The Swiss luxury watch brand Omega is not just counting the seconds at the Olympics. Gold medals also turn into sales champions.
The Brown family from Australia wanted to fulfill a lifelong dream.
They wanted to be there, live, at the Olympic Games.
First class to Paris
The ‘Browns’, not their actual name, but whose real identity is known to muula.ch, went all out for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The retired couple lashed out over 70,000 Australian dollars, or the equivalent of 40,000 Swiss francs, and flew first class from Sydney to Paris sipping plenty of Dom Pérignon 2012 fine champagne.
Posing with Gina Rinehart
From their luxury hotel, they enthusiastically described their experiences of the opening ceremony on the Seine and of competitions to those back at home every day. They posted pictures with Gina Rinehart, the richest woman in Australia, from their top-tier hospitality box at the Olympic swimming competition.
It was a lifelong dream come true for the Browns.
Partnership since 1932
But in addition to the memories and pictures of that incredible time at the Paris 2024 Olympics, they also needed a suitable souvenir from Europe, which is where Swiss luxury watch manufacturer Omega came into play.
The iconic brand has been closely associated with the Olympic Games for many years, particularly as the official timekeeper.
This partnership, which dates back to 1932, not only delivers the watch brand a prestigious role – with its well-known Seamaster and Speedmaster ranges – but also significant commercial benefits that go far beyond simple timekeeping.
Those benefits extend across multiple levels, including brand awareness, special editions and strategic marketing.
Exclusivity with exclusive contract
As the official timekeeper of the Olympic Games, Omega positions itself as the epitome of both precision and reliability.
This association with the accuracy and global prestige of the Olympic Games is intended to enhance Omega’s brand image.
Precision is not only a technical feature of the mechanical luxury watches, but also becomes a synonym for the brand through the Olympic Games, which is intended as a marketing strategy to further strengthen consumer confidence in its products.
Due to the ban on advertising by other companies at the venues, the Omega brand name, which belongs to the Biel-based Swatch Group, was present virtually everywhere thanks to that exclusive contract.
Special editions increase demand
One of Omega’s strategies in connection with the Olympic Games is the release of special limited editions.
These exclusive models, which often bear the Olympic Games logo or include special design elements, are extremely popular with collectors and sports enthusiasts alike.
There were several such special editions for Paris2024.
The sale enables Omega to deepen customers’ emotional connection to the brand, just as many textbooks on sports sponsorship attest.
The exclusivity of these models ensures increased demand and supports the positioning of the brand in the luxury segment, as marketing experts explain the direct effects.
Clever linking
Omega also uses the stage of the Olympic Games for extensive marketing activities.
The collaboration with well-known athletes and stars, who act as brand ambassadors, increases the global visibility of the brand.
These athletes, who often take part in the Olympic Games themselves or have done so in the past, embody values such as excellence, endurance, sex appeal and success.
These are all values that Omega skilfully links to its products.
In addition, CEO Raynald Aeschlimann gives many interviews, although he wisely never reveals the cost of the exclusive cooperation with the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Meeting place for world stars
Through its presence in media reports and advertising campaigns that are broadcast during and after the Olympic Games, Omega reaches a global audience that goes far beyond the traditional target group.
In Paris, Omega even had its own house in addition to an entire pavilion, as reported by muula.ch, where world stars came practically every evening and posed with their luxury timepieces.
French Olympic gold medallist Léon Marchand, US swimming legend Michael Phelps and Indian track and field athlete Neeraj Chopra also stopped by the Omega store.
Long jumper Jordan Diaz, judokas Romane Dicko and Hifumi Abe and swimmer Katie Grimes, for example, radiate precision and excellence.
Markets in view
It seems, that the luxury watch brand chose the brand ambassadors with the purpose to future markets, especially Asia.
Even former James Bond actor Daniel Craig did the honors and, in passing, raised the question of just who will be wearing the Omega watch in these classic films of the future.
Cultivating personal memories
In addition to short-term sales gains through special editions, the role as official timekeeper also contributes to long-term customer loyalty – the cooperation with Olympia already looks back on its long tradition.
Customers who purchase such a special model not only associate it with the Olympic Games, but also with their personal memories at this global event.
This emotional connection usually contributes directly to strengthening customer loyalty and increasing the likelihood that these customers will buy other products from luxury brands such as Omega in the future.
Emotions live on
And muula.ch heared that the Browns from Australia also purchased several of these special editions in elegant boxes. Ensuring that their lifelong dream will continue.
Until at some point in 50 or 100 years’ time, the Browns’ descendants notice that noble lettering “Paris2024” on those Omega luxury watches and wonder at how they came into their family’s possession.
12.08.2024/kut./ena.
