“We are the entry into the luxury world for so many people. … We are very open, accessible brands. It’s always this balance between exclusivity because we’re all luxury brands, but with social acceptance.”
The campaign will be distributed globally, with the main film living on the brand’s YouTube channel and website, while shorter edits will feature across social media and cinemas.
Brand partners and ambassadors
Gosling is the latest in a long line of movie stars who have been the face of Tag Heuer, including Brad Pitt, Steve McQueen (albeit posthumously), Leonardo DiCaprio, Uma Thurman and Chris Hemsworth. There is also a roster of sports and music ambassadors too, which helps add international allure.
Gosling’s deal has also seen him wear the brand during his day job, including in last year’s Netflix release The Gray Man. Tag Heuer watches have also appeared in blockbuster movies such as The Amazing Spiderman 2, Die Hard 2, Inception and Jack Reacher. That is why the latest ad involves a prop master, to reflect its product placement heritage.
“It’s very important that people see the watches worn in situations,” Arnault said. “That is where you can see the spirit of the watch and the brand depending on what type of movie it is in and who is wearing it.”
That strategy will continue with Gosling’s next role, playing Ken in the Barbie movie. “The watches have a very special role in the movie, and we are very excited about that,” revealed Arnault.
As well as film and sports stars, Tag Heuer also has some perhaps unexpected brand partnerships with the likes of Gulf Oil, Nintendo and Porsche. The carmaker fits within the brand’s ties to motor racing, while Nintendo’s Mario Kart game continues that theme in the video gaming space.
“Because we’ve been doing it for such a long time, we are so well known for operating in motorsports we can afford also to play with Mario Kart, which can seem disruptive and very different and playful,” Arnault noted.
