Wyler Genève has signed a licensing agreement to produce the official watch of the Italian national football team, almost 75 years after the pioneering Italian Wyler distributor Innocente Binda put the company’s watches on the wrists of the Squadra Azzurra for the 1934 World Cup.
When he took on the distribution of Wyler watches from the 1920s onwards, Innocente Binda started an association between the Binda family and the Wyler brand that continues to this day, with Wyler Genève now a company of the Binda Group, headed up by Innocente’s grandsons Marcello and Simone. Binda built up a solid reputation for Wyler timepieces in Italy through a visionary use of publicity. In what was arguably one of the earliest forms of celebrity endorsement, Innocente Binda offered the Italian football team Wyler watches to wear for their World Cup appearance in 1934. His prescience was rewarded by Italy’s victory and an album of meticulously handwritten compliments from each of the players, which takes pride of place today in the company archive.
To coincide with Italy’s first qualifying matches for the 2010 World Cup, Wyler Genève renews its association with the Italian team through a new licensing agreement to produce the official watch of the Italian national football team. The watch is built around the brand’s unique shock-absorbing case and bears subtle distinguishing features that are sure to appeal to Italian football fans.
Bruno Grande, Managing Director of Wyler Genève, on the partnership: "I’m immensely proud of this renewed association with the Italian football team, which takes us back to the roots of our company. The advertising slogan for our shock-absorbing chronograph is "Time Suspended" and to come back to partner with the Italian team after 75 years certainly does feel like time has been suspended."
October 13, 2008