The Patek Philippe print advertising campaign with suggestive slogan “Begin your own tradition” has established itself as an exemplary success story. For the campaign, world-famous photographers have depicted how two generations share time together. The strong emotional statements and the universal validity of the theme account for the enduring popularity of the campaign as well as the strong affinity between the values of Patek Philippe customers and the values upheld by the manufacture in Geneva.



In 1996, Patek Philippe resolved to develop a new advertising concept. The prior campaigns had focused on the watches and the exquisite craftsmanship they embody. The advertising very aptly reflected the manufacture’s style but after ten highly successful years had found many imitators. For this reason, Patek Philippe sought an even more persuasive, distinctive, and contemporary message to better express its unique heritage and forge stronger bonds with its customers. With this objective in mind, the workshops invited four well-known creative agencies to pitch. Philippe Stern, the president of Patek Philippe, gave the agencies creative ample latitude in the development of their concepts. One of the very few musts in the briefing for the new campaign was the perceptible integration of the universal ideals and lifestyles of Patek Philippe customers.

A powerful concept Among the various presentations, the proposal submitted by London-based advertising agency Leagas Delaney stood out immediately. Before embarking on the conceptual aspects of the assignment, the agency had conducted global surveys among customers and retail partners to understand their expectations and views of Patek Philippe. Tim Delaney, the Chairman of Leagas Delaney and the creative mind behind the campaign, still remembers: “The target group was well aware of the brand’s key values, such as tradition, craftsmanship, longevity and value. However there is always a very emotional component that drives the decision to purchase a Patek Philippe.” To appeal to this target group, he said, it is not enough to present a great legacy or particularly illustrious customers. “People want to hear about themselves and their history,” he added. On a flight back to London from the Leagas Delaney offices in San Francisco, Tim Delaney suddenly had a flash of inspiration. “Begin your own tradition” would be the claim that said it all. It is a gentle imperative – active and forward-looking – that also appeals to Patek Philippe customers at the emotional level.

Real-world stories

The relationship between Patek Philippe customers and their watches is so strong that they think about future and past generations when they purchase and wear their timepieces. To illustrate this approach, the campaign relies on photographic images that depict father/son and mother/daughter ties from a new angle. “We thereby violated several rules at once,” noted Tim Delaney, “for instance against the widespread notion that luxury goods must necessarily be showcased in a rather cool and stereotype environment. The people able to afford a Patek Philippe are affluent individuals for whom many typical material symbols exist. However, we wanted to portray them in everyday situations that evoke spontaneous feelings and emotions. That was a totally new approach for this high-end luxury segment.” Over the past ten years, the “Generations” campaign concept has been represented with 19 men’s and 6 ladies’ advertising visuals. All pictures are in black and white: four-handed piano playing, the first necktie knot, the first shave, the fishing outing, a shared midday nap, and other everyday moments of togetherness. These are all intimate glimpses and instances with which everyone can associate. They are snapshots of real life tastefully choreographed by some of the greatest photographers of our era. With their artistry, Peggy Sirota, Peter Lindbergh, Jeanloup Sieff, Mary Ellen Mark, and Ellen von Unwerth added enriching elements to the campaign: their very personal signatures and their emotional acuity.

Subtle refinements

To preserve its charming persuasiveness, the campaign was subtly evolved. The visual message was supplemented with a slightly provocative statement that emphasizes the timelessness and exclusivity of the brand: “You never actually own a Patek Philippe, you merely look after it for the next generation.” The advertising layouts were modified and updated year after year. Some themes provided opportunities to deliberately highlight the nature of certain collections, for example the 2006 “Boat” visual heralded the new Nautilus and the 30th anniversary of this casually elegant family of watches.

The audience’s curiosity and interest kept growing, specific, product-related information followed. The launch of the Twenty 4® in 1999 kicked off another signature campaign that targeted women. Although women also responded emphatically to the “Generations” campaign, their decision to purchase a watch is often based on slightly different premises.

Incomparably successful

More than ten years after it was first presented, the “Generations” campaign enjoys continued and unprecedented success. Indeed, only few theme campaigns of such longevity exist. This timelessness originates primarily from its strong central message: “Patek Philippe expresses a universal truth, an emotional realm that is valid for every father and every son in every culture,” explains Tim Delaney. In the meantime, the “Generations” theme has become part of the Patek Philippe brand. The effect of the campaign is also based on what it achieves: it inimitably expresses how customers feel about the brand and how they relate to their watches – quite apart from the material aspect. In fact, Patek Philippe retailers have welcomed many customers who introduced themselves by saying “I would like to begin my own tradition.” To no small measure, the success of the campaign stems from the fundamental values for which the manufacture stands, in particular from its status as a family business that is also being handed down from father to son – with the ambition to keep building the world’s finest watches for future generations.

Source: Patek Philippe

www.patek.com
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