Zodiac knows a thing or two about marketing. After several years of re-releasing the Seawolf’s design by swapping out colored bezels, they’ve boosted their image from “Fossil ETA rip-off” to “Limited Edition fan favorite.” It’s a formula that’s brought them continued success, something they hope to exploit further in the coming year—however this time, aided by the support of sweet-toothed nostalgia.
Marketing Director Andrew Siever says he had Rolex to thank for Zodiac’s inspiration, “Honestly those guys were pioneers. Once we cracked the code for colors destined to earn the Seawolf and Aerospace nicknames like “Creamsicle” or “Watermelon,” all it took was the momentum of ridiculously limited runs to drive up demand, forcing buyers to settle for secondary preferences. You know, our regular stuff.”
He recalled the initial turbulence, “We were super nervous at first—firing our entire R&D department and instead just focusing on bezel color schemes. I seriously thought Fossil was going to let me go but all of that changed the second they saw people dropping three grand for Skittles-style Seawolf releases all over eBay! Then it hit me. Why don’t we just make this thing official?”
Fossil Group and Zodiac have since been pursuing negotiations with several candy conglomerates to secure nickname usage for future releases. A black and white color combo could very well be the next Aerospace “Oreo” GMT. “With Mars, Nabisco, and Hershey in our back pocket, the sky’s the limit,” continued Siever. “By this time next year, we’ll expand even further into the junk food franchises… get ready for the Pink Starburst Seawolf. The Astropop. The Count Chocula GMT… Ecto Cooler… The Hamburglar… Cool Ranch Doritos… iconic names for iconic color sets. And contemporary classics with identities soon to become commonplace—”
He caught himself, cheekily clarifying, “Well. Not too commonplace. I figure we’ll make a hundred of each. Or maybe fifty. Probably a couple dozen—max.”
While no method for controlling distribution has been confirmed, Siever has hinted at random opportunities for any authorized dealer who carries the Zodiac brand, “No pre-orders allowed. Just haphazard selection for venue—even malls are fair game. Wanton confusion for marketing strategy has always been the goal here.”
He lowered his gaze. “You know. Like in that movie with Willy Wonka.”
Damon is based out of the Bay Area, where he’s a black sheep among Apple Watch loyalists. Having served as a Combat Engineer with the USMC, he believes a true field watch’s success is measured by how closely it compares to a “G-Shock.” Nonsensically, a background in design has guided his preference toward higher craft, as he struggles to become the lifestyle his watch tastes more closely reflect.