The next chapter of the Generations campaign
New context, refreshed art direction, new media: Patek Philippe’s famous institutional advertising campaign receives a contemporary treatment, whilst remaining loyal to the original, iconic concept.
Launched in 1996, the Generations campaign has proven to be timeless, universally valid, and perfectly aligned with Patek Philippe’s values; its ongoing success and extraordinary longevity are founded on the strength of a real, human insight.
But to navigate changing trends and epochs successfully, it must be regularly updated and refreshed with subtle adjustments, much like the designs of the watches themselves.
Such an attitude comes to the fore in the innovations initiated by the manufacture for communication in the autumn of 2019.
“Modern Fatherhood” in the focus
The first significant development: an entirely new motif for the men’s campaign with the Ref. 5905 Annual Calendar Chronograph. It is intended to express the evolution in the attitude of modern men towards parenthood; likely to spend more time with their children and be more open with their emotions than previous generations may have been comfortable with. With the age bracket from 35 to 45, the generation is also somewhat younger than before in terms of focus.
Instead of portraying scenarios as in prior motifs (travel, learning, shared discoveries, etc.), the new motif - developed by famous English photographer Samuel Bradley- focuses on the father-son relationship within a more private, intimate and relaxed context.
This highly emotional focus is strengthened by the fact that the male model was photographed with his own children. “His children” in the plural, because for the first time and depending on the market, the motif presents one or two youngsters, making it possible to place a stronger emphasis on the coming generation.
The intimacy, emotion and togetherness of the three are a core theme of the film produced during the shoot. It will be viewable on multiple digital channels.
