The luxury watch brand gives social media fans a chance to become one of its “Very Special Reporters.”

Prepare to be shocked, luxury watch world. One of the most
seasoned names in fine timepieces, Baume & Mercier, launched a contest
appealing to fans on social media. That’s right—not readers of high-end
magazines or owners of fancy cars or private jets; the Swiss watch brand is
appealing to folks who’re connecting on Facebook, that oh-so-democratic online platform that everyone—from teens to soccer moms to politicians—seems to be using.

This week, Baume & Mercier invited its 75,000 Facebook fans
to upload videos explaining their love of the brand and why they would make ideal “Very Special Reporters” at the upcoming
Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie in Geneva, Jan.
17–21. The trade-only affair where high-end watch manufacturers and buyers meet
takes place once a year, and is known as the preeminent affair for the
best watch brands and debuts of significant technological advances in
timepieces.

In fact, the brand was inspired to sponsor this
year’s contest because of initial positive social media outreach conducted last year.

“During the SIHH 2010, we invited our aficionados on Facebook and Twitter
to rediscover the history and the heritage of our brand through a diary
entitled ‘Secrets of a Watchmaking Family,’” CEO Alain Zimmerman tells JCK via e-mail from the brand’s Geneva headquarters. “The originality of the approach was
to tell the story of the birth of Baume & Mercier in the present tense, and
in daily sharing anecdotes and insights from the daring watchmakers who founded
our famous watch company. It was a huge success.”

A jury will announce five pre-finalists on Dec. 1, and
the FB community will vote further to narrow down selections to the final two. Winning
one of the two spots means that the fans becomes short-term “Very Special
Reporters,” trailed by a cameraman while covering SIHH for the Facebook
community. Components of coverage will feature breaking news, interviews, and
more, as the Baume & Mercier Facebook community will experience the fair
and a special brand event through the eyes of the two winners. On Dec. 14,
Zimmermann will release the names of the winners
on Facebook.

So far, entries have been “interesting,” according to Zimmerman, and confirm what the watchmaker has long suspected: “Baume & Mercier is an
approachable brand.”

Asked whether the winners will also receive new watches, Zimmerman replies coyly: “The VSR operation is our present
to them. We plan gifts for them, and surprises too. Baume & Mercier is all
about celebration.”

Entries are being accepted through Nov. 30 on
the Baume
& Mercier Facebook Fan Page/VSR tab.

JCK