the whole world, Shepard Fairey has been an activist advocating for social justice, equality and inclusion for more than 30 years. We are honored to partner with him since 2018 and proud to see him make such a difference, particularly now during the current wave of social protests that the U.S. is facing. Philanthropy is also a key word at Hublot. Giving back to the community has always been part of the brand DNA since its creation and Hublot has systematically supported several charities across the globe in the past. When it comes to our philanthropic efforts in the U.S., most of them are channeled towards the Best Buddies organization. This non-profit is the world’s largest organization dedicated to ending the social, physical, and economic isolation of the 200 million people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Year after year, we try to help its founder and CEO, Anthony Shriver Kennedy, to raise money and awareness around this cause, hoping to make the world a more welcoming place for people with special abilities.
Photo Credit: Hublot
DM: After recently announcing that Hublot will begin selling on its website for the first time in brand history, it is officially part of a minority group of luxury watch brands that utilize e-commerce. Why do you think this was the right move for the brand and do you think this will attract a new/different type of buyer, or service current clients in a different way? How do you think this will impact the boutiques?
JFS: We were working on an e-commerce website before the COVID crisis and this episode has pushed us to speed up our project. The digital world is gaining more ground every year and we obviously want to make sure that our company embraces this evolution. Our e-commerce website is the latest pillar of our distribution network and will definitely complement our network of physical stores and multi-brand points of sales, as well as our digital boutique, which launched in 2018. These different tools will allow us to follow our customers wherever they are on our continent and whatever their needs of the moment may be.
