TAG Heuer - Advertising saga
From 'Don't crack under pressure' to 'What are you made of?', each campaign respresents a watershed event in terms of advertising creativity.EMBLEMATIC CAMPAIGNS
"Six Features" campaign with Ayrton Senna.
"Don't crack under pressure."
"Don't crack under pressure"1991-1994.
DATES CLe |
Avant 1991: | Campagne «Six Features» avec la celebre photo d'Ayrton Senna «Champagne Resistant a 200 metres». |
1991-1994: | «Don't crack under pressure», avec Ayrton Senna et Michael Schumacher. |
1995-1997: | «Success. It's a mind game». |
1998: | «Inner Strength» avec Marion Jones et Mika Hakkinen. |
2000: | «Beyond Measure». |
2002: | «What are you made of?» avec David Coulthard, Ines Sastre et Steve McQueen. |
2003: | «What are you made of?» avec Tiger Woods. |
In 1990, the brand chose TBWA to launch its communication. The following year, the agency created the famous 'Don't crack under pressure' campaign. The concept? What a champion achieves is due as much to his mental strength as to his physical capacities. But the catch-line also highlighted the robustness of the watch, which is water-resistant to 200 meters under water. The result was annual growth figures of 10 to 25%, whereas the market in general increased by only 6% per year.
TAG Heuer then assigned its agency some ambitious objectives: follow the upscale movement of the brand, to confirm its position in the world of prestige watchmaking. Drawing from the imaginary world surrounding sports with a resolutely high-quality approach, the 'Success. It's a mind game' campaign shows a hurdle runner who, in order to surpass himself, jumps over a giant razor blade.
This avant-garde concept, which depicts the mental pressures which athletes impose on themselves in order to win, was made by famous photographers Russel and Connie Guzman, Nadav Kander and Russell Porcas. Met with enthusiasm the world over, 'Success. It's a mind game' won the International 'Lion d'Argent' in Cannes in 1995.
In 1998, TAG Heuer left BDDP for Bartle Bogle Hegarty which launched the famous 'Inner Strength' campaign with eleven athletes including Boris Becker, Grant Hill and Marion Jones, photographed by Herb Ritts in their determination to push back their own limits.
To place the Legendary Classics (Monaco, Monza) in the spotlight once more, TAG Heuer once again entrusted TBWA with the task of creating a campaign which set its sights on eternity...
The 'Beyond Measure' campaign features archive pictures including ones showing legendary actor Steve McQueen wearing the famous Monaco model in the 1970 film 'Le Mans'.
First advertising in the 60s.
"Success. It's a mind game" (1995-1997).
"Inner Strength" (1998).
"WHAT ARE YOU MADE OF?" WHEN TAG HEUER ASKS A LEADING QUESTION...
The period when TAG Heuer asserted powerful truths concerning sports performance is over. With the launch of the 'What are you made of?' campaign by TBWA/Paris and photographers Karina Taira and Guido Mocafico, TAG Heuer is no longer merely affirming a content, but for the first time asks a question about the real nature of success. What is it today that makes sports champions or other top-drawer personalities successful? While less domineering than before, it is nonetheless very powerful, since it involves the consumer to a great degree, by inviting him or her to identify with the TAG Heuer ambassadors.
TAG Heuer's objective through this campaign is to reflect the brand positioning linked to prestige and sports inspiration and to establish a timeless form of communication quite clearly designed to last over the long term.
'To meet these objectives', explains Jean-Christophe Babin, 'we have set up a simple, universal mechanism that can easily be expressed through many variations: that of the 'Chinese portrait'. The principle is to place a brand ambassador, either a man or woman, chosen for their exceptional career and emotional strength, opposite a TAG Heuer model conveying the same character and the same values: high demands, boldness and a determination to surpass oneself.
By portraying several ambassadors such as Ines Sastre, David Coulthard or Marion Jones, we have thus allowed ourselves the possibility of adapting the campaign locally, while avoiding being associated with a single personality which would necessarily be too simplistic and restrictive."
TIGER WOODS, NEW AMBASSADOR OF THE 'WHAT ARE YOU MADE OF?' CAMPAIGN
Based on an exclusive visual, presented in a world preview at the 2003 Basel Show, this new campaign features the world no. 1 golfer and the Link model by TAG Heuer in a prestigious universe.
2003 will also witness the launching of a spectacular and daring TAG Heuer advertising film, ten years after the legendary 'Success. It's a mind game' film. A new event to watch out for...
"Beyond Measure" (2000).
KARINA TAIRA
Photographer of the 'What are you made of?' advertising campaign
- Why did you agree to work for TAG Heuer?- I like the TAG Heuer brand image: both powerful and prestigious, innovative and disruptive.
- What is the campaign concept?- The idea of the campaign lay in strength and determination as well as in the way of symbolizing these values and making visual representations in the form of icons of the activity of each. It was very important to show each TAG Heuer ambassador in a very b, powerful, and emotional way.
- Do you always wear a TAG Heuer?- Since I am crazy about fashion and design, I naturally wear a Monaco!
"What are you made of?" 2002.
"What are you made of?" 2002.
"What are you made of?" 2002.
A preview of the new "What are you made of?" advertising campaign with Tiger Woods.
Tribune des Arts - Numero special TAG Heuer - avril 2003