The young Norqain brand from Nidau was founded in 2018 at a time when the market did not really need another watch brand – and has therefore taken an unconventional path from the outset: Norqain relies on close cooperation with prominent athletes who not only serve as brand ambassadors but are also deeply involved in the company as strategic business partners. This approach is unique in the watch industry. CEO and founder Ben Küffer revealed to us in an interview what exactly is behind it and why he absolutely had to speak to football legend Gigi Buffon during his sister’s wedding.
Ben Küffer, who likes to describe Norqain as a “challenger brand,” had an ambitious vision from the outset: he wanted to create a globally successful brand and realised early on that he could not achieve this alone. “I wanted to surround myself with great people right from the start – to create a Norqain family,” says Küffer. The strategy was to build a long-term network in order to expand into new markets by finding local business partners who know the market, the culture and the network better. The basic requirement for Küffer: they must share the same “challenge spirit”.
What makes Norqain’s choice of partners special is that they are not purely advertising faces. Instead, the brand values athletes who either already have a strong entrepreneurial background or excellent management skills that represent their business interests in line with Norqain’s values. Stan Wawrinka, for example, who is involved in numerous companies and has a deep understanding of business processes, says Küffer from his experience working with the tennis pro. The athlete may also have an excellent entourage (such as a family office) behind them who take care of their business interests and act in Norqain’s best interests because they are invested in the brand. It is always important to Küffer that the chemistry is right: “For me, the personal relationship with the partner is crucial, as it is like a long-term marriage and not a fixed-term contract.”
As unique as this strategy is in the watch industry, it is also very clever: rather than paying large sums to brand ambassadors, who usually have temporary contracts and are often not very authentic, Küffer involves public figures – primarily athletes – in the brand, which means that PR and marketing take care of themselves.
From the outset, the strategy was to build a long-term network in order to expand into new markets. The first strategic partners in Switzerland were professional ice hockey players Roman Josi and Mark Streit. Their involvement gave Norqain a high media profile and visibility right from the start. They seemed to have discovered a business idea that did not yet exist in the watch industry. The number of partners was therefore expanded gradually and strategically as Norqain entered new markets.
The role of these partners goes far beyond that of a traditional brand ambassador. They act as a kind of external board member who, although not in the office every day, are usually actively contributing ideas and their local network to drive business development. “Gary Neville in England is a world-class example: he is an absolutely accomplished businessman who runs his own marketing agency and hotels. It’s similar with Gigi Buffon in Italy, who is developing his own business concepts in his current phase of life,” says Küffer, who is in regular contact with all partners, some more intensively than others. “I’m in almost daily contact with Stan Wawrinka via WhatsApp, as he constantly sends photos of local retailers or new ideas.” Küffer sealed the partnership with Gigi Buffon in a tuxedo and bow tie during his sister’s wedding. Buffon was flattered that Küffer took the phone call despite such an important occasion and emphasised that this is the spirit he wants from a partnership.
Mark Streit, co-founder of the brand, even plays a special role and now spends around 50% of his time at the Norqain office, where he actively participates in marketing meetings – he has largely retired from ice hockey to do so.
Norqain is a family business in which Ben Küffer holds 70% of the votes and the largest share of the capital. Of the approximately 40 “Norqainers” listed on the homepage – a conscious decision to showcase the “Norqain family” and the community spirit – only seven people have a financial stake in the company: Mark Streit, Roman Josi, Tina Weirather (also on the Board of Directors), Stan Wawrinka, Sidney Crosby, Gigi Buffon and Gary Neville. Partnerships often develop organically through contacts, rather than Norqain actively seeking out specific individuals. The prerequisite is always that Norqain enters a new market before a suitable partner is found.
Ben Küffer clearly attributes the success of the young brand, which has doubled its watch production from 5,000 to 10,000 watches within seven years and is now available in 40 markets, to the strategy (in addition to the innovations) of its local business partners. They not only give them media attention, but also create access that would otherwise be impossible – or very difficult and costly. “Within a month and a half of his partnership, Gary Neville was able to integrate Norqain into the big Soccer Aid charity event in Manchester with 80,000 spectators. We were able to invite 50 guests and potential new retailers to the launch event, which made it easier to attract many new retail partners,” Küffer sums up, adding: “When it was announced that Canadian ice hockey pro Sidney Crosby had invested in Norqain, a push message ran on ESPN, leading to a huge increase in website visits and new retailer enquiries. We also saw very positive sell-out figures.”
Of course, even the best business partners are of no use if the products are not accepted in the market. But they are – the watches are young, fresh and different, and from the outset, the focus was on quality, with Kenissi (originally founded by Rolex subsidiary Tudor) coming on board early on as the exclusive movement manufacturer.
Norqain has just launched a new watch in collaboration with Stan Wawrinka. “Stan wanted his own Norqain watch for his 40th birthday, one that would honour not only his Grand Slam victories in Australia and Paris, but also his US Open victory against Novak Djokovic,” says Küffer. It was just unveiled at Bucherer on Fifth Avenue in New York and “screams Stan, screams tennis,” according to Küffer.
Will there be more special editions in collaboration with partners in the future? Quite possibly. One thing is certain: with this strategy, Norqain has developed a unique business model that has paid off.
