Ryan Gosling, the stoically handsome heartthrob known for his roles in Drive, La La Land, and Blue Valentine, among countless others, has never signed on to a brand partnership before. It’s quite surprising, given Hollywood’s tendency to use its good looks and clout to sell us things. One would think that the actor’s chiseled, communicative face, and widespread popularity would make him a natural pitchman.
All that changed last week when Gosling struck up his first-ever partnership with Swiss watch brand, Tag Heuer. According to Gosling, it’s a brand he actually feels connected to. “Time, in general, is just something I think about a lot now,” the actor explained in the press statement. “My kids are growing up fast so I keep an eye on the clock in a way I never used to.”
To celebrate the union, Tag Heuer threw a party in Beverly Hills at a lavish mansion. (Event emcee, playwright Jeremy O. Harris, remarked that the last time he was there was for Zendaya’s birthday party). The crowd was a mix of press, L.A. socialites, actors, and some other Tag Heuer brand ambassadors, like Naomi Osaka and Patrick Dempsey, a mix perfectly suited to toast a new Hollywood deal.
To kick off the partnership, Tag Heuer launched the TAG Heuer Carrera Three Hands—a sporty and elegant three-hand watch, and shot a new campaign that pays homage to one of Gosling’s most memorable roles in the film, Drive. The film is a fitting inspiration, as the new watches recall the brand’s motor racing heritage.
According to the brand, a Gosling-designed watch is in the pipeline as well. “His involvement goes beyond a typical ambassador,” TAG Heuer CEO Frédéric Arnault said in an interview with WWD, adding, “He's going to design his own watch for himself. There are many things we're going to do together.”
