The Japanese watch brand has signed a two-year deal with the rugby union organisation.
Seiko has been the official watch supplier of the Wallabies Australian rugby union team for the last three years, awarding watches to the Man of the Match for international test games played on home soil.
Under new terms, Seiko will continue supplying the watches for games but will also increase match-day presence through LED signage, advertisements and ‘big screen’ TVCs.
Stuart Smith, group marketing manager of Seiko Australia, believed the collaboration would benefit the company’s 950 Australian stockists by aligning them with a local, iconic brand name that has global recognition.
“The branding association [with the Wallabies] will be beneficial across the extended market,” Smith said. “The sponsorship will allow us unique engagement with millions of passionate, high-income rugby fans across multiple touch-points – from grass roots to professional sport.”
Smith added there was a strong parallel between both party’s target audience, which he described as being skewed more towards the affluent male demographic.
Commenting further on the partnership, Seiko Australia managing director Toru Koizumi stated: “Seiko is excited to extend its association with the Australian Rugby Union and the Qantas Wallabies. The Qantas Wallabies are a brand recognised around the world as a successful and professional team. Seiko has a strong history of sports involvement and the Qantas Wallabies add further strength to our commitment of sport.”
The announcement was made on 20 May and there will be visible ground signage at the first test match in Brisbane when the Wallabies play England on June 11.
As part of a new digital marketing strategy, Seiko branding will appear on rugby.com.au and coverage of Man of the Match on Facebook and Instagram.
Smith said he was also pleased with the trading performance at Australia’s first Seiko brand-only store in Sydney, which opened two months ago.
“We are optimistic about the potential benefits boutique stores deliver in showing the best of Seiko – products, visual merchandising and customer service,” he said.
As well as the Wallabies partnership, Seiko is the “official timing partner” for both the City2Surf and Sydney Half Marathon running events.
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