Ryan Gosling announced as TAG Heuer’s new brand ambassador

Zach Blass

Brand ambassadors are a huge promotional tool for brands today, aligning their products with famous faces to extend the reach and awareness for their timepieces. But it isn’t a simple science, not all partnerships are created equal. The best ambassador alliances stem from celebrities who have a genuine aura, who are not simply a shill looking for an easy payday. Ideally they have strong ties to the product and an appreciation for what they are promoting. Actor Ryan Gosling has never partnered with a watch brand before, but now TAG Heuer has announced him as their new brand ambassador.

Ryan’s career dates all he way back to the Mickey Mouse Club, where he, Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, and Christina Aguilera, among others, began their road to stardom. He would have smaller roles in films such as Remember the Titans, but in 2004 Ryan became a household name with his starring role in Nicholas Spark’s The Notebook alongside Rachel McAdams. From here, the trajectory was only upwards – with the actor having a standout year in 2011 starring in films such as Crazy, Stupid, Love, Drive, and The Ides of March. Gosling would continue to display his ability to play a range of diverse characters, wowing audiences in films like The Place Beyond the Pines, The Big Short, The Nice Guys, La La Land, Blade Runner 2049 and First Man.

Let’s make no bones about it – Gosling is one of the coolest movie stars around, embodying a particular kind of calm and collected masculinity that makes women love him and men want to be like him (the fact that he’s married to Eva Mendes doesn’t hurt). He’s also a particularly shrewd acquisition for TAG Heuer due to his affinity for motorsports, displayed by the roles he has taken on and his involvement in their stunts.

But the most glorious about this partnership is that Gosling appears to be genuinely considered about the watches he wears. He has been seen in various films with serious watches: a period-correct Omega Speedmaster while playing Neil Armstrong in First Man, a vintage Omega gold dress watch in La La Land and a vintage Rolex Oyster Perpetual Air King in real life. Even for the replica Patek Philippe Calatrava used in Drive, he was apparently very hands-on in the decision process. While not a real watch, understanding the nuances of its aesthetic and branding and what it would mean for his character suggests a real appreciation for watches.

Gosling has an enthusiast’s eye for detail when it comes to his timepieces in film and real life, opting for references less popular to the mainstream but known quantities within the watch world. It should also be reiterated that, unlike some celebrities who happily take the money and go through a merry-go-round of sponsors, this is Gosling’s first-ever ambassadorship with a brand – a real nod of approval for TAG.

“TAG Heuer has quietly and consistently been a classic and iconic pillar of excellence in its field for over a 160 years,” Gosling says. “Partnering with them was an easy decision and time, in general, is just something I think a lot about now. My kids are growing up fast so I keep an eye on the clock in a way I never used to.”

Personally, I have to say, I am very eager to see how this partnership develops. Ryan is known to be very involved and hands-on with the projects he participates in, having a meticulous attention for detail. Whether picking out the (replica) watch his character should wear in Drive, performing his own stunts for greater authenticity, or even picking his own photographers and the shoot’s direction with TAG Heuer it is clear he is not a bystander and that he will certainly have a hand on the wheel in this endeavour.

TAG Heuer understandably seem delighted with their latest A-list coup. “We are thrilled to announce Ryan Gosling as TAG Heuer global ambassador, for his first-ever brand partnership,” said TAG Heuer CEO Frédéric Arnault.

“A star since his early days, he has grown to become an icon – one both enigmatic and inscrutable. He is a true artist who chooses his projects with utmost care and dedicates himself to them like no other, not only shaping his character but the entire creative direction. The movie Drive represents the strongest link with who we are today, and we are excited about the creative projects we have together.”