June 21, 2012
King Power Miami Heat Chronograph
Swiss watchmaker Hublot teamed up with Miami Heat basketball players Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem for an exclusive product that benefits a charity to support at-risk families and education efforts in South Florida.
Hublot’s new King Power Miami Heat Chronograph is making an entrance for Southern Floridian fans in time for the NBA Finals and before the debut of Miami Heat players on the U.S. Olympic basketball team. It is relying on the extensive social media followings from Mr. Wade, Miami Heat and the watchmaker to push the product.
“Since the start of their relationship, Hublot and the Miami Heat have shared the same strategic mission: to be the most creative, forward-thinking, prepared and hard-working organizations in their respective fields,” said Jean-Claude Biver, CEO of Hublot, Nyon, Switzerland.
Heating up
There are only 200 King Power Miami Heat Chronographs made.
The casing is 18-carat King Gold, which is a special alloy of gold and 5 percent platinum. It also features a 28-minute central counter to pay homage to the four 12-minute quarters of NBA games.
King Power Miami Heat Chronograph
In addition, the Miami Heat logo is displayed on the dial and the bezel mimics a basketball net with the push button modeled after a backboard.
The limited-edition product is only sold within a 75-mile radius of Miami.
In addition to the product, buyers will receive a signed Udonis Haslem jersey.
Hublot and Mr. Wade have been pushing the new product via Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. There are multiple behind-the-scenes videos, images and commentary that could entice buying opportunities.
Video by Mr. Wade
Team players
Profits from the timepiece will be given to the Miami Heat Charitable Fund, a South Florida-based organization that supports at-risk families as well as educational initiatives in the area.
Beneficiaries include domestic violence shelters for women and children, hospitals and coalitions for drug-free communities.
Furthermore, the Miami Heat Charitable Fund provides educational scholarships for high school seniors and also partners with inner-city elementary schools to provide after-school tutoring and mentoring programs.
Partnering with organizations such as this is a common occurrence for luxury marketers.
For example, Montblanc has recently announced its first regionally-focused corporate social responsibility project with the Texas Children’s Cancer Center and has created two special-edition bracelets to benefit the cause.
Through the partnership, Montblanc will help fund patient care, research and education to enhance the health and well-being of children with cancer (see story).
Furthermore, partnering with well-known and responsible role model celebrities such as Mr. Wade and Mr. Haslem could encourage young affluent consumers to pay attention to the good deeds from the foundation and, in turn, Hublot for partnering with them.
Aligning characteristics between Hublot and Miami Heat include precision, accuracy and determination to be the best. It is important to parallel brand images and goals when a luxury brand partners with another organization or charity.
“This watch fuses a partnership built on performance and innovation,” Mr. Biver said. “This determination has inspired the creation of the King Power Miami Heat Chronograph, a distinctive piece that combines the best of both brands.”
Final Take
Rachel Lamb, associate reporter on Luxury Daily, New York
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