APPLICATION ON TITAN
An understanding of design language led to an investigation to see how design language could be established for the Titan brand. A quick filter with the manner in which design language is carried out for watches reveals what system has the potential to work for Titan. 1) The Breguet method Since Titan is a mass brand that likes to make a variety of watches in different shapes and sizes, creating ‘unmistakable signs’ would work for Titan since they intervene to create language at a detailed scale. While embedding a hidden signature is very straightforward, designing elements in the case and the hands would be a more complex process that would need managerial clarity to able to proceed. 2) The Cartier method: The idea of accentuating a particular element to make it the center of the company’s design focus would be interesting. It would definitely set Titan apart as not many manufacturers use this method to differentiate their products. Another aspect that makes it interesting is the fact that it could potentially adapt to any case shape or size. This method would need a central fundamental thought/narrative to be agreed upon but if this can be achieved then it would still allow almost any kind of form exercise with scope for adapting with time.
3) The Junghans method The idea of Titan setting its core as a particular design movement is not feasible because a lifestyle brand follows the religion of the consumer. Today minimalism is in vogue, so Titan makes minimalist watches. However, if tomorrow ‘maximalism’ became fashionable then it would have to change accordingly. If Titan were to adopt this kind of design language, then it would need to consistently work on changing its narrative to contextualize its core in a modern sense.
points of unification and harmony like at the corners (as done with cell phones) or edges.
4) The Rolex method Titan’s strength lies in making classical dress styled watches. However it needs to maintain other product portfolios to keep the competition at bay in different consumer groups. Thus adopting a single genre of watches would not suit the business of a mass brand like Titan.
7) The Audemars Piguet method Perhaps the idea of making one iconic model and designing all other models and products as derivations from it is not the ideal route for a mass company like Titan. However this can be done to expand the sub brands to a point where it would be easy to identify products within the Titan product portfolio
5) The Swatch method Titan is a mass brand that to makes a variety of watches in different shapes and sizes. This is not going to change any time soon. While round case shapes are popular today, Titan would need keep making the other shaped cases as well because a large segment of its consumers still buy those cases. Therefore, one case shape for all its watches is not a feasible option. That being said, cases in different shapes could still be designed to have resonance with one another by creating
6) The Vacheron Constantin method Since Titan prides itself on quartz movements, a direct application of this method may not be possible. However, research could be conducted to see what other points in a watch easily catch a user’s eyes in India. Having mapped this out, it would be possible to design methods of instant recognizability around this.
8) The Tiffany and Co. method Packaging is definitely a point that could be used to harmonize all of Titan’s products till date. In Titan’s case it is the lowest hanging fruit and perhaps the impact that it would have would not be as profound as being able to seed differentiation at a product level. These methods have been weighed out on the impact to complexity matrix.
Graduation Project | Titan Vision Next: Explorations in Recrafting the Watch Proposition | 131
