ambassador

In what is actually a highly anticipated ad campaign, Julianne Moore will soon debut as Bulgari's new leading lady. The popular Hollywood actress will be working closely with the well-known watch and jewelry brand (who actually produce quite a few other times as well) in a variety of planned advertising campaigns. The first of which will be the "Eccentric Charisma" campaign where Moore models nude or otherwise promoting the Bulgari Serpenti line among others. One series of images has the actress wearing an 115 carats of Colombian emeralds. These are in the form of a pair of earrings (that look like that have the power to pull ear lobes to the floor) See images of the earrings as well as a teaser video to the campaign here.

The award winning actress will likely help stimulate the brand that is need of such vitalization. As for me, I don't know what Moore is promoting for Bulgari in the above image, but strangely I want one... One of the new collections that Moore will be modeling are the Bulgari Serpenti collection items that I previously discussed here. The Serpenti collection is themed on snakes and scales. Adding an a degree of Egyptian exoticism to the watch, jewelry, and other accessory items. Bulgari touts the new collection as a return to the design aesthetic that made the brand famous to begin with. Plus, the connection with leading beautiful women of the world (such as the always charming and attractive Julianne Moore - the image here reminds me of Boogie Nights, I wonder why...) is a strong tactic in reaffirming the Bulgari brand as a beautiful brand, instead of just an opulent or trendy brand that has become more Bulgari's image as of late. Look for the "Eccentric Charisma" ads to appear beginning in February 2010.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

I recently mentioned that Tag Heuer affirmed its commitment to Tiger Woods as a brand ambassador. They publicly stated that they would stick by the super star as a face of the brand despite and alleged transgressions. It now looks like they might have altered their position. This is the second time this month that Tag Heuer has had to "restate" an earlier announcement. The first was in regard to the origin on their new Caliber 1887 movement.

Now Tag Heuer seems to suggest that Tiger Woods may not be in their short term future goals.We have already seen Tag Heuer pull Tiger Wood based ads, but that makes sense in the immediate given the negative publicity of Tiger's current extramarital activities. Now it looks like Tag Heuer is seriously considering their future with the golf superstar. The main reason? Not likely the current scandal. Though it helps lubricate their decision - the main rationale behind Tag Heuer's likely separation from Mr. Woods is his announcement to leave the professional world of golf for some indeterminable amount of time. Tiger's main allure was his ability to draw a large audience when he played on the greens. Now that he will withdraw from the public eye, does he really have immediate value to the popular watch brand? Several months from now when Tiger Woods hasn't been in a golf tournament in months, he will just be another rich guy in a Nike baseball cap (unless they pull out too). The bigger picture is that because Tiger Woods is exiting the world of golf for a while, he is severely jeopardizing his main income stream - endorsements.

Via World Tempus.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

The other day my colleague Alison Wellner reported on Newport, Rhode Island's Cliff Walk controversy over the much disputed public right-of-way. Not everything going on in the famed seaside town is controversial, however; on a brighter note, The George Washington Institute for Religious Freedom just celebrated the opening of the new Ambassador John L. Loeb Jr. Visitors Center (above), which has won praise for great design complementing its historical context. The Loeb Center is located at Touro Synagogue, the oldest functioning synagogue building in the nation. First dedicated in 1763, it was designed by America's first architect, Peter Harrison.

The Institute's mission is to promote awareness of the historic roots of religious liberty in America. In addition to the Loeb Visitors Center, the George Washington Institute for Religious Freedom supports educational and scholarship programs for individuals seeking to learn about and discuss the origins and development of American religious liberties. John L. Loeb Jr. is the Chairman of the George Washington Institute for Religious Freedom and is the former U.S. Ambassador to Denmark. Through the Institute, he donated both the land and the new Visitors Center building. The Loeb Center further interprets and celebrates the history and architecture of Touro Synagogue, renowned for its beauty.

The Loeb Visitors Center features interactive, multimedia exhibits exploring the meaning and importance of George Washington's 1790 Letter to the Hebrew Congregation of Newport, the first and clearest presidential expression of support for American's constitutional right to the free exercise of religious belief and the separation of church and state. Writing about the Loeb Center in the Providence Journal, architecture critic David Brussat noted, "It is obviously a classical building, yet it is unlike any other. No work of classicism could possibly depart from canon with greater dignity, hence no building could possibly fit onto a historic street with greater distinction."