Loading ...Rangers in partership with Ebel
RANGERS chief executive Martin Bain has heralded a new partnership with luxury Swiss watch brand Ebel
Rangers have joined Ebel’s ever-expanding portfolio of long-term sponsorship agreements with top-class European football teams.
Last year Arsenal became the first member of what is rapidly becoming the most exclusive family in football and since then Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Ajax and Lyon have joined them. Now Rangers will represent Scotland among this elite group of clubs who are the first to sign comprehensive partnership agreements with a high-end Swiss watch company.
Chief executive Bain said: “Ebel has strong brand values around quality, tradition and professionalism. When we started discussing the partnership it was clear these are as important as football success. In today’s times, global brand owners are researching partners much more and it is pleasing that Rangers have become partners with Ebel as we pride ourselves on quality and tradition.
“Arsenal, Ajax and Bayern Munich are three of Europe’s biggest clubs so it is pleasing that Ebel looked across Europe and felt comfortable that Rangers sat equally alongside such icons.
“Sponsorship is increasingly about creating a partnership and with Ebel it’s not just about cash. They have also funded some of the media enhancements which improve the football experience and have donated watches for club charitable events.
“They also took a sophisticated approach to targeting and acknowledged it was better to install a quality display case at Ibrox and Murray Park than go for a broad brush approach due to the nature of the product.
“By doing this, Ebel has immediately imbedded itself in the Rangers environment and moved beyond simple badging to creating opportunities that fans will appreciate and respect. We are seeing similar approaches being adopted by other global brand owners that we are in discussions with.”
In the early 1990s a giant Ebel clock was mounted at Ibrox Stadium. This season a new digital Ebel clock has been positioned in exactly the same spot.
The production of a special limited edition Ebel watch, to be launched in November 2008 and featuring a discreet Rangers insignia is already at an advanced stage and Head of Commercial Affairs for Rangers Stuart Cain said: “We are delighted to begin this partnership with Ebel as our Official Timekeeping Partner. It’s an exciting new chapter for football and I’m convinced of the long-term benefits that Rangers can derive from such a prestigious association.”
Ebel is producing a watch from its new 1911 Tekton range featuring an exclusive movement specifically designed for football and issued in limited editions bearing the insignia of each club.
The Caliber 245 times each half of a match (”245″ standing for 2 x 45 minutes) and also indicates extra time. Reading off elapsed time is easy thanks to the oversized 45-minute counter while the crystal case-back will feature an exclusive skeleton oscillating weight in the shape of a football.
The Caliber 245 is a world première as it is the first proprietary movement ever to keep step with football match time. Each special edition will be sold in a customized and luxurious box and Ebel has worked closely with the clubs in developing highly emblematic versions for each one.
The Rangers limited edition, along with those of Bayern Munich and Arsenal, will be the very first Ebel football watch to be launched worldwide this autumn, while the Ajax, Real Madrid and Olympique Lyonnais watches will be launched in 2009.
Leave a Reply