Omega for Spectre?

[FTX I]

Originally Posted by Cuts33

If anyone thinks that Tiger and Federer aren't pulling in 7 figures for sporting their Rolex's then I've got some oceanfront property in Arizona to sell you.

[capote]

Originally Posted by RollieVerde

Rolex got mention in the closing credits because the watch w/trademark was prominently used, and the film company has to get permission and this often means screen credit. To the best of my knowledge Rolex didn't show up with a suitcase full of money offering to trade cash for screen time; the film company went to them asking for help modifying the Submariner face and bezel for prop effect shots in the film. When that happens and the film company doesn't pay for it, it's considered "promotional assistance" and that usually means screen credit as well.

You may be right about Trademark laws and screen credits, I have no insight here. According to Christie's description of the watch when they sold it on auction a while back the watch was customized by the movie's production designer Syd Cain and not Rolex. Do you have a source telling otherwise? Few people outside Rolex HQ and United Artists has any inside info about suitcases full of money or lack thereof. I find Rolex marketing interesting, and IMHO alot of it is invisible.

On another note I bet there is a lot of money involved with the brand ambassadors. There is a reason Tiger went from Tudor to Tag and back to Rolex.

[RollieVerde]

It would be very unusual for the Production Designer to actually modify something like a watch, for the person doing the actual work would be someone skilled in building intricate props and in this case someone with some watchmaking experience would likely be contracted to do it as it was shot in close-up. In my experience most PDs come from an art background and not prop design, but it's always possible that Mr. Cain did it personally. It seems I read somewhere Rolex was involved, but I could certainly be wrong. In most cases the PD would have designed what they wanted to see on screen, but somebody else would have actually done the deed. Rolex could have been a big help here, and even give them extra bezels and watch faces to modify.

Anyway, I think you're take on Rolex marketing being largely invisible is spot-on. Perhaps that's why its been so effective. Years ago I watched two friends of mine who were both in advertising argue about how much Coca-Cola needed to spend on advertising. One thought that keeping a lower profile since the brand already had great visibility was a better move; the other said no, if they didn't advertise like crazy the public would lose interest and buy Pepsi. The next few years with the smart watch invasion will be very interesting indeed, in terms of watch marketing.

I thought Tag dropped Tiger after the "character issues." Did he leave voluntarily?

[WJGESQ]

Originally Posted by locutus49

When Omega strong armed the producers and lured them with huge product placement fees. Rolex would not pay as it was the watch in the original Bond books. Ian Fleming is probably rolling over in his grave at the smarmy Omega references in the new Bond movies.

I heard it differently. When Brosnan took the role, the designer wanted something more "European" for the reboot and she viewed Rolex as too common. From that, the Omega developed the relationship with the producers.

[om3ga_guy]

Originally Posted by Rashid.bk

^

Have you been in a cave. At this point James has wore Omega longer than he's worn any other brand.

For those who don't know:
Bonds been wearing modern Omegas since Goldeneye (1995). Many may not know but the Seamaster he wore was actually a Quartz too.

Reference:



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[flw]

It was a quartz 2541 in GoldenEye, an automatic 2531 in the rest of the Brosnan films, and a co-axial 2220 in Casino Royale.

[locutus49]

Sorry to disagree. My source is the biography of Ian Fleming by Andrew Lycett. Fleming, from an aristocratic family, wore a Rolex and based the character Bond on himself and some of his assets. He would choke if he knew the Omega connection.

Originally Posted by WJGESQ

I heard it differently. When Brosnan took the role, the designer wanted something more "European" for the reboot and she viewed Rolex as too common. From that, the Omega developed the relationship with the producers.

[om3ga_guy]

Originally Posted by flw

It was a quartz 2541 in GoldenEye, an automatic 2531 in the rest of the Brosnan films, and a co-axial 2220 in Casino Royale.

+1

Bingo!


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[flw]

Originally Posted by locutus49

Sorry to disagree. My source is the biography of Ian Fleming by Andrew Lycett. Fleming, from an aristocratic family, wore a Rolex and based the character Bond on himself and some of his assets. He would choke if he knew the Omega connection.

True, although Fleming, as I understand it, didn't acquire his own Explorer 1016 until the last couple of years of his life. He specifically referenced Bond as wearing a "Rolex Oyster Perpetual on an expanding metal bracelet" in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, a description that fit the Explorer as well as the Sub (but it's clear that Fleming had his own actual watch in mind).

As for whether he would spin in his grave if he knew Bond was wearing an Omega, I'm not so sure. Omega supplied watches for British commandos and the Royal Navy at one time, and there have been so many differences between the literary Bond and his film incarnations that the watch seems like a small detail. Idris Elba, anyone?

[SUPERDOC]

Originally Posted by soundserious

PloProf in at least one scene.

Originally Posted by Ken B

Just guessing, Darkside or grayside.

Wouldn't be cost effective...

Remember the idea is to sell a lot of watches... it has to be more mainstream...the mainstream public would pay $4000ish for an Aqua Terra or SMP or PO.... but not $9000 for a Ploprof, or $12000 for a ceramic speedmaster...

trust me...if it isn't the SM300 SS....I will be completely floored...

maybe.....just maybe...the Ti Blue...but even that I'd doubt given the premium Price-point on Titanium....

Originally Posted by RollieVerde

If they do anything like commercials or print ads they have likely been compensated for that. And the commercials that Woods and Nicklaus have appeared in I'm sure they would have been paid for, but I don't think being named an ambassador alone comes with a huge paycheck. Fair point that I don't know for sure these days, and neither do you. But seven figures? Please.

And when you say, "... a premier athlete isn't going to not rep a brand who would pay a huge sum of money to go with Rolex because they just personally love Rolex watches." It has nothing to do with love of a product, it has everything to do with promoting your brand by associating it with another prestigious brand that is far more famous that you are. Tiger Woods need to desperately salvage his reputation with the casual golf fans. Rolex is one of the best, known, most respected brands in the world and far better known than he is (even though he's obviously quite famous). By being associated w/Rolex there's no downside for him, and you're telling me he'd demand millions from them for the privilege of being considered part of the Rolex success story? Hublot pays athletes because they want their brand to be associated with winners that are more famous than they are. Rolex is in the enviable position where it's (almost) the other way around. It's much more of a mutual recognition thing.

Hey, you may be totally right and Rolex may be cutting huge checks in today's world for these people. But based on how they did things for years (a Rolex trait) I can't see Rolex spending a fortune on these ambassadors when most of them would gladly be associated with them for nothing. Omega is a fine brand, but they have a ways to go to get to where Rolex is on the world stage. My whole point is I think they are blowing it with the Bond stuff, because it's so blatantly product placement. When Bond wore a Rolex it was just part of the character as written by his creator. Now it's a way to pay the bills.

I think you may have been drinking a little too much of the Kool-Aid...

Trust me Rolex pays huge sums to Their Ambassadors...

And if you think that Tiger INTENTIONALLY allied himself with Rolex to better his image...then you are just kidding yourself...

Fact is, after Tag Heuer dumped Tiger, his agent desperately tried to sell him to anyone....OMEGA turned them down because OMEGA didn't want to be associated with HIM!...they felt he wasn't worthy of being an Ambassador for OMEGA...

They decided on Rory, and paid much more than the price at which they could have had Tiger....

Rolex picked him up at a bargain....but Tiger would have gone to the Highest bidder...don't fool yourself...

even if the individual would be associated with Rolex for free, the individual's BRAND, and his management would not allow it...

[SUPERDOC]

Originally Posted by om3ga_guy

For those who don't know:
Bonds been wearing modern Omegas since Goldeneye (1995). Many may not know but the Seamaster he wore was actually a Quartz too.

Reference:



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

True... but who knows WHY it was a Quartz?

we have to put things in perspective here...

Remember that the Goldeneye Bond was a BIG Gamble...

Licence to Kill Flopped, and it had been 6 yrs since...
Most critics had already been stating that Bond was no longer relevant, and that the franchise was over, ad that this was a needless, worthless attempt at salvaging an antiquated Hero...

The costume designer chose Omega ...not the other way around...
Omega acquiesced, and I'm sure contributed, much the way you donate to a cause when someone knocks on your door, but probably got an incredible bargain out of it... and didn't even argue when the Propmaster insisted on Quartz...

The reason for Quartz is that the Propmaster at the time (before CGI) insisted that all props be somewhat functional...
The Goldeneye Watch needed to have the bezel pearl light up red - to serve as a Laser in a pivotal scene...

So how do you create a red light on a watch? you obviously need battery power...

With the success of Goldeneye...things obviously changed, and I'm sure Omega's ability to control and pay for product placement increased...

a 1 second scene showing the watch is one thing (like you say, many people don't catch that it was quartz...) but how about a beautifully sweeping second hand and X-Ray view of the movement ? (Tomorrow Never Dies opening credits montage)

TND was the first movie to have the Budget completely funded by product placement.... yet no one seems to share the contempt they have for Omega with Sony, Ford, BMW, Brioni, heineken, Smirnoff, Bollinger, Avis Rent-a-car etc....

then again...this is the Rolex Forum...

Maybe I'll go over to the Hertz Car rental forum, and see what they have to say over there...

[zacharyjames]

Who knows what Ian Fleming would have done, if he would have given Omega his blessing, his novels are replete with product placement, in fact he goes out of his way to identify any and all products in great detail utilized by his character James Bond. Had he not passed away when he did, who knows if there would have been a change in brand of any products.

[axjimenez]

This is spot on!

Originally Posted by SUPERDOC

True... but who knows WHY it was a Quartz?

we have to put things in perspective here...

Remember that the Goldeneye Bond was a BIG Gamble...

Licence to Kill Flopped, and it had been 6 yrs since...
Most critics had already been stating that Bond was no longer relevant, and that the franchise was over, ad that this was a needless, worthless attempt at salvaging an antiquated Hero...

The costume designer chose Omega ...not the other way around...
Omega acquiesced, and I'm sure contributed, much the way you donate to a cause when someone knocks on your door, but probably got an incredible bargain out of it... and didn't even argue when the Propmaster insisted on Quartz...

The reason for Quartz is that the Propmaster at the time (before CGI) insisted that all props be somewhat functional...
The Goldeneye Watch needed to have the bezel pearl light up red - to serve as a Laser in a pivotal scene...

So how do you create a red light on a watch? you obviously need battery power...

With the success of Goldeneye...things obviously changed, and I'm sure Omega's ability to control and pay for product placement increased...

a 1 second scene showing the watch is one thing (like you say, many people don't catch that it was quartz...) but how about a beautifully sweeping second hand and X-Ray view of the movement ? (Tomorrow Never Dies opening credits montage)

TND was the first movie to have the Budget completely funded by product placement.... yet no one seems to share the contempt they have for Omega with Sony, Ford, BMW, Brioni, heineken, Smirnoff, Bollinger, Avis Rent-a-car etc....

then again...this is the Rolex Forum...

Maybe I'll go over to the Hertz Car rental forum, and see what they have to say over there...

[om3ga_guy]

Yep I'm in agreement this makes total sense.

Great analysis and well said SUPERDOC!


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[Syed117]

Originally Posted by RollieVerde

It would be very unusual for the Production Designer to actually modify something like a watch, for the person doing the actual work would be someone skilled in building intricate props and in this case someone with some watchmaking experience would likely be contracted to do it as it was shot in close-up. In my experience most PDs come from an art background and not prop design, but it's always possible that Mr. Cain did it personally. It seems I read somewhere Rolex was involved, but I could certainly be wrong. In most cases the PD would have designed what they wanted to see on screen, but somebody else would have actually done the deed. Rolex could have been a big help here, and even give them extra bezels and watch faces to modify.

Anyway, I think you're take on Rolex marketing being largely invisible is spot-on. Perhaps that's why its been so effective. Years ago I watched two friends of mine who were both in advertising argue about how much Coca-Cola needed to spend on advertising. One thought that keeping a lower profile since the brand already had great visibility was a better move; the other said no, if they didn't advertise like crazy the public would lose interest and buy Pepsi. The next few years with the smart watch invasion will be very interesting indeed, in terms of watch marketing.

I thought Tag dropped Tiger after the "character issues." Did he leave voluntarily?

Just thought I would throw this information into the discussion.

For the past 14 years Rolex has spent more on advertising in the US than any other watch brand.

RANK BRAND AMOUNT (in millions)

1. Rolex 61.48
2. Breitling 43.85
3. Cartier 24.58
4. Omega 22.96
5. TAG Heuer 22.00
6. Citizen 20.72
7. Movado 19.83
8. Chanel 17.87
9. Longines 16.02
10. Seiko 11.15

It's not even close. Rolex spent almost three times as much as Omega in the US. Anyone who thinks that amount of money isn't making an impact is delusional.

http://www.watchtime.com/wristwatch-...ising-in-2013/

[chris975d]

Originally Posted by Cuts33

There is no point in debating who's marketing strategy is right and who's is wrong. Rolex and Omega do have differing strategies to an extent but both brands seem to be doing just fine.

The only issue I have with your post is the repeating of this fallacy that Rolex doesn't pay their ambassadors. I recall reading this in an interview with one of the higher ups at Rolex and thought it was bull then and its bull now. If anyone thinks that Tiger and Federer aren't pulling in 7 figures for sporting their Rolex's then I've got some oceanfront property in Arizona to sell you.

Rolex makes a great watch. But a premier athlete isn't going to not rep a brand who would pay a huge sum of money to go with Rolex because they just personally love Rolex watches.

Rolex most certainly pays its "ambassadors". The details are never actually disclosed by Rolex, as they are a privately held company and don't have to disclose it. But the info gets out. Here's an article stating that Roger Federer's contract with Rolex back in 2006 was the most lucrative watch endorsement deal ever signed, reportedly worth around $15 million over 10 years.

http://m.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Jou...th-Rolex.aspx?