Four Stars Come Out for TAG Heuer as the Luxury Watchmaker Unveils its 2005 Brand Ambassadors and New Ad Campaign Fusing Sport and Glamour

Four Stars Come Out for TAG Heuer as the Luxury Watchmaker Unveils its 2005 Brand Ambassadors and New Ad Campaign Fusing Sport and Glamour -- Uma Thurman, Tiger Woods, Maria Sharapova, and Jeff Gordon Are Presented by Patrick Demarchelier in the TAG Heuer 'What Are You Made Of' Advertising Campaign -- NEW YORK, Jan. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- In its quest for the best, TAG Heuer, the LVMH (Moet Hennessy - Louis Vuitton) watchmaking company, unveils its four newest brand ambassadors -- film superstar Uma Thurman, golf legend Tiger Woods, tennis champion Maria Sharapova, and NASCAR icon Jeff Gordon -- in the 2005 TAG Heuer "What Are You Made Of" advertising campaign captured by world-renowned fashion photographer Patrick Demarchelier. By adding Uma Thurman and Maria Sharapova to its roster of brand ambassadors, TAG Heuer broadens the positioning of its brand from sports inspired to sports, fashion and glamour directed. In addition to being featured in the TAG Heuer advertising campaign, the new ambassadors will also have an active role in new product development, public relations and visual marketing. (Photos: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050111/NYTU058-ahttp://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050111/NYTU058-b ) "Our prestigious roster of 2005 brand ambassadors and fashion-oriented ad campaign are representative of the brand and create a fusion of sport and glamour as its key message point," says Jean-Christophe Babin, TAG Heuer Worldwide President and CEO. "We have brought together the most extraordinary team of ambassadors ever assembled by a luxury brand for conveying this image and inspiring new product development." "With our new campaign and new product collections, TAG Heuer strengthens its position as a leading luxury watch that is equally appealing to men as to women," adds Daniel Lalonde, TAG Heuer NA President and CEO. "Our ambassadors have shown extraordinary character, talent and ability in being the best in their fields, making them unsurpassed partners for TAG Heuer." In blending Hollywood superstardom and top-ranking sports champions, TAG Heuer further defines its "What Are You Made Of" campaign to strongly identify the watchmaker by fusing sports-inspired, highly-stylized, and distinctive designs with glamour and fashion. By asking this leading question, TAG Heuer allows the personification of its brand ambassadors to portrait the company's signature characteristics and qualities that strongly appeal to both men and women. No stranger to Hollywood, TAG Heuer partnered with Steve McQueen as the brand's long-standing ambassador for the Monaco chronograph. He immortalized the blue squared-off chronograph by wearing it in the 1970 hit movie Le Mans. Intelligent, glamorous and passionate, Uma Thurman personifies the myriad richness of the TAG Heuer woman. A charismatic performer, Golden Globe winner and Oscar nominee for her extraordinary performance in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, she inspired and seduced audiences in countless movies, starting in 1988 with Terry Gilliam's The Adventures of Baron Munchausen and Stephen Frears' Dangerous Liaisons. In her most recent roles, Quentin Tarantino's blockbuster double bill of Kill Bill 1 (2003) and Kill Bill 2 (2004), she demonstrates the athletic sensibility and timing of a professional athlete. According to Ms. Thurman, "I like the image of becoming the TAG Heuer woman. She is simultaneously strong, yet feminine, energetic, determined, and seductive." Tiger Woods is one of the greatest sports champions of all time. Through his style and results, he perfectly epitomizes TAG Heuer core prestige and performance values, which have driven its successful product and marketing initiatives since the company's founding. He embodies pure performance, integrity, and competitive drive. These are the attributes that make him the perfect TAG Heuer ambassador. Mr. Woods notes, "It is an honor to be associated with TAG Heuer, and on launching the first Tiger Woods watch, making a significant contribution to golfers." Jeff Gordon personifies winning as a four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, two-time Daytona 500 winner, and four-time Brickyard 400 winner. He combines determination, skill and competitiveness to achieve an unparalleled number of victories, rising to the top of the racing world. "I'm very excited about becoming a TAG Heuer brand ambassador and being associated with a luxury brand. TAG Heuer's exclusive technology and experience has always ensured the ultimate accuracy and reliability in timekeeping, making seconds count," states Jeff Gordon. Tennis champion Maria Sharapova becomes TAG Heuer's youngest brand ambassador. In just two seasons, she became one of the top-ranking tennis players in the world and the winner of the 2004 Wimbledon and WTA year-end championships. Ms. Sharapova has made her mark on the pro tennis circuit, quickly advancing to the number four spot and winning two of the biggest tournaments in championship tennis. According to the 17-year-old Russian tennis star and third youngest Wimbledon Champion in WTA history, "To represent a brand as legendary as TAG Heuer is a privilege. I am thrilled to become a TAG Heuer brand ambassador. To me, TAG Heuer is a perfect fit because I love fine watches, glamour and winning. I look forward to building a strong relationship with TAG Heuer in the coming years." The "What Are You Made Of" campaign is an integrated media campaign, produced by Holistic Communications of Marin, Switzerland, consisting of ads to be seen on the pages of leading fashion, lifestyle and sports publications, as well as other media including interactive, billboards and direct marketing. Patrick Demarchelier was selected as the photographer for this campaign because of his artistic photographic genius and unprecedented ability to portrait fashion and beauty as fine art. TAG Heuer, the benchmark in prestigious sports watches and chronographs since 1860, currently ranks as the fourth luxury brand in the world watch market and number two in the US. The Swiss watchmaking legend draws from its active engagement in the world of sports to create the most accurate measuring instruments and sports-inspired timepieces ever made. From the Olympic Games in the 1920s to its new role as official timekeeper and chronograph for the legendary Indy 500 and IRL championship, TAG Heuer has maintained a constant quest for innovation and excellence, pursuing the summit of performance and prestige. This is reflected in its partnerships with Team McLaren Mercedes in Formula 1 racing; with Tiger Woods at the highest levels of international golf; with Juan-Pablo Montoya and Kimi Raikkonen at the top of Formula 1; and NASCAR icon Jeff Gordon. Together with tennis champion Maria Sharapova and Hollywood superstar Uma Thurman, TAG Heuer more than ever stands for "Sport and Glamour." TAG Heuer is a fully-owned Company of LVMH (Moet Hennessy - Louis Vuitton), the world leader in Luxury Goods. TAG Heuer North America Press Contact: Livia Marotta - Tel: 973 467 1890, ext 271 - livia.marotta@tagheuer.com Cathy Callegari - Tel: 212 579 1370 - callpr@aol.com TAG Heuer Canada: Chris Hollinrake, Birchall & Associates, Inc. Tel: 905 814-8893 - hollinrake@rogers.com Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050111/NYTU058-a http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050111/NYTU058-b AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/ AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN4 PRN5 PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com Source: Tag Heuer CONTACT: TAG Heuer North America: Livia Marotta, +1-973-467-1890, ext. 271, livia.marotta@tagheuer.com, or Cathy Callegari, +1-212-579-1370, callpr@aol.com; or TAG Heuer Canada: Chris Hollinrake, Birchall & Associates, Inc., +1-905 814-8893, hollinrake@rogers.com ------- Profile: International Entertainment