LeBron James wearing Rolex

[00pumpkin]

I'm surprised he would wear on National Television.

[texex91]

He's not AP Ambassador anymore.

[00pumpkin]

Originally Posted by texex91

He's not AP Ambassador anymore.

10-4

I didn't know that.

[brandrea]

Tough to tell, is that a YM2?

[h999r]

yes YM 2

[GB-man]

Originally Posted by texex91

He's not AP Ambassador anymore.

Probably wanted more money.

[osamu]

Thought he was wearing an AP last game or maybe a few games ago. I guess he's free to wear whatever he wants now.

[edo]

From marketing side AP have done too much mistakes in previous years for such a company.

As I know old brand ambassadors as Schumi, Montoya, Rubens, Trulli were truly passionate about watches, and then AP followed Hublot model... They looked at globally most popular individual and team sports and engaged best watch contract free players. So we had Messi, Lebron and Novak Djokovic... two of them got their signature watches in a short period of time. Djokovic contract ended very quickly... I follow football on daily basis and never seen Messi doing a lot for AP, and now the Lebron story is probably over.

For me best ambassador business model in watch world is done by Richard Mille. All of them are part of team that develop the watch, they wore the watch on every match/game they play, on all public events and most of them wear RM watches in real life :)

Don't know number of millions Nadal contract is worth, but compare it with PR value of hundreds of hours it's been televised through every match, press conferences, public events it's surely a bargain for RM :).. well, all of the 27-01 are sold for insane amount of $ in a short period of time, and the same will be with 27-02...

[texex91]

Originally Posted by edo

From marketing side AP have done too much mistakes in previous years for such a company.

As I know old brand ambassadors as Schumi, Montoya, Rubens, Trulli were truly passionate about watches, and then AP followed Hublot model... They looked at globally most popular individual and team sports and engaged best watch contract free players. So we had Messi, Lebron and Novak Djokovic... two of them got their signature watches in a short period of time. Djokovic contract ended very quickly... I follow football on daily basis and never seen Messi doing a lot for AP, and now the Lebron story is probably over.

For me best ambassador business model in watch world is done by Richard Mille. All of them are part of team that develop the watch, they wore the watch on every match/game they play, on all public events and most of them wear RM watches in real life :)

Don't know number of millions Nadal contract is worth, but compare it with PR value of hundreds of hours it's been televised through every match, press conferences, public events it's surely a bargain for RM :).. well, all of the 27-01 are sold for insane amount of $ in a short period of time, and the same will be with 27-02...

I don't disagree with the RM comment--they do it better than ANYONE...period.

I did discuss this matter with AP a few weeks ago, and they assured me that 'mistakes have been made in the past', but I think you will see a more 'concentrated' effort in the future for ambassadors. You'll notice though they are 95% golf centric right now, which I think is a mistake. Glad to see some of these other 'ambassadors' no longer with AP...think they are headed in the right direction

[Jakx]

Originally Posted by edo

From marketing side AP have done too much mistakes in previous years for such a company.

As I know old brand ambassadors as Schumi, Montoya, Rubens, Trulli were truly passionate about watches, and then AP followed Hublot model... They looked at globally most popular individual and team sports and engaged best watch contract free players. So we had Messi, Lebron and Novak Djokovic... two of them got their signature watches in a short period of time. Djokovic contract ended very quickly... I follow football on daily basis and never seen Messi doing a lot for AP, and now the Lebron story is probably over.

For me best ambassador business model in watch world is done by Richard Mille. All of them are part of team that develop the watch, they wore the watch on every match/game they play, on all public events and most of them wear RM watches in real life :)

Don't know number of millions Nadal contract is worth, but compare it with PR value of hundreds of hours it's been televised through every match, press conferences, public events it's surely a bargain for RM :).. well, all of the 27-01 are sold for insane amount of $ in a short period of time, and the same will be with 27-02...

Good points. It's also important to remember that RM's sweet spot in terms of clientele is slightly smaller compared to AP's. Of course the ones who started it all are sitting right there at François-Dussaud with the like of Jackie Stewart, Arnold Palmer, Jean-Claude Killy and now RF. These people have done so much for the brand, it's going to be hard for anyone else to topple that.

[benlee]

I wonder how well the Lebron James LE has been selling? Hardly seen them around and I can't even recall an incoming here.

[AMCK87]

Originally Posted by benlee

I wonder how well the Lebron James LE has been selling? Hardly seen them around and I can't even recall an incoming here.

I don't recall them being too popular when they initially came out either. A couple local ADs in NY had them in stock a couple months ago, not great for a LE.

[el1125]

LBJ is killing me. First he leaves Miami then he leaves AP. He's a sellout. Lol. But Prob the greatest bball player I'll ever get to see in my lifetime.

[conkers]

My application to be an AP brand ambassador was rejected sadly.

[texex91]

Originally Posted by conkers

My application to be an AP brand ambassador was rejected sadly.

I know Roger they were considering a Hong Kong based financial broker, but maybe something got lost in the paperwork

[conkers]

My handicap of 22, on a good day, didn't quite cut it!

[Hairdude1]

Originally Posted by conkers

My application to be an AP brand ambassador was rejected sadly.

Sorry to hear buddy

[GB-man]

Originally Posted by edo

From marketing side AP have done too much mistakes in previous years for such a company.

As I know old brand ambassadors as Schumi, Montoya, Rubens, Trulli were truly passionate about watches, and then AP followed Hublot model... They looked at globally most popular individual and team sports and engaged best watch contract free players. So we had Messi, Lebron and Novak Djokovic... two of them got their signature watches in a short period of time. Djokovic contract ended very quickly... I follow football on daily basis and never seen Messi doing a lot for AP, and now the Lebron story is probably over.

For me best ambassador business model in watch world is done by Richard Mille. All of them are part of team that develop the watch, they wore the watch on every match/game they play, on all public events and most of them wear RM watches in real life :)

Don't know number of millions Nadal contract is worth, but compare it with PR value of hundreds of hours it's been televised through every match, press conferences, public events it's surely a bargain for RM :).. well, all of the 27-01 are sold for insane amount of $ in a short period of time, and the same will be with 27-02...

I feel the only mistakes being made are on the "LE" watches they pump out like hot cakes. As far as having a good plan before.....not sure about that it's pretty narrow just like it is now with golf except before we had drivers.

How involved are Rafa and bubba with the watches? Sounds like marketing bs to me but I will admit they are some cool pieces. I just can't imagine they have the time to get involved in watch design any more than a meeting at the headquarters to take some promo pics .

[edo]

Originally Posted by texex91

I don't disagree with the RM comment--they do it better than ANYONE...period.

I did discuss this matter with AP a few weeks ago, and they assured me that 'mistakes have been made in the past', but I think you will see a more 'concentrated' effort in the future for ambassadors. You'll notice though they are 95% golf centric right now, which I think is a mistake. Glad to see some of these other 'ambassadors' no longer with AP...think they are headed in the right direction

Good to hear, and let's see what future brings. About golf ambassadors, as I said in previous thread they are just walking bilboard or walking hat with AP logo. honestly I'm not that much into golf but I can't see that they do a lot for the brand. I think for company with such heritage customer engagement like in your visit to Le Brassus is way to go.

Originally Posted by Lausanne

Good points. It's also important to remember that RM's sweet spot in terms of clientele is slightly smaller compared to AP's. Of course the ones who started it all are sitting right there at François-Dussaud with the like of Jackie Stewart, Arnold Palmer, Jean-Claude Killy and now RF. These people have done so much for the brand, it's going to be hard for anyone else to topple that.

There is lot of very interesting things about RM business model. Not something you learn in university... we can call him lucky, but he did it his way... I will post some interesting quotes by mr Mille from RAKE RM special edition in RM thread.

Originally Posted by GB-man

I feel the only mistakes being made are on the "LE" watches they pump out like hot cakes. As far as having a good plan before.....not sure about that it's pretty narrow just like it is now with golf except before we had drivers.

How involved are Rafa and bubba with the watches? Sounds like marketing bs to me but I will admit they are some cool pieces. I just can't imagine they have the time to get involved in watch design any more than a meeting at the headquarters to take some promo pics .

They wear all watches during their sport performance, so it involve lot of testing prior official launch including specific case shape, use of materials to final movement endurance test regarding specific golf/tennis/running movements... Of course Rafa doesn't give inputs to R&P how to design the movement... at the end of the day it's business, but as every other thing you can do it with passion and RM ambassadors and RM himself looks way more passionate than it's case with other brands.

[orangedial]

Originally Posted by conkers

My application to be an AP brand ambassador was rejected sadly.

What a big loss for AP... Are they out of their minds?

[mspeed76]

this is great discussion.

hopefully AP has indeed learned from their past choices (LBJ, Djokovic) and taken a page out of RM's marketing strategy... And continue to develop high end pieces with a unique functionality appropriate to that genre.

the schumi laptimer perfectly aligns the genuine passion of an ambassador with APs mastery

and compared to RM's Nadal pieces, is actually a bargain lol

[thomaspp]

I hate to say it, but I prefer that YM2 to the AO ROO LeBron Special Ed.

[texex91]

Originally Posted by thomaspp

I hate to say it, but I prefer that YM2 to the AO ROO LeBron Special Ed.

I think most people like anything but the LeBron LE--I think was a mistake for AP IMHO

[Abdullasaif]

I actually like the color scheme of the Lebron AP, never liked how AP had many random ambassadors it was more marketing and money making ambassadors than people who cared about watches and how they were made. I have to agree with edo about the messi thing i have never seen messi wearing an AP outside AP promotion related things.

[deluxetime]

Jay Z is super passionate about APs thats why at some point they gave him his limited edition watch (and because he is the best rapper alive :)). And this is before Hublot giving out LEs to basically everybody. And Jay z still raps, talks and wears what he likes. Thats the kind of ambassador I really like. And you read from other artists that jayz was the one that introduced them to AP.

I think brand ambassadors have to be diverse and not only in golf and then take someone special, great at something but also who really ads value to the watch itself.

[Koi6715]

Well golf ambassadors got me into the brand following the likes of Rory, poulter G Mac Clarke and Jimenez
That's where my first exposure to the brand came from

[bayerische]

[locutus49]

We will reconsider it.

Originally Posted by conkers

My application to be an AP brand ambassador was rejected sadly.