Let’s be honest, it is really no secret that luxury watch manufacturers often turn to celebrities and other people of importance to represent their watches. The reasoning behind this is fairly straightforward: the companies, usually long-standing corporations with a history and orthodoxy behind their brand, turn to personalities that they feel best represent what they stand for and approach them to embody their brand in hopes that their fans will see and be tempted to buy the watches in question. From Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner all the way to David Beckham, watch sponsorships are a crazy business which many celebrities have cashed in on. Below we’ll look at a number of celebrities, what they do, and the watch companies they are lucky enough to be ambassadors for.
Daniel Wu and Seiko
A man of many talents (and films), Daniel Wu has appeared in over 60 feature-length movies. With that kind of repertoire under his belt, it’s no surprise that Seiko offered him the chance to be their ambassador, kitting him out with the SPL019 – a sharp looking timepiece with a modest price tag. For those looking to follow in Wu’s footsteps but aren’t keen to model their style as an exact carbon copy of his, this is a good resource for picking out a watch from a brand’s entire catalog.
James Cameron and Rolex
One of the most talented storytellers of our day and age is James Cameron. James has been the writer and director behind some of the most iconic and pivotal films ever made and his film Titanic has won 11 Oscars and broken innumerable hearts, while The Terminator and its sequel redefined the way people approached science fiction in movies. As an accompaniment to someone who pushes boundaries so far, it’s no surprise that Rolex decided to partner with him. After all, as a watch brand they are known as a symbol of “questing to discover the unknown.” Representative of the depths to which Cameron goes to find inspiration for his films, the Rolex Submariner is the ideal choice of wristwatch in this endeavor
Lady Gaga and Tudor
In one of the stranger pairings in the horological world, Lady Gaga has become one of the most recent ambassadors for renowned Swiss watch brand Tudor. Lady Gaga, born Stefani Germanotta, is a world famous pop star as well as an acclaimed actress – having starred in the much-admired anthology series American Horror Story. Why is this pairing so strange? Well, Tudor has a long history of being an orthodox, respected and fairly svelte brand while Lady Gaga is a pop glamour queen known for causing a sensation wherever she goes and for her outlandish costumes and publicity stunts.
It doesn’t seem like the most natural of matches and the group that Lady Gaga represents doesn’t appear to be Tudor’s target market or consumer group. But perhaps this is the start of a new move for Tudor, who could be looking to broach a newer, hipper, younger market for their watches.
George Clooney and Omega
An actor with more Oscar nominations than I have fingers, a humanitarian and named a UN Special Messenger of Peace, George Clooney’s reputation is as well-known as his good looks. As well as acting, Clooney also directed a number of films, including Confessions of a Dangerous Mind and Good Night, and Good Luck, as well as producing the critically acclaimed Argo. Like Omega, Clooney also shares a deep passion for space exploration which is why his choice of the Speedmaster ’57 is such an apt watch for him to represent.
Featured image via “George Clooney” by MarkGregory007 / CC BY-NC-SA
Thanks for the Great insights