Kong introduces Audemars Piguet's new global advertising campaign, launched in 2012 to commemorate the Royal Oak's 40th anniversary. This article explores the brand's refreshed identity, featuring the tagline "To break the rules, you must first master them," and its dual focus on craftsmanship and heritage.
2012 marks the 40th
anniversary of the iconic Royal Oak, which invented the very concept of a
luxury sports watch and elevated stainless steel to the status of a
precious metal. But for Audemars Piguet, this year will also be marked
by the launch of a new global ad campaign and brand identity.The
campaign, created by the Lowe Superculture in London, will feature the
work of renowned still life photographer Richard Foster and the
acclaimed landscape photographer, Dan Holdsworth. It will showcase a powerful new brand thought:"To break the rules, you must first master them".
"This
is more than just an advertising headline, it expresses the essence of
the Audemars Piguet brand philosophy" commented C.E.O Philippe Merk.
"We are proud of our heritage of fine watchmaking, and the craft skills
which have been handed down from generation to generation since 1875.
Over the years we have demonstrated our mastery of the art of haute
horology and yet Audemars Piguet has also always been a beacon of
innovation and creativity that dares to break new grounds. While the
watches that we make are expressions of our respect for the traditions
of hand crafted timepieces and while we celebrate the fact that we are
the one of the few major Swiss brands still in the hands of the
descendants of the original founding families, we are also a modern,
progressive company famous for our innovations in technology, the daring
use of new materials and bold designs."The
new campaign is divided into two main themes. The first captures the
artistry and mastery that goes into every single Audemars Piguet
timepiece, showcasing the highlights of the 2012 collection. The
watches were shot by Richard Foster and each execution shows extreme
close up elements of the watch components together with an explanation
of how the individual piece demonstrates the brand truth of 'To break
the rules, you must first master them'. The
second part of the campaign leverages the brand's provenance and
history. In a break from traditional watch marketing, the advertising
will feature stunning work by the English Photographic artist, Dan
Holdsworth, who spent several weeks in the Vallée de Joux capturing the
dramatic beauty and soul of this very special place.In
line with this, the Audemars Piguet logo has been subtlety refreshed
and the long - running line "Le maître de l’horlogerie depuis 1875" has
been replaced with the name of the village in the Vallée de Joux which
has always been the home of Audemars Piguet - Le Brassus. What
is so compelling about Audemars Piguet is the combination of, on the
one hand, history, tradition, authenticity and on the other,
extraordinary modernity and progressive design. While other brands may
like to be seen as heirlooms, Audemars Piguet is a progressive brand for
the here and now, a brand to be worn by connoisseurs who respect the
past but are making their own futures." said Audemars Piguet Chief
Marketing Officer Tim Sayler. “We are very excited to be working with
outstanding photographic talent for this campaign. Richard Foster’s
images really capture the exceptional craft and beauty of our watches in
striking detail. Dan Holdsworth’s shot shows the 'terroir' of Le
Brassus and reveals the connection between the relationship of man and
nature and man and time-keeping. The true story of how watchmaking began
amongst the farmers of the valley and how the incredible complex
movements made today are the ultimate expression of man's quest to
unravel the mysteries of nature is what makes the story of Audemars
Piguet so extraordinary.” The
new campaign will launch in January 2012 with new models like the
Millenary 4101 or the new Royal Oak model with 41mm diameter and will
continue throughout the year with the 2012 novelties and other timeless
pieces of the Audemars Piguet collection.
Press Release
Richard Foster
Richard
Foster’s highly successful career as a lifestyle product photographer
has spanned over 20 years. His determination and passion to create
exceptional and arresting images has led to recent work with
international clients in the luxury world. His work has also been
featured in some of the most famous lifestyle magazines like GQ, Tatler,
Esquire, Aston Martin Magazine and Vogue as well as leading newspapers
like the Sunday Times and Sunday Telegraph and specialised publications
such as National Geographic.
www.richardfoster.com
Dan Holdsworth
Dan
Holdsworth is a celebrated English photographer based in London. His
unique style of photography involves hours long exposures combining
breath-taking desolated landscapes and beautiful light, giving his
photos unique tones and intriguing moods.
Holdsworth
has shown work internationally in many exhibitions including 'Peintres
de la vie Moderne, Modern-Life Painters' at the Centre Pompidou, Paris.
‘Photography 2005’ at the Victoria Miro Gallery in London, ‘Consuming
Nature and Man’ at the Museum of Contemporary Photography in Chicago and
‘Horizon’ at Art Agents Gallery in Hamburg.
www.danholdsworth.com
