IWC Schaffhausen

From swift aerial maneuvers high up in the skies to the exploration of mystical underwater worlds: starting in October, the Swiss watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen will use a series of spectacular TV commercials on CNN International Asia Pacific to immerse the Asian and Australian viewing public in the themes of IWC’s exclusive timekeepers. The elaborate image campaign transports viewers into the world of pilots, sailors and divers. “Besides our passion for developing innovative, high-quality watches for sophisticated people, we also want to speak to our customers at the emotional level and acquaint them with the worlds connected to our products,” explains Georges Kern, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen. “With the TV campaign, we have succeeded in staging this storytelling culture in an enthralling way.” The image campaign launched throughout Asia and Oceania is a first for the Schaffhausen-based company. It is intended to give the people in this region an even better understanding of the “Made in Schaffhausen” label and the values associated with it.

Every watch tells a story
Besides the Pilot’s Watch family, which was relaunched in January of this year at the SIHH in Geneva (Switzerland), the campaign focuses on the Portuguese collection and the Aquatimer watches. Their stories will be brought to life through breathtaking visual sequences in the image spot, set to broadcast on CNN International Asia Pacific through February 2013. Sensational aerial images and rough waves on the high sea will alternate with underwater shots and the fascinating animal world of the Galapagos Islands. This will give a broad audience the chance to become acquainted with the product families of the Schaffhausen- based watch manufacturer and with the themes associated with these products.

Environmental responsibility
“We believe that the luxury industry is all about selling dreams, and that is why we enrich our brand universe with evocative stories,” says IWC CEO Georges Kern. “Telling these stories may very well not be a necessity, but it certainly adds emotional value to the brand and therefore intrigues the customer beyond his potential passion for Haute Horlogerie.” But supporting social and environmental projects is also an essential component in the IWC philosophy – and one that the campaign will address accordingly. The campaign will highlight IWC’s involvement with the Charles Darwin Foundation, which has been dedicated to saving the endangered ecosystem on the Galapagos Islands since 1959.