Baumgartner (right) presenting a HydroConquest XXII Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games edition watch to Malaysian weightlifter Mohd Aniq Kasdan.
LONGINES has always believed that elegance is an attitude – and it was there to be seen during the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
To know better about the partnership between Longines and the Commonwealth Games, The Star spoke to the company's marketing vice-president Mathieu Baumgartner about the partnership, the special edition Hydroconquest watch and what we can expect in the future.
Question: What's your take on Longines' partnership with the Commonwealth Games and sports in general?
Answer: Longines' partnership and commitment to sports, in general, has a long history. It is part of our DNA. The development of accurate timepieces for clients and ourselves is ingrained in the history of the brand. That led us to 1962 – our first partnership with the Commonwealth Games, held in Perth at the time. This partnership will go on until 2030. Longines has always been strongly involved in equestrian sports and alpine skiing, where we are the official timekeepers of the International Ski Federation, for example. We have been active since we started our first pocket chronograph to time sports performance in 1878. That's rooted in the history of the brand.
Q: And the relationship has been renewed till 2030?
A: Yes, we discovered that it was the time for us to commit long-term to the Commonwealth Games and we have designs for the subsequent three editions. It is essential for us to be committed long-term to build a stronger relationship. Plus, our presence in the Commonwealth Games sees us using our know-how and developing innovations in timekeeping and scoring. That is why Longines has committed to the Commonwealth Games for the long run.
Q: Talk us through the design process for the HydroConquest XXII Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games edition watch.
A: First, we had to figure out which collection we should tap into to design the special watch. Creating an official watch is an essential element – apart from the timekeeping aspect. In the end, it had to be a contemporary watch, one that everyone can wear. The highly popular Hydroconquest range was perfect and we felt the Gamesʼ emblem fitted well with the range. It was a challenge for the product and design team to incorporate the Games' identity but they did great – especially the colours of the emblem on the bezel and the logo engraved on the back of the watch. Yellow is not a colour we usually use in our timepieces – it is not part of our corporate identity but the colour incorporated well into Hydroconquest. We want the watch to remain attractive not just for a year or two but for a long time to come.
Q: How does Longines cope in an era that has influencers and growing demands of youngsters when it comes to style and elegance?
A: Longines has a rich history with a wide range of products and collections. We have a pretty balanced male and female clientele. That means we always produce exquisite and classy watches. With the data of our audiences, we can attract a wide range of clients in terms of demography, geography and markets. The challenge for us is communicating what makes the brand relevant to different audiences. We aim to build and tailor messages that are relevant to a specific audience.
For the Commonwealth Games, sports and accuracy are tantamount, but beyond all that, elegance remains a core value of Longines. Elegance is an attitude reflected in sports and how athletes behave. This has to be reflected in the message we deliver. Taking all those elements, visual and historical facts, we make products that are relevant to all audiences.
On the marketing side, our role is to tell inspiring stories. We have a fantastic legacy and we incorporate our history and DNA. Our core values remain strong after 190 years but we have to evolve constantly. From pocket watches to what we offer now, our evolution has been tremendous. There is a constant and permanent quest for perfection.
Take sports, for example – our mission to athletes and sports federations is to deliver outstanding quality To sum it up, we all have this mission – obsession with the best possible precision!
Q: How would you describe Longines' sports ambassadors?
A: Let's take alpine skiing, for example. It may not be popular in your part of the world but in Switzerland, Alpine nations and North America, it is popular. We have a yearly competition to identify and reward the best newcomers. From those competitions, we have seen ambassadors like Mikaela Shiffrin, Loic Meillard, Marco Odermatt and Clement Noel. We believe they have what it takes to be the best among the best. It is not only about achieving the best in terms of sports performance but also about having human values that correspond with us. That value is elegance. Elegance is not just a refined way of selecting an outfit or watch – it is how you behave and elevate the values you have. That's what we want to see in our ambassadors.
Q: How do you see the partnership with the Commonwealth Games developing?
A: We want to continue achieving timekeeping excellence, which is to innovate and make the best devices to make sports even more attractive and exciting for audiences. In terms of engagement, we have the Queen's Baton Relay and the Commonwealth Games every four years. We know every Games will create unique moments because when people gather, something special can happen. We hope people will discover our history and we want to enhance our relationships with our partners even further. We always think of further development and we hope this partnership will elevate the Games in the near future.
