Brand Ambassador Bingo - The "Free Brittany" Edition

Dear LVMH (and frankly every brand out there),

Consider this your wake-up call. It's time to free yourselves, and free your celebrity partners from the Squid Game that is brand ambassador bingo.

Courtesy of Netflix

So right off the bat, I want to make something crystal clear - the topic of today's post is on the public conduct of brand ambassadors, and why brand ambassadors can all too often come back and bite you in the hind quarters. Brands typically like to have an ambassador that is in the news for positive things, and tends not to be on a soapbox venting his/her spleen. 

So to be clear, this is not a post (or debate) about whether or not vaccines work, whether COVID19 is real as opposed to a plot cooked up by some secret cabal bent on world domination, or even whether or not Bigfoot exists. (As far as Sasquatch goes, I have an open mind).

It is fair to say that the celebrity wranglers in the watch division at LVMH might be reconsidering some of their recent choices. For better or worse, since the somewhat goofy reign of Nataf, Zenith has struggled to fully understand who they are as a brand, what type of  brand they are and how to gain traction in a world chock full of high end manufacturers. All this while coexisting in the fishbowl of a watch group that never met a famous brand ambassador, partner, friend of the brand it didn't like. 

Enter -

AARON RODGERS

"As the top rated quarterback in the NFL and a living legend in American football, Aaron Rodgers knows what it means to reach your star, and do it with impeccable timing." 

At least, that's how Zenith saw it when they signed him to be the face of the brand in North America. I will say I find it intriguing that the folks in Le Locle seem to have an almost fetishistic desire to sign NFL quarterbacks to represent them, yet they also seem to have a knack for picking these guys just after they've reached their "zenith"... see what I did there? Sorry, too soon?  It is a "thirst trap", and apparently they're still thirsty.

Now as someone who prides himself on speaking his mind, I respect Mr. Rodger's right to say or do as he pleases. But then again, Zenith is not dropping tons of cash in my bank account or duking me with multiple chronographs. And as you can tell by looking at the site, I am not courting multiple advertisers.

One other interesting thing to consider in this particular sideshow is the sudden about face of conservative media outlets (and more than a few conservative watch retailers in California) who previously told Colin Kaepernick to stand, and for LeBron James to "shut up and dribble", who demanded that everyone respect the President of the United States... and interesting that many of these same people now laud Mr. Rodgers for his "I don't give a f___!" approach to public relations, and his assertion that the White House is "fake". I would like to think that with the benefit of an undergraduate degree from Cal Berkeley he could have been more eloquent. It's clear that the difference between being a spoiled athlete who should clam up and stick to sports, and being a "freedom loving not afraid to speak his truth individual" is all about perception...or shades thereof.

And speaking of  "challenging" friends of the brand, we come to Hublot. FIFA is a no-win situation unless you concur with FIFA's president, Gianni Infantino's assessment that holding the World Cup twice a year will prevent the death at sea of African migrants -

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/jan/26/fifa-gianni-infantino-biennial-world-cup-could-save-african-migrants-from-death-in-the-sea

And hey, if it just so happens to put some more cash in his and FIFA's bank accounts, what's the harm?

Floyd Mayweather's selection as an ambassador raised such a stink with one NYC based watch maven that they swore they would never darken the door of any event Hublot hosted! That resolve lasted about two weeks. A press lunch with free flowing champagne and an audience with Jean-Claude Biver must have mitigated this individual's (self) righteous indignation.

As it applies to his tennis, and a lot of the really cool things he has done with charity, I am a fan of Novak Djokovic. That being said, one particular irony was this little missive from 2020:

https://novakdjokovic.com/en/news/media/novak-jelena-and-the-ndf-donating-1-million-euros-to-help-serbia-fight-covid-19/

Now before anyone goes crying "fake news", this is from Mr. Djokovic's own website. 

And once more, this is not a post about vaccinations, COVID mortality or the Loch Ness Monster...although I have seen Champ on the Vermont side of Lake Champlain 

Courtesy of https://www.lakechamplainregion.com/heritage/champ

Now that the humor is dispensed with, let's talk about why these situations are bad for business (and public health and the fabric of society).

In Aaron Rodger's case, he is absolutely free to say and feel what he does. That being said, he is a public figure, and as such he is going to come under scrutiny - you take the rough with the smooth. Unfortunately, Mr. Rodgers is serving up his dissatisfaction with a LOT of fairly random and wide-ranging anger and open hostility, and that is never a good look for a brand ambassador. He is now at the center of what is becoming an even more heated and pointless debate. The heated aspect is understandable as there is a ton of anger on both sides. The debate is pointless because neither side is showing any side of changing their mind. It is essentially like pissing into a cup of coffee believing you'll improve the flavor, but you simply end up ruining it for yourself and anyone else.

In the case of Mr. Djokovic, there is probably too much to unpack, but the short form is this - Australia is (sorry Mr. Djokovic Senior) a sovereign country, and their rules are their rules. You don't have to like them, you don't even have to agree with them. But you do have to respect them if you wish to be a guest in their country. What you do in your own place is your own business. That being said, Djokovic the Elder beseeching Queen Elizabeth to intervene as Australia was a Commonwealth country added a bit of slapstick to an otherwise sad and jingoistic pastiche. I am fairly confident that every so-called western country has not and is not actively conniving to keep Mr. Djokovic the Younger from remaining the number 1 tennis player in the world. Although as bat-shit crazy theories go, the idea that the "EVIL WEST" could get its collective act together enough to hatch such a diabolical plot is the stuff of conspiracy theory legend. Consider this, we can't even all agree to use kilometers as opposed to miles, or to all drive on the right hand side of the road as opposed to the left. Or even whether pants are underwear or in fact trousers. The fact that Djokovic the Elder thinks that we are that well organized (and cunning) is flattering, albeit downright laughable. Let's hope some time off and a cool drink (not Kool Aid) will help him get back in touch with his better angels.

In not so distant times, I was responsible for seeking celebrities (both mighty and small) to partner with various brands. And in truth? I was always anxious about it. The rule of thumb was (and probably remains) -

Everyone loves puppies / Nobody likes cancer

Unfortunately, the world of celebrity partnerships seems to be rife with situations that morph into "cancer puppies". And ultimately it serves to remind us of a few important facts of life, not the least of which is that these are people, actual human beings. Just like any "normal" person, for all of their talent, beauty and strength, they are just as flawed as the rest of us. They are just as vulnerable, just as prone to imperfection, just as human. 

So maybe its time to let these folks step down from the pedestal and let them be themselves, let them be "mere mortals". Whether we agree with them or not, particularly in these volatile times, maybe we need to remember what the Police once shared at another tense moment -

"We can all sink or we all float
'Cos we're all in the same big boat"

Free the Ambassadors!

Me too, Time's Up, Floyd Mayweather!

Shamelessly borrowed from the world-wide infoweb

Hublot will take great pains to tell you how they are "different".  In absolute fairness, Jean-Claude Biver did something pretty remarkable with a slightly under-developed brand when he became involved in its purchase from Carlo Crocco.  It was done with a combination of insight, product awareness, and some pretty dramatic marketing pieces.  And to their credit, Hublot has done some very impressive charitable work. 

Hublot has enjoyed a fair amount of success in what the hipsters in their pork-pie hats refer to as - "disruption".  Of course, these "edgy" boys and girls know about getting attention, but they tend to have nearly zero knowledge of relevant demographics and very real lack of understanding about any demographic out there that does not make its purchases based on ironic detachment - let's be honest, there is no other way to explain "trucker" hats and Pabst Blue Ribbon in a day and age where there is so much good design, and about a million different beers out there that don't taste like they've been filtered through a cat's urinary tract.

But back to today's topic.  I have banged on and on about Hublot's choices of "partners" in the past.  Some have been very good, and very positive.  And some?  Well, not so much.

So in the midst of Me Too and Time's Up, Hublot has made a very odd (and sorry to say, tone-deaf) decision to spend time and money promoting a gentleman with a very troubling past history of alleged domestic violence.

Courtesy of Hublot

Pugilist, raconteur and noted feminist - Floyd Mayweather.

In a partnership that baffles many of us who cover this stuff, Hublot continues to partner with Mr. Mayweather, despite the somewhat overwhelming reporting on Mr. Mayweather's less-than courtly behavior in terms of "dispute resolution" with some of the women in his life.  I cite a very good piece penned by
Soraya Nadia McDonald and  Lonnae O'Neal-

Why Floyd Mayweather can still box after beating women

No photos, no central authority and black victims

This originally ran on August 23 of last year in the Undefeated.com.  And it one of the most intriguing pieces of coverage on the topic that I have come across. 

Now, in fairness, Hublot has the right to choose whoever they wish for partners.  And I am fairly confident that if an idea got floated through the LVMH halls about potential marketing/PR ideas, if it was sourced back to yours' truly?  The idea would probably be binned right away on general principle ; )   But having said that, I think you get to make mistakes in business, because quite often those mistakes were the result of good intentions and a not completely thought out idea.  But I also think when you continue to do something that offends a large group of people, you are no longer being provocative.  

You're just being sorta' clueless.

But, so that we have a little balance, here is the press release exactly as I received it from Hublot -

The Best Ever
BIG BANG UNICO TMT
A chronograph for the undefeated
Champion of the Noble Art
“Everyone knows I’m crazy about mechanical beauties, especially sparkling watches. So I’m truly proud to see the letters TMT x Hublot glittering on top of my watch. This timepiece means a lot to me, it symbolizes my career, my unbeaten 50-0 record and my last fight when I made history!” 

Floyd "Money" Mayweather, Hublot Ambassador
Five-time world champion Record holder in his discipline with 50 straight wins

“It’s an honour for us to be associated with the Noble Art’s legend of legends. A champion who, in taking his 50th victory, holds the discipline’s record. “The Best Ever”! 50 victories, no defeats, absolute mastery of an art that requires fighting spirit, bravery, self-transcendence, a sense of honour and keen tactical sense. Avoiding punches, and landing precise, clean and powerful ones, without any doubt, round after round, fight after fight. It’s the perseverance that makes all the difference. A champion in our image “first, unique, different!”
Ricardo Guadalupe, CEO of Hublot

Twelve-time, five division undefeated world champion Floyd “Money” Mayweather is boxing’s gold. The champion of champions, who reigned supreme for more than two decades, amassing a 50-0 unsurpassed ring record, joined Hublot executives on Saturday in Las Vegas to unveil two new watches created in collaboration with the luxury watch company. “Money” unveiled the Big Bang Unico TMT, an abbreviation of “The Money Team” and symbol of the powerful and highly visible logo of Floyd Mayweather’s lifestyle brand!
Hublot Crystals Boutique I Las Vegas I 10 February 2018
On 26th August 2017, Floyd Mayweather, the superstar of boxing, entered the ring at the T-Mobile Arena in style. His black shorts studded with gold displayed “TBE” and “HUBLOT”, two words expressing a single state of mind and one of absolute victory. A creation designed by Sophie Whittam, Director of Fight Label, the ultimate luxury boxing shorts and clothing brand. The talented designer chose black and gold to symbolise the athlete’s iconic and timeless character. She created an illustration representing Floyd on his own $1 million note. Cut out of gold leaf, the design was applied by hand onto matte-black lambskin. The belt cut out of suede and brilliant black python is embroidered with Swarovski crystals.

Shorts symbolising connections and a record!
Hublot x Mayweather; the story of this “knockout” partnership began in 2015 at “The Fight of the Century” pitting Floyd against Manny Pacquiao. For the first time, Money sported the name of the brand on his boxing shorts. In 2017, for “The Money Fight” against Conor McGregor, Mayweather wore Hublot on his belt once again. 

These shorts have become the emblem of the legend of legends,
sealing his 50th straight win! Shorts that naturally became the focus of the design of the Big Bang Unico TMT, Hublot have even used the setting where the fight took place to unveil its two limited editions. 


BIG BANG UNICO TMT – The Game Changer – “The watch of all wins”
The Big Bang Unico TMT adorns its winning outfit with a strap in black calf leather enhanced with python and gold studs, transposing the codes of the famous shorts worn by Mayweather during his latest fight. The boxing champion’s gold appears in the details of the two watches. For the first time, 3N-gold-incrusted carbon fiber dresses the watch from its case to its bezel. This is a unique composite material; gold powder is manually inserted into the carbon fiber layers before being compressed. At 12 o’clock, the watch proudly displays the 3 letters TMT in appliqué. The sapphire case back bears the champion’s ultimate inscription,

 

TBE, “The Best Ever”. Released in a limited edition of 100 pieces, the Big Bang Unico TMT is also available in 10 numbered editions set entirely in 3N gold. The flange, bezel, case, counters, index and three golden TMT letters sparkle beneath the light of 48 baguette-cut diamonds and 378 brilliant-cut diamonds for a carat weight of 4.85. 

Two invincible watches delivered with a boxing glove signed by the all-time champion. 

Big Bang Unico TMT! What’s your next challenge?

Courtesy of Hublot

 

Sucker Punch

You ever feel like it's Groundhog Day?

Courtesy of Hublot

So it seems that memories are short, and the desire for publicity has once again exceeded the bounds of good taste and common sense.

Now I believe in second chances, and I believe in forgiveness.  But I also believe that from a public relations perspective, Hublot is sending a pretty clear message.  Mr. Mayweather is, indeed, a fine boxer.  He is also a polarizing figure among the sporting world and (if I am honest), among those of us who write about watches when he keeps being brought back by Hublot as a brand ambassador.  And it seems that the controversy is stirred up again thanks to some statements made by his would be opponent in the upcoming fight -

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/boxing/mayweather-mcgregor/floyd-mayweather-domestic-violence-conor-mcgregor-cj-watson-josie-harris-statement-a7865896.html

Again, I believe in forgiveness, and I believe in redemption.  But I also believe in brand ambassadors that do not alienate such a large group of people.

So I want to make a proposal, and I hope that Mr. Guadalupe and his boss Mr. Biver are reading this -

Donate a substantial amount of money to a shelter for battered women.  It might help sooth the less-than-pleasant memories of your previous and current partnership with a man who has been cited for domestic violence and assault in the past. 

I absolutely get and understand that business is business.  But maybe it is time to look for partnerships that might actually help you convey a more "warm and fuzzy" image to the buying public?

Or, you can continue to offer "entertainment" in the form of grown men beating the shit out of each other so rich people can eat and drink too much and enjoy a modern day gladiator spectacle.

The choice is yours.

And in the interest of letting you, the reader, make your own call, I leave you with the bon mots of Hublot's CEO -

Ricardo Guadalupe, CEO of Hublot, shared: “Once again, we have the great honor to partner with a true living legend, Floyd Mayweather, ‘The Best Ever,’ for what is sure to be the ‘Fight of the Millennium.’ In line with Hublot’s ‘First, Different, Unique’ brand ethos, Mayweather previously never had a brand adorn his boxing shorts until our ‘knockout’ partnership in 2015. I am thrilled to partner with him again in the same way. We look forward to the match this weekend and hope for a repeat performance of 2015, cementing his undefeated record! The collaboration continues the brand’s long history in support of the noble art of boxing and celebrating the Legend of the Legends.”

Celebrity Brand Ambassadors Can Hurt You...

I realize that this is one of my favorite topics, probably because I used to spend good chunks of my days prospecting, negotiating and in some instances signing agreements for "friends of the brand" or "partners".  And it is particularly ironic that the brand that has in many ways refined the celebrity partner business model down to a seemingly exact science has had such phenomenally bad luck this year.

Yes, once again it is Hublot that I am writing about.  Now there are some cynical (as well as simply pragmatic) people out there who will smile and say and make "if it bleeds it leads" references.  Whether or not that is the case is down to the Hublot brain trust.

So the good (1 or 2), the bad (too many for many other brands' comfort) and the ugly -

1.  Bar Refaeli - recently detained in her native Israel over allegations of tax evasion.  I will defer to the informed folks at Vogue for the info:
http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/2015/12/18/bar-refaeli-detained-israeli-police-tax-evasion-accusation

2.  Floyd Mayweather - Perhaps we've "beaten-up" on him enough...
sorry, couldn't resist.  Mr. Mayweather has yet to get out from under the clouds of accusation regarding domestic violence.

3.  FIFA - Don't get me started ; )
But with the hearings this week, it may finally come to pass that Blatter and his cronies will finally be evicted from the halls of power.  And at that point it might be time to revisit that CNN interview -

http://www.cnn.com/videos/tv/2015/10/16/exp-jean-claude-biver-ceo-of-tag-heuer--chairman-of-hublot-discusses-fifa.cnn


4.  The "Special One", Jose Mourinho - In fairness, I think he is a gifted coach.  By that same token, a wise man knows that it is always best to leave the party while it is still full.  In other words, when things are going badly, never assume that you will be immune to the sack.  Mr. Mourinho was handed his walking papers earlier this week.  As yet no Big Bang "Special Ones" have been spotted on Ebay.  Let's hope he lands on his feet.

5.  The Los Angeles Lakers - in fairness, this might have been simply about timing, or an intern in Nyon not getting the message and failing to update the Hublot website for several days after it was announced that the Lakers were in fact in a newly announced partnership with Tissot.  In the end all was updated, but it did not make for a great impression, particularly as that partnership had only run for about one year.

And the good - probably more than I am giving credit to, but Lang Lang and his support for WildAid is a great ambassador.  Will Hublot make a WildAid watch - you know, "the fusion of charity with branding"?  It remains to be seen.

Disruptive! Well, Sort of...

I am going to simply let this CNN interview speak for itself, the link takes you directly to the CNN website, so you will need to come back to finish ; )

http://www.cnn.com/videos/tv/2015/10/16/exp-jean-claude-biver-ceo-of-tag-heuer--chairman-of-hublot-discusses-fifa.cnn


I have to be honest, and maybe it's just me, but I've lost faith.

Associating a brand with people like Floyd Mayweather, Sepp Blatter, Bernie Ecclestone, and Michel Platini is not what traditional marketing folks would cite as "wise".  Now the counter argument could be made that a brand is being "edgy" or "disruptive".  Hmm....

The Big Bang was disruptive.  Carbon Fiber?  Disruptive.  An all black chronograph?  Disruptive.  And all in positive ways!  And Hublot makes some wonderful watches.  But if I am being honest with myself and with all of you - when a brand attaches SO MUCH importance to the partners that they have, and (seemingly) go out of their way to court not just controversy but some truly "bad actors", and then glibly refer to it as being "disruptive" it is clear that there is a disconnect.

Now maybe the disconnect is mine, maybe I am the only one who feels that a pretty clear line has been crossed from "edgy" to something truly distasteful.  But it is something I am no longer willing to entertain.

And understand, I do not live in a fantasy world where I think anyone at Hublot is the least little bit concerned with what I think.  If you read this blog, it is because you are looking for something different.  And as I am not dependent upon advertising dollars (or francs), I am free to call it like I see it.

Hublot has done some very good things, but it seems to be a case of extremes from truly icky - Floyd Mayweather, to truly nice - WWF.

And if I am truly bearing my soul - Michel Platini was my hero.  But his behavior when "gifted" with a very expensive Parmigiani watch and his subsequent refusal to return it and then being fully ready to throw others under the bus was beyond the pale.  Yes, even crusty 47 year olds in Santa Barbara have heroes, and France's #10 was mine.  But ultimately, heroes are only human, and human nature is not always what we would hope for in our heroes.  Avarice was not chosen at random as one of the seven deadly sins.

So until there is a "sea change" in Nyon, I encourage you to follow and support Hublot if that is in your wheelhouse, you will just need to look for that news somewhere else.

Peace -

Waiting for the World to Change...

So...

Show of hands - how many of you out there bought a watch because Warren Beatty was given one as a freebie at a film event, or because Arsenal slapped their logo on the dial?  I think we all know the answer to that - if you had, both JEANRICHARD and Girard-Perregaux would be in much better fiscal shape than they are now.

Did you run out to buy an Hublot when Floyd (I show my love for the mother of my children in a physical way) Mayweather was presented a watch?

Did you buy an Audemars Piguet in joy and jubilation following a Serena Williams grand slam win?

Did a burning desire to own a Maurice Lacroix overcome you when you read via Facebook that they were sponsoring cliff diving?  REALLY?!??!!!

Did you fly to the authorized retail partner to buy an Huatlence when Eric Cantona signed on?  Okay, bad example.  True confession, I would buy "King Eric's" old t-shirts and frame them - he's the shit that killed Elvis!  But to buy an Hautlence?  Gotta' draw the line somewhere, and I would rather have four walls and a roof than live in my car with an Hautlence on my wrist ; )  Should Hautlence ever deem to actually, I don't know, invite me to some of their "events" I might be willing to modify this opinion ; )


But ask yourself this question -

What (if any) return on investment do you think a watch brand receives when they plop hundreds of thousands (if not millions) on a promotional partnership?

Yachts?  Racing cars?  Super models?  And what REALLY drives these choices?  It is vanity, artifice and frankly a good flush of investor money straight down the toilet of waste to satisfy the ego of watch executives.  Does it drive sales?  Maybe not so much when one of your biggest "stars" rewards his team mates with a different company's watches... sorta' a kick in the dick seeing as you gave the guy like, a "Bajillion Dollars" to wear your watch and try to appear happy about it.  Just sayin' ...

I'm tired.  I'm tired of it, and I don't want to write about it any more.

And here's the irony - many of these brands actually do good, donate money, participate in charitable actions - but it's almost as if they are ashamed of having the world know about it.

Watch brands - if you do something GOOD, something FOR OTHER PEOPLE WHO NEED HELP - FU*&ING TALK ABOUT IT!  Stop burying your good deeds with more fodder about your latest ambassador from Taiwan, or how Jeremy Renner "chose" your watch for the "red carpet", or that some "long in the tooth" supermodel is your latest partner - nobody gives a shit anymore.  It costs a great deal of money and frankly you could do more with that money and get MORE POSITIVE publicity - which frankly is what you were trying to do in the first place, right?

What could you do?  Well thank you for asking, allow me to suggest:

Look to Rolex and Hermes and what their foundations do.  You could endow scholarships.

If you like football (soccer) as much as so many of you claim, you could donate some money NOT to a pro team that needs money like it needs a hole in the head - you could give the money to a really GOOD organization like Grass Roots Soccer.  Be involved in soccer, be involved in education and help to stop the spread of AIDS.  Seems like a pretty good deal, doesn't it?  Still want to have big-time soccer people involved?  No problem, they've got you covered:
Christen Press, Elton John, Freddie Ljungberg - I think any brand would be proud and frankly lucky to have these folks attached them.  And for the brave watch company that says - "YES, We want to be a part of this!"  I guarantee there will be football stars who will gladly join you.  As odd as it sounds, doing good can be good for business.  But I also realize that you've done it the same way for the past 20 years or so.  Change is hard, because it requires you to admit that maybe, just maybe the world has changed and you have not kept up with it.  

Audemars Piguet's well-quoted slogan is: "To break the rules you must first master them".

I would do them one better: "To be relevant in the world you must first participate in it."

The brand that's ready to do that - I am ready to fly the flag for.

Hublot...

Updated note - this will most likely be my last piece about Hublot for the foreseeable future.  I find myself perplexed and bewildered by the choices that they make in terms of PR - and frankly I would be the first to say that at the moment with decisions to partner with Floyd Mayweather, FIFA (at least in the recent past) and some others they make an easy (and possibly unfair) target for satire.  The purpose of good satire is to call attention to something that maybe is not right, could be done better, should be changed.  When you realize that all the requests, satirical jibes, heart felt conversations go nowhere - it is time to move on.  

So Hublot, I don't get or understand you, but in fairness that's not exactly your raison d'etre ; )  and I am but one person out there, so best of luck with whatever your media plan is.  I just don't get it, but maybe that's just me.

From Up in the Air - 

Ryan Bingham: You know why kids love athletes? 

Bob: Because they (expletive) lingerie models. 

Ryan Bingham: No, that's why we love athletes. Kids love them because they follow their dreams.

This just in from the "You just couldn't make this stuff up" file.  Hublot has teamed up with... sportsman, husband of underwear model and well-known fan of "fair play" - Tom Brady!

Courtesy of Hublot

Now on the surface, I can say that I am a "teensy" bit conflicted because the press release from Nyon today was to herald their participation in a charity event.  And I am a big fan of charitable activities.  But as a fan of watches and someone who writes about them, I do not (at least of late) have anything too positive to write about Hublot and their PR choices.


So what's the big deal?

Well....

Only those mad genius PR folks at Hublot could create a two-ring media circus that would feature:

1.  Tom Brady - lately of "deflate gate" with an important message to you youngsters out there - cheating is a-okay so long as you don't get caught.  He still has a Super Bowl ring coming his way - but if there is ANY justice out there it will come with a big old asterisk next to it in the record books.

But wait, there's more!

Speaking of cheating being okay until you get caught...

Courtesy of Hublot

2.  That other fan of fair play - George Hincapie!!!  Yes, now that his competitive cycling days are behind him, "Mr. Clean" has turned his attention to philanthropy and was on hand to unveil the "innovative Hublot Best Buddies Cycling timepiece" - apparently designed for cyclists.  I can only presume that apart from being light weight, it also provides Mr. Hincapie a 6-month countdown feature.  I guess Lance Armstrong was not available.



Here's the thing - I KNOW that the Best Buddies Challenge is a positive thing - and full disclosure I intend to participate in the San Simeon/Hearst Castle event in September and invite anyone from Hublot to come ride with me - so long as they promise not to shove a bike pump into my spokes ; )  The only performance enhancing substances I will be able to offer will be espresso, prosciutto sandwiches and possibly a glass or two of red wine, so I will not count on Mr. Hincapie.

But the invitation is out there.

Against The Ropes: Floyd Mayweather And His Association With Hublot

When I removed the two Hublot pieces, I got a fairly overwhelming request to put them back up. But instead, I thought I would share what some other people wrote. 

 This piece, Against the Ropes: Floyd Mayweather and his Association with Hublot 

It is shared courtesy of  Ben Newport-Foster and Timepiece Chronicle.

http://www.timepiecechronicle.com/features/againsttheropesmayweatherandhublot

Before last Saturday's fight I had very little knowledge of Floyd Mayweather and the world of boxing, having only heard his name in passing during conversations with my more sports-inclined friends. After watching all 12 rounds of the Mayweather vs. Pacquiao fight, I was surprised when during his in-ring victory speech that Mr Mayweather prominently mentioned Hublot as the best watchmaker in world. Out of idle curiosity I wondered how long the partnership had been going on. After some research I found out that Hublot had officially announced sponsorship of Mr Mayweather only a few days before and were the first company to ever have their name or logo featured on his match shorts during a fight. According to CNN, Mr Mayweather's opponent Manny Pacquiao's shorts are worth approximately $1.5 million in sponsorship space with six companies having bid for the opportunity to be featured, which begs the question how much Hublot had to pay for the privilege of positioning on the shorts and the post-fight mention. Whilst trying to find this answer, I instead found out about Mr Mayweather's history of domestic violence.


Between 2002 to 2011 Floyd Mayweather was arrested for two counts of domestic violence, one count of misdemeanour battery, two counts of misdemeanour battery against two women, two counts of misdemeanor harassment and during that time received a six month suspended sentence, two days house arrest, forty eight hours community service, one year suspended jail sentence, a ninety days suspended jail sentence and was forced to pay a fine of $2,500 to the courts. This is a man about whom Hublot CEO Ricardo Guadalupe said, "It is an honour and a privilege that we stand beside Mayweather in what will be the biggest fight of his career. His astounding achievements through his perseverance and commitment to his celebrated career have made him a great fit for Hublot". Shortly after saying this, Mr Guadalupe presented Floyd "Money" Mayweather with a Hublot King Power WBC Full Pave with Emeralds (a piece originally produced in 2012 in a limited run of twelve to honour Hublot's partnership with the World Boxing Council which were all auctioned off for an ex-professional charity raising $1 million), remade for Mr Mayweather with forty eight baguette cut emeralds round the bezel and two hundred and forty eight diamonds totalling just over two carats set into the King Gold case.

Now I understand that Hublot are entering into a business agreement with Mr Mayweather and that their sponsorship of him is in no way endorsing his appalling behaviour, however it does beg the question of where the line is drawn when it comes to brand spokespeople and their past actions. It is now beyond question that Mr Mayweather is an impressive boxer (48-0 win/loss record) and excellent athlete, however if I were CEO of any company I would not want him promoting it in any way. Hublot obviously have factored in the risk of association with Mr Mayweather and perhaps felt that having millions of people worldwide see your logo and hear your name being spoken with praise is worth it.

This is not the first time Hublot have perhaps overstepped the mark when it comes to advertising their brand. Back in 2010 they used a photograph of Formula 1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone taken after a mugging to promote the Hublot F1 King Power. Underneath the picture of Mr Ecclestone sporting a black eye and swollen lip it read "See what people will do for a Hublot". It should be noted that these words were written after the attack by Mr Ecclestone to Jean-Claude Biver, who after receiving it thought it would make a good one-time advertisement. Beneath the quote it reads "Hublot condemns all forms of violence and racism". I can understand the reasoning behind the advertisement, however perhaps it should have stayed as a private joke between multi-millionaires and friends, not as an official advertisement for the brand featuring in the Financial Times and International Herald Tribune.

Most Swiss watch companies have some investment in sports, however they are usually more traditional and conservative affairs in keeping with the typically reserved Swiss watch industry. Longines are the timekeepers of Royal Ascot, Omega and TAG Heuer both sponsor different teams in the America Cup Sailing Race and Rolex are the timekeepers of Wimbledon and are a global partner and Official Timepiece of Formula 1. Given Hublot's ethos of "First. Unique. Different.", it is not surprising that for the most part they are alone in the world of professional boxing when it comes to watch companies. Hublot pride themselves on being avant garde and contemporary compared to the more classically reserved watch companies in the same price bracket. Given Mr Mayweather's talent for self promotion and profit, it's no surprise that from a business perspective Hublot decided to sponsor him. Now it is important to note that Mr Mayweather has not had any more charges against him since leaving prison in 2012 and could well be a changed man repentant of his actions, however I think the association between one of the world's biggest luxury watch brands and a man convicted of domestic abuse is rather ill advised. In fact Adam Craniotes, co founder of the Red Bar Gatherings, recently took to Instagram decrying the move as in poor taste.

I contacted Hublot to comment on the issue and was told that Hubot were given an exceptional offer to appear on the shorts of Mr Mayweather for this event only, and that because of the promotion and their strong ties to the WBC, they donated another $100,000 to the World Boxing Council Charity. After consideration Hublot were willing to take the risk to be part of this historic fight. When Mr Guadalupe spoke about Mr Mayweather he was "referring to the athlete of today assuming that what has been done in the past should be somehow forgiven and that it will not repeat in future" and that one (Hublot) "should always be concerned with how ambassadors/friends of the brand are behaving and that we all agree that some mistakes of the past should one day be forgiven". Hublot did make a point of note that there have been other professional athletes such as Tiger Woods who have had personal indiscretions that have been forgiven.

I'm sure there will be those out there that will disagree with what I've written and say that I've overreacted, but the watch community is something I care about deeply and I feel that its mistakes need to be pointed out. There will be some watch lovers out there unaware of Mr Mayweathers transgressions and I feel that it is an issue that more people need to be aware of.

Fairness

Okay, some may notice that I have removed the two most recent Hublot posts regarding Mr. Mayweather.  And before my favorite "Anonymous" commenter gets too full of him/herself, no this was not in response to your brave (but yet again anonymous) comment this AM of:

"Is it possible for you to write anything good at all?" 

It did make me smile though so thank you for the laugh this morning and your "courageous"
feedback - if and when you have the gumption to sign something (providing it's not full of blue language) I might even put it up ; )

Point of clarification - I stand behind what I wrote.  Having said that, I also realized that to a certain extent that it was three less than flattering items about Hublot in a three day span.  That's just how the news cycle ran I'm afraid, but I also felt it could seem more than a bit mean spirited.  So I took them down.

But back to the title - fairness.  Do I think that Hublot made a mistake?  Yes.  Do I live in a fantasy world where I think my one lone voice will change that mind-set?  No.  Ultimately brands are businesses and they are in business not out of charity, but to make money.  And so long as enough people keep buying what they're selling - and I'm not just talking about watches, but partnerships, ideals, marketing plans,  etc. then they will keep on doing what they're doing.

Do I think that the whole Mayweather move could be turned around for a more positive pr outcome?  Of course - but this is the fundamental hurdle that most brands trip over - the fear and terror of reversing course.  The fear of change.  I have been told that in the language and literature of addiction it is generally held that a person or organization will only change when they are in so much pain that they see no other alternative.  So as long as we in the Fourth and Fifth Estate keep wagging our tails and lapping up what's shoveled in with our kibble, the brands will keep rolling along the same path.

Give a thirsty man a glass of dirty water, and if there's no other alternative he'll drink it.  All that I'm asking for is an alternative to that dirty water.