INSIGHT: TAG Heuer’s next generation of ambassadors

Felix Scholz

Getting famous or influential people to wear your product is hardly new or unique, and in the world of watches brand ambassadors play an important role. A good ambassador literally embodies the values and identity of the brand, as well as to reach out to potential customers.

Given that the Swiss industry is one with deeply ingrained values of tradition and prestige it’s perhaps unsurprising that many brands ambassadors tend towards the older and conservative. I’m sure George Clooney has earned his commission many times over, but he’s no longer the young heart-throb of ER. But at least he’s still with us. On the other hand Breguet, perhaps the most classic of classical watchmakers lists Napoleon Bonaparte and Winston Churchill as patrons of the brand. Sure, these are great names to have in your sales book, but they are not names that resonate strongly young people.

Reaching young people is something that TAG Heuer is very concerned about. The brand has an aggressive new strategy to make their watches more appealing to younger consumers. One key element of this strategy is lower prices, and another, equally important element is finding ambassadors from the worlds of fashion, culture and sport who are a little more lively than the standard roster of leading ladies, composers and pro-golfers.

So TAG Heuer have announced a new stable of ambassadors, renowned in fields that barely existed a generation ago. TAG Heuer are hoping Cara Delevingne, David Guetta and Kai Lenny will introduce them to their overwhelmingly young fan-base. It’s a bold move, but then again, TAG Heuer is a bold brand these days.

Who are they?

Cara Delevingne

What do they do?

A little bit of everything. Delevingne is a model/actress/singer/social media powerhouse. With over eleven and a half million followers on Instagram Delevingne has an audience exponentially larger than the average 22 year old.

Why are they wearing TAG Heuer?

Few spotlights can be as harsh as that of unrelenting public scrutiny. It takes a particular resilience, strength and self-belief. Delevingne manages not only to avoid cracking under this pressure, but thrives under it. Her ability to be herself in front of the eyes of the world (along with the fact that she has a large, young and aspirational fan base) make her perfect for TAG Heuer.

What are they wearing?

Delevingne has put her name to a special edition of the classic Carrera, a simple three handed watch in ‘goes with anything’ black with rose gold hands and indices. There’s also an option for a diamond-studded bezel, giving the black watch an extra touch of glamour. The package is finished off with a black strap finished in a padded diamond stitch, a style straight off the catwalk. Delevingne has further stamped her mark on the model with a lions head on the caseback, referencing her trademark tattoo.

Who are they?

David Guetta

What do they do?

French born Guetta is a god in the world of EDM (That’d be electronic dance music FYI). When he’s not packing out concerts from Sydney to Stockholm he’s producing for others, the Black Eyed Peas ‘I Gotta Feeling’ was powered by his infectious beat.

Why are they wearing TAG Heuer?

There’s immediacy to performing live, and no room to hide when you’re standing in front of tens of thousands of fans. When it works it really works, and when it doesn’t everyone knows. Every time Guetta steps up to the decks his audience is expecting to be blown away, and even after years of performing, the pressure to deliver must still be high.

What are they wearing?

Guetta’s TAG of choice is a special edition Formula 1 GMT. The functionality of the GMT suits his jet setting lifestyle, but the styling is pure dance. Strapped onto a chunky cuff strap and executed in an electric blue on black colour scheme the David Guetta edition Formula 1 is a bass heavy beast.

Who are they?

Kai Lenny

What do they do?

22-year-old Hawaiian born Lenny is a surfer, but not just any surfer. Lenny surfs BIG waves. Not only does he surf them, but he surfs them better than anyone else. He’s already a six times world champion in his chosen discipline of stand-up paddle surfing,

Why are they wearing TAG Heuer?

The pressure Lenny is up against is slightly different to that of Delevingne or Guetta. If Lenny stuffs up the results could be, well, fatal.

What are they wearing?

Who better to wear an Aquaracer than someone who races waves for a living? Lenny’s TAG of choice is a steel Aquaracer 300, a utilitarian water resistant chronograph on rubber that will be able to handle anything Lenny subjects it to.

So this is the new, younger face of TAG Heuer. Not a racecar driver in sight. Whether or not this new strategy will work on young, notoriously marketing-savvy consumer remains to be seen. But if this bold strategy does work it will certainly help cement TAG Heuer’s position in the industry for years to come.