Sharing the same affiliation for effortless style and commitment to excellence, the Hollywood leading man and the Swiss luxury brand make for the perfect duo
Earlier this month, luxury Swiss watch brand TAG Heuer announced its latest—and, some would argue most fitting—brand ambassador: Ryan Gosling, Hollywood’s most versatile leading man today, with a filmography that includes an impressive number of truly iconic roles.
Put simply, Gosling is an actor who defies easy categorization. He has shown a constant fearlessness along with a willingness to challenge himself and to challenge what is possible for an artist like himself. In short, he dares to be different—a quality which is clearly reflected in the roles he takes on.
Take, for instance, the three years between 2016 and 2018, which sees Gosling appear in three high-profile box office numbers: There’s the smash-hit musical “La La Land” (which earned 14 Academy Award nominations and won a Gosling a Golden Globe), the highly-anticipated sci-fi flick “Blade Runner 2049” (sequel to the genre-defining 1982 movie) and the critically acclaimed biopic “First Man” (in which Gosling played astronaut and first-man-on-the-moon Neil Armstrong).
Interestingly, it is 2011’s “Drive” that is often cited as the one to cement Gosling’s reputation as more than just an actor but a bona fide leading man. And now, when you consider the theme of the movie and the fact that he did some of his own stunts, it’s perhaps rather unsurprising that Gosling’s considered the heir apparent to Steve McQueen—the “King of Cool” in American cinema, an avid racecar enthusiast and also a famous ambassador for TAG Heuer.
Long story short, Ryan Gosling and TAG Heuer is a match made in heaven.
“We are thrilled to announce Ryan Gosling as TAG Heuer global ambassador, for his first ever brand partnership. A star since his early days, he has grown to become an icon—one both enigmatic and inscrutable. He is a true artist who chooses his projects with utmost care and dedicates himself to them like no other, not only shaping his character but the entire creative direction. The movie ‘Drive’ represents the strongest link with who we are today, and we are excited about the creative projects we have together,” says TAG Heuer CEO Frédéric Arnault.
Gosling, for his part, is equally excited. “TAG Heuer has quietly and consistently been a classic and iconic pillar of excellence in its field for over a hundred and sixty years. Partnering with them was an easy decision and time, in general, is just something I think a lot about now,” he notes. “My kids are growing up fast, so I keep an eye on the clock in a way I never used to.”
In fact, Gosling was very much involved in the photoshoot for his very first TAG Heuer campaign. He handpicked award-winning photographer Pari Dukovic and worked together with him to create a campaign unlike any other. “Ryan said he wanted to do something completely different. Color has emotion and it’s completely unexpected. In creating these portraits, it was about creating something timeless and timely at the same time,” says Dukovic. “TAG Heuer’s watches have a timeless quality to them and that’s exactly what we wanted to do with the campaign.”
Furthermore, in the campaign, Gosling shares the spotlight with the new TAG Heuer Carrera Three Hands, which—again, quite appropriately—showcases the brand’s motor racing heritage. “I appreciate its timeless design. I like clean and simple design generally,” Gosling says of the watch he wore in the campaign. “Growing up, we lived on a pretty tight budget. I gravitated towards things that were simple and timeless so I didn’t have to think about keeping up with trends.”
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