Tag Heuer takes flight alongside alpine adventurer in sponsored film
Swiss watchmaker Tag Heuer is taking consumers to new heights by supporting a film with elevated ambitions.
?4634 ? Perception? follows Tag Heuer ambassador Géraldine Fasnacht?s quest to conquer Monte Rosa, the tallest range in Switzerland, via both a snowboard and a wingsuit. Tag Heuer?s positioning centers on feats that require jumping mental hurdles to overcome and push boundaries, making this film a natural fit.
Tag Heuer was reached for comment.
Leap of faith
Ms. Fasnacht has long wanted to take on Monte Rosa and its highest peak, Dufourspitze, which sits at 4,634 meters, or 15,000 feet. Sitting between Switzerland and Italy, the range is difficult to access, requiring the climber to scale glaciers.
To achieve this feat, Ms. Fasnacht took days mapping out her trajectory off the mountain, finding a path that would allow her to sail off the peak and land in the valley. With her flight plan in place, she underwent months of physical training to be able to effectively take off.
The film sponsored by Tag Heuer covers the athlete?s preparation, take off and landing during her flight. However, rather than the audience just being a third-person spectator, they are able to see things from Ms. Fasnacht?s perspective.
Aside from action shots, the 26-minute film, which debuted online Nov. 29, also includes the protagonist?s philosophical thoughts about the mountain.
The 36-year-old, who has been a Tag Heuer ambassador since 2015, has made more than 3,000 jumps in her career. Wingsuiting is typically reserved for low altitudes, but the athlete is credited with creating wing-alpinism, which includes the entire mountain experience, including climbing and snow.
She has also won international freeride snowboarding competitions.
The film is making the rounds at a number of festivals, and is also debuting in a Swiss cinema in December.
On a dedicated Web site for the film, Tag Heuer features its Connected smartwatch.
Under pressure
Tag Heuer previously celebrated extreme sports by supporting a special-edition of the documentary film series La Nuit de la Glisse.
The film, themed around the brand?s tagline #DontCrackUnderPressure, screened in movie theaters across Europe Dec. 10-13, 2015. Partnering with filmmaker Thierry Donard as he captured athletes in action reinforced Tag Heuer?s association with demanding sports and the discipline necessary to excel at these feats (see story).
Tag Heuer is also putting its ?Don?t crack under pressure? mantra to good use as it prepares to be the first luxury brand to market from Mars.
LVMH-owned Tag Heuer has aligned with China?s Mars Exploration Program, which intends to land an unmanned rover on the Red Planet in 2020. In its supporting role of the China National Space Administration?s Mars expedition, Tag Heuer will serve as timekeeper, a position likely to keep its band top of mind among Chinese consumers drawn to the monumental occasion (see story).