Dive Brief:

• The Apple Watch currently rules the smartwatch category, and while it only accounts for 1% of all smartphones, its users represent a valuable early adopter and influencer market.
• Right now there’s no consensus on how to best market on the device, but it’s expected that health and fitness apps will provide early success stories.
• Marketers should plan on using Apple Watch apps to offer value and service to users rather than directly drive revenue.

Dive Insight:

Right now the Apple Watch is an enigma for marketing, but there’s value in the device’s user base -- more than 10 million devices will likely sell this year and those consumers represent a coveted early adopter and influencer market segment. And given the Apple Watch’s capability of providing highly personal data to apps, it’s expected that health and fitness apps will be among the first to figure out how to provide a highly personalized and intimate brand experience.

Because of this level of personal data -- and as far as mobile devices go, a watch will most likely be seen as even more personal than smartphones for consumers -- marketers should not try to directly drive revenue via smartphone-specific campaigns. Instead they should try to offer users value and service that provides a positive brand experience.