Ad Venture Begets Luxurity

One of the prerogatives I have as a blog writer is the license to create new words to express myself. So, I’ve added luxurity to my blog’s description line, “Advancing the Lore, Legacy, Luxurity and Love of Time at Hand” — luxurity meaning being luxurious or having luxury.  It comes from a personal dictionary that’s as tall as I am!

The impetus to create this linguistic form came from a recent advertisement featuring Kate Winslet for Longines® that appeared on the back cover of Time magazine’s February 17^th issue. The ad is predominantly black and white.  It contains Ms. Winslet's signature under the statement, “Elegance is an attitude.” Her head shot along side that of a horse are centered above the company name Longines® and its trademark, a flying hour glass. You can see her image although not the full ad on the company website.

The ad triggered an interest in Longines®, as a brand which has successfully combined a celebrity, a thoroughbred, and a specific watch model, the Conquest Classic in one iconic image.  I particularly like how the watch’s circular, diamond set bezel visually restates the hoop clasp on the horse’s bridle in the ad.

A morning’s research in the library and on the web turned up some back story elements of the ad’s components:

• ·     The first Longines® factory was built in 1867 in an area known as “Les Longines,” literally “the long meadows” in Switzerland.

• ·      Longines® has had a long association with promoting and sponsoring elite equestrian  events and even has films on its website showcasing these.

•   ·    The Longines® trademark has an hour glass centered between two outstretched delineated wings. For me, the use of it flying towards the viewer in the ad is reminiscent of  Pegasus, a divine winged stallion.  A spirited winner all around! 

• ·      Kate Winslet is one of Longines® eleven individual “Ambassadors,” joining six other women.

• ·     The Classic Conquest has been a staple of the company product line since 1954.  Although the one pictured in the ad is the women’s version, a more complicated men’s version is also available.  (Complications are covered in my "Face It -- It's Complicated" blog post.)

I hope you’ve enjoyed my Ad Venture musings!

Add your musings to mine. What wristwatch advertisements have resonated with you in terms of luxurity?

Update, March 3, 2014:  One of the websites I've just started following is the jewelleryeditor.  As a serendipitous follow-on to my post yesterday,  the editor of the website, Maria Doulton, showcased a feature about Ralph Lauren and his use of an equestrian stirrup  petite link design. Equestrian  design aficionados are moving from head to foot!