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The love for watchmaking is awakened by being in contact with the product. Its history and design are the triggers of this passion. Meeting and talking with the men and women who are behind it only increases this passionate fire.
If you too are animated by this fire and you have only one desire, which is to make it grow, then let’s relax because we are here for you.
The young brand Furlan Marri has caught our eye and we take you with us to the heart of the brand. You now know Andrea’s story thanks to our podcast (only in french) as well as the creative origin of the products thanks to the article dedicated to him.
Une curiosité débordante guidée par une soif d'apprendre. Voilà comment nous pourrions définir Andrea Furlan. De ses stages d'été au piano en passant par l'athlétisme, jusqu'aux origines de la marque Furlan Marri, nous revenons sur son histoire dans ce podcast. Ce podcast vous permettra de comprendre cette magnifique marque déjà bien prometteuse !
But what about Hamad Al-Marri? This second pillar of the brand reveals himself here for you and makes you discover his culture and his adventure with Furlan Marri.
Is your passion for watches ready to face criticism? This is the dilemma that faces every passionate creator!
May the fire of our passion grow!
In order to know the real experience Hamad is having in establishing the brand in the Middle East, we must first share our exchange with you. It is by reading between the lines that we can appreciate his work even more.
It all started with my desire to understand the interest that drives enthusiasts to be interested in microbrands. The big brands are very well established in this region and their prices are not necessarily a limit. And yet, microbrands are making their place and succeeding in creating a community of loyal customers.
There are three elements that help to understand this phenomenon. The first is the accessibility of the pieces of these major brands. Some important customers are not necessarily treated with the loyalty they deserve, despite the large sums invested. With this change of policy, they simply redirect themselves towards other brands much more human of which Furlan Marri is part.
By listening to their audience and taking the time to interact with them, they create a bond and a relationship with their customers. Consideration and connection are the first two elements. The third is equally surprising. With their collections already full, they decide to wear their exceptional watches for occasions. The microbrand watches dress their wrists the rest of the time.
Just because you’re a microbrand doesn’t mean your products will have a chance to be worn. The quality has to be there. Hamad explains that, at Furlan Marri: “We try as much as possible to have the best finishing on the case and that the watch is the most beautiful possible in order to offer the best product at the best price. The customer must be happy with it.”
In order to get a maximum of Furlan Marri on as many wrists as possible, Hamad opted for a very human approach. Using social networks and Whatsapp groups full of enthusiasts, he first shared the product with them without telling them anything. He wanted to get their honest feedback. It was only afterwards that he told them his story with Andrea and that this watch was the result of their encounter.
Can you imagine yourself there? You’ve been working on a project for several months now and the day has come to confront it. How must Hamad have felt when he shared the first photos? There must have been an interminable wait when the person saw his message. The response was long overdue when suddenly he began to write.
Hamad responds to a primitive need: consideration. By giving a voice to enthusiasts first, he listens to them to understand their interests and then educates them about the brand and the product. By organizing events around a table or a coffee, he creates memories and stories that they can share with their entourage.
Hamad had the intelligence to put the enthusiast back at the center. He presents the product by answering his expectations or questions. A strategy that should be applied by all brands.
This region of the world has many particularities. Even if it is divided into countries, the tribes still exist. Mutual aid is important and this is what makes them strong. By being one, they are stronger and can go further in helping each other. Hamad could have used this strength and called on his tribe to come and support his project. But that would have been too easy. He simply shared the product and its story with them without asking for anything in return. A sense of pride came over them, one of their own had co-founded a watch brand!
Given the commercial success of the brand, we can only salute the work of Hamad and Andrea. But these few lines are only details, partial information of the real story lived by Hamad.
What is the real story?
Andrea and Hamad are two creative people. One is a designer, the other an artist. Every day, they are driven by this creative thirst. But just because you’re driven by it doesn’t mean you’ll act on it. A thousand excuses come easily to mind. And when you finally pick up your pencil, the uncertainties are still there, but you have to overcome them. When your product finally sees the light of day, will it find its audience? Will people other than your relatives support your creation?
Imagine the pleasure Hamad must have felt when he received the first feedback. The interest of the respondents was unanimous because his creation was pleasing without people knowing he was behind it. A joy that must have been exponential when the interest for the brand and the product conquered the members of the GPHG 2021 jury. A joy that must have been shared by the members of his tribe. One of their own was rewarded for his creation!
If joy is an important element, it is only the result of many efforts. Have you ever succeeded in listening to a person? They become the center of the conversation because you want to understand them. To grasp what drives them. This exercise requires practice and a lot of concentration. And that’s what Hamad has to do at the events he organizes or in the conversations he leads on Whatsapp or social networks.
By listening, we must not forget the objective. If Furlan Marri does not sell any more watches, they can shut the brand. If they put the customer back at the center of their interest, he has to buy. This requires being a good communicator, but also a good salesman. Qualities that are acquired through work, repetition and perseverance.
This is what Hamad tells us when he gives us these few details of his story. He is a man who, passionate about watchmaking, took the plunge thanks to a friend. Both creative, they got along and implemented their interest in watchmaking.
Hamad created a network, and was able to establish the brand without imposing it. This project that became a brand resulted in a first series of products that required them to push themselves and grow!
What may be on your wrist today is the tip of an iceberg that they have shaped.
Going above and beyond by being willing to show their product, accepting that it may not please while listening to feedback before telling their story. Here is what you need to remember to understand the Furlan Marri brand. If you don’t like the design, you can at least applaud the work behind it.
I hope this article has fueled your passion for watches and your interest in this brand.
However, one question remains: how did they managed to give a soul to their product? See you in April to find out…
Until then, if you have an idea, tell us in comments!
One Response
Words cannot describe this beautiful creativity and this cooperation that resulted in a creative masterpiece and a new itinerary in exclusive and international watches. .
I want to clarify a personal opinion, why is the date box not placed in the watch?? Thank you very much!! ,, 🌹