Omega Watches Moving Into the UK Spotlight

Omega watches and James Bond have long been onscreen partners. When Pierce Bronson became the face of James Bond, the Omega Seamaster Quartz Professional became the watch he wore. In 2002, for the 40th anniversary of Bond movies, a commemorative edition of about 10,000 of these watches was produced. The blue watch dial, band, and caseback all have the 007 logo inscribed on them. Daniel Craig, the new Bond man, also wears the Seamaster. Although Mr. Bond and his trustworthy Omega are partners in crime, this type of “product placement” as it is known, has actually officially been banned in England for almost 50 years. Finally, this week, the government is expected to lift this ban. On Wednesday, English Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw is expected to announce that commercial broadcasters will, for the first time in decades, be allowed to advertise products within their own programs. Once this ban is lifted, this watch retailer will have to pay to have its luxury watches worn and visibly seen on 007’s wrist (when the movie plays in the U.K.) The English movie industry will see a new source of revenue: advertising dollars from those brands that want their products on the “big screen. Hollywood and U.S. laws have always been a proponent of product placement, knowing that it’s an extra way for money to be made. In a country where advertisers spend millions of dollars for ads that last mere seconds (the Super Bowl), it’s not uncommon to see actors wearing certain watches (Angelina Jolie wore a Tissot T –Touch in “Mr. & Mrs. Smith), or drinking certain beverages, like soda or alcohol. Take “American Idol”, the most watched show on American TV, as another example. When broadcast in the U.S. you can clearly see the large Coca-Cola cups sitting in front of each of the judges. In the U.K., the Coke logo is blacked out when the show is aired. For those who live in England; stay tuned, soon you’ll see Omega watches shining brightly and proudly!see more replique rolex and Chopard