CELEBRATING INDIVIDUALS AND ELEGANCE
My introduction to Longines occured on a road trip over two decades ago when we stopped in a tiny Western mountain town named Baker, Oregon. I was perusing the jewelry case in an old antique store and was instantly attracted to a refined woman’s timepiece, that seemed very much out of its element, adorned with tiny diamonds carefully placed around its face. Without understanding the prestige of the brand or its historic connection to the equestrian world, I knew this piece was special. The delicacy of this timepiece has since made it the staple accessory for my more feminine and delicate cocktail gowns. Although these occasions have become more few and far between, my Longines watch is one piece of jewerly I will never part with.
My antique Longines dress watch.
For the majority of spectators and competitors associated with show jumping, Longines is often associated with the world’s most prestigious events. The depth of Longines to equestrian sport is much deeper than a large clock perfectly placed in a stadium or a chic ad in a luxury magazine. Rather, Longines has historically proven its commitment to the progress of multiple individual sports through the development of sophisticated technology and a solid set of core values.
I. PRECISION TECHNOLOGY FOR THE SPORTING WORLD
A global luxury timepiece brand with origins in 1832 in Saint- Imier Switzerland, Longines is recognized for not only its elegant designs, but ALSO for its contribution of timing technology in the sporting world.
According to Juan-Carlos Capelli, vice president and head of international marketing for Longines, “The brand only associates itself closely with elegant sports that are performed by individuals, for instance, equestrian sports, show jumping, alpine skiing and gymnastics.” source: http://www.marketing-interactive.com/longines-tie-elegant-sporting-events/
“Over the years, Longines has timed the performance of many of the greatest exploits of generations of champions, underlining its legitimacy in sports timekeeping,” says (Juan Carlos) Capelli (global head of marketing). Longines’ involvement with sport dates back to events like the Swiss Federal Gymnastics meeting in 1912 to the modern day Prix de Diane Longines in France. source: www.markeingmag.com.au on 24 Dec. 2011
Longines takes credit for removing human error from the sport’s time-keeping by introducing the first timing mechanism to automatically trigger by an electric wire. The brand was also responsible for creating the first mechanism to link timing with a photo finish in 1952 and the first system to combine timing with a moving image nine years later. source: www.markeingmag.com.au on 24 Dec. 2011
II. HISTORIC COMMITMENT TO EQUESTRIAN SPORT
Longines respects equestrian sport and is committed to perpetuating it through partnerships and the continuous improvement of precision timekeeping technology and engineering.
image source: http://www.wthejournal.com/en/portraits/print/16788
In 1926, Longines received its first mandate as official timekeeper of a show jumping event. Since then, the watchmaker has been heavily involved with equestrian sports….” source: luxury daily
The following Longines Show Jumping film illustrates the depth of understanding Longines has accumluted regarding multiple facets of precision in the sport of show jumping:
Longines Presents Show Jumping 2014
Longines is the Official Watch and the Official Timekeeper of the Hampton Classic Horse Show and is a significant partner with the International Equestrian Federation (FEI).
“A key element of its partnership with the FEI is a significant investment by Longines in the development, together with the FEI, of cutting-edge timekeeping and data-handling services, including the related technology, specifically for equestrian sport. The development of these services will be for multimedia applications use, giant screens, scoreboards, and for broadcasters as part of the presentation of FEI events around the world. Consistent with this, Longines will be the Official Timekeeper and will be provide timing services for the Hampton Classic.” source: HAMPTON CLASSIC PRESS RELEASE (www.hamptonclassic.com)
For the official list of Longines equestrian sport partnership events, CLICK HERE
image source: http://www.longines.com/events/equestrian-sports/2014
To visit the Longines Global Champions Tour website, CLICK HERE
image source: http://www.globalchampionstour.com
III. AMBASSADORS WITH SUBSTANCE: Elegance is an Attitude
In the last few years, there has been a promotional trend for equestrian brands to recruit “brand ambassadors”, but Longines has relied on these relationships for many years by imploring only individuals with a similar value system to that of the brand.
Image: Longines ambassador, Simon Baker source: www.Longines.com
The scrutinous process of choosing a Longine’s ambassador, as explained by Juan Carlos Capelli:
“It’s about matching the ambassador’s values with the ones that define our brand. Ambassadors embody our identity and image, so they have to live up to our now-established tagline and branding of elegance being an attitude.
“When we went looking for a male ambassador to promote our sports-oriented timepieces, we naturally scanned the sports we are active in for someone with a positive attitude and a definite character. Andre Agassi became an obvious choice because of his commitment to underprivileged children and the accomplishments that his foundation has made, including giving thousands of them an education and a chance for success in life. We felt that his personal attitude showed true elegance, and that the help he was offering to other was genuine, effective and does take up a large proportion of his time.”
“Our female ambassadors go beyond just being beautiful or famous. We look for ladies who are down to earth and timeless, and elegant in nature. Elegance, in our minds, isn’t just being dressed in designer clothes. It’s about the way they hold themselves…” source: http://www.marketingmag.com.au/author/marketing/; 24 December 2011
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To view Longine's collection of luxury timepieces and/or to purchase, please CLICK IMAGE BELOW:
For more information about Longines culture, history, ambassadors, timepieces and much more, please visit www.LONGINES.com.
2 Comments
Aug 27, 2014, 12:37:38 AM
Erin - So then what does that make Rolex? ;-)
Aug 26, 2014, 3:54:11 PM
Jennifer Howard - Longines has created a brand synonymous with equestrian sport. A few other brands have attempted to capture this brand market and are either still growing or have taken a different direction, namely Rolex and LandRover. In the vacuum of this brand image competition has risen Hermés and Gucci, both of which have established a horse show series and built a brand and product offering in it's image. Equestrian style never goes out of fashion. The real challenge is keeping it relatable in a changing market. Fortunately for brand marketers, equestrians will always be around to emulate their classic, unchanging style.