Breitling’s “Legendary Future” traveling roadshow hit New York City on February 22-23 ? after previous stops in Munich and Zurich ? with new global CEO Georges Kern unveiling the much-discussed Navitimer 8 collection to an American audience for the first time, alongside an impressive exhibit of 60 vintage Breitling timepieces and a bevy of celebrity guests. So what do watch lovers need to know about Breitling’s future other than what we’ve already reported on in recent weeks" Here are some takeaways from Kern’s extensive press presentation that followed the Roadshow event.
Breitling CEO Georges Kern addresses the audience at the New York Roadshow event
The aviation theme stays, but the sexism goes. Breitling has become notorious in some circles for its hyper-masculine marketing, centered not just around macho scenes of daring fighter pilots but also the imagery of idealized, scantily clad women. The new marketing materials and videos we saw were notable for the absence of the latter. Breitling even made news in recent weeks for the removal of “racy” artwork, including a sculpture of a busty woman poised atop a torpedo, from its flagship New York boutique. Kern told a Swiss newspaper, ?Some customers thought they were funny. But such clips were no longer suitable and do not reflect values of today?s society.? At the presentation in New York, he juxtaposed one of the “old” video clips with a video from the upco...