Tag Heuer is linking with Aston Martin. Image courtesy of Aston Martin
Swiss watchmaker Tag Heuer and Aston Martin are drawing on their shared passion for motorsports for a new alliance.
Tag Heuer has been named the official watch partner of Aston Martin, a position that includes placement on the automaker’s race cars. Both Aston Martin and Tag Heuer have a history of testing out new innovations on the track, which the partners expect to lead to a synergistic collaboration.
“Aston Martin has the same genetic make-up as Tag Heuer: luxury, quality, beautiful products, innovation, history, emotion and performance,” said Jean-Claude Biver, CEO of Tag Heuer and president of the LVMH Group watches division, in a statement. We are therefore delighted to be able to work with such a prestigious brand that shares our passion for cars.
“This collaboration will bring forth a wealth of amazing synergies that will strengthen Tag Heuer's position as an avant-garde luxury watch brand with a leading position in the automotive sector.”
Racing relationship
Both the automaker and the watch brand share a relationship to the Aston Martin Red Bull Racing Formula One team. Now they are inking a new partnership that will see Tag Heuer’s branding appear on Aston Martin’s Vantage GTE cars as they compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship in May.
Along with the sponsorship, the partners will collaborate on racing-inspired timepieces for Aston Martin and Aston Martin Racing. These will be available through Tag Heuer’s global distribution, as well as being marketed by Aston Martin’s network of dealers and its brand centers in London and Tokyo.
“This is an exciting partnership for Aston Martin,” said Dr. Andy Palmer, president and CEO of Aston Martin, in a statement. “Both brands have teams of brilliant designers and when two talented teams of designers collaborate like this, incredible things are created.
“Both of us understand the importance of beautiful bespoke craftsmanship and the importance of peak performance so we already have many common values,” he said. “Of course, we also both love racing and testing our products to the limit in a competitive environment. I hope this new partnership brings us all a lot of success both on and off the track.”
Tag Heuer's branding will be featured on Aston Martin race cars. Image courtesy of Aston Martin
Tag Heuer's history in the world of auto racing has been commemorated in other projects. For instance, the watchmaker brought its timekeeping capabilities to a new, digital arena to engage with the next generation of consumers.
The brand made its video game debut in Gran Turismo Sport, becoming the auto racing franchise’s first watch partner. Providing depth to the partnership, Tag Heuer makes an appearance within an in-game digital museum, giving the watchmaker the opportunity to educate racing fans on its history with the sport (see story).