Chapter 847: Top-Tier Endorsement
The clean glass walls offered a clear view of the city's skyline. It lacked the congestion of New York and the orderliness of Los Angeles but outlined a compactness and vintage charm unique to San Francisco. The steep coastline at the end of the view was faintly visible through the lingering morning mist, adding a touch of grandeur. The outline of the Golden Gate Bridge was visible, with the rolling fog receding like a scene from a fairytale.
The contract signing location for today was in the historic Montgomery Street neighborhood of San Francisco. The city center itself wasn't large; Union Square was not far, and Little Italy and Little Tokyo were nearby. This area, however, was San Francisco's commercial hub, similar to New York's Wall Street, and the soaring Transamerica Pyramid was one of the city's important landmarks.
This was San Francisco, where the intersection and blending of different cultures could be clearly felt on every street corner.
"Good morning, good morning." The glass door of the conference room opened, and a steady, strong, and magnetic voice sounded, with a hint of cheerfulness and friendliness. "I hope I haven't kept our guests waiting, or that would be my fault. Please accept my apology for not coming to greet you immediately."
"If you feel sorry, then my strategy worked. We specifically arrived twenty minutes early to gain an advantage in the negotiation," Leigh said, walking forward and making a harmless joke.
The person shook Leigh's right hand warmly. "So, is this an American joke? If we were to interpret it in a Swiss way, we would now be despising each other." The calm words didn't have many ripples, but one could feel a hint of playfulness in the tone, which was more elegant and composed.
"It's a great honor to finally meet you, Mr. Lu. I am Wolfgang Müller, and I'm here today on behalf of Rolex to welcome you and look forward to our partnership." Then, the man came up to Lu Ke and took his hand. The handshake was firm and strong but not too aggressive, showing enough sincerity.
In just one meeting, he left a deep impression.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Müller. I should say, it's my honor to have this opportunity," Lu Ke responded politely. "In fact, I'm still worried that there might be a misunderstanding between us, that you might have found the wrong person, maybe another player named Luke."
"People always say that modesty is a Chinese virtue. I think you've inherited your ancestors' traditional culture," Wolfgang's response was still polite and pleasant. "Even if we did find the wrong person, it's safe to say that the misunderstanding should be cleared up now that we've met."
This was a joke about an Asian player, but Wolfgang used a relaxed and friendly tone, which not only didn't feel offensive but also made people smile.
"But now, I should invite everyone to sit down. So, I think the misunderstanding should be cleared up," he said, using a double entendre. On the surface, he was responding to Lu Ke's "misunderstanding" from before, but the real meaning was that Lu Ke's thought was a "misunderstanding." The wisdom hidden in his words was truly unique.
Afterward, Wolfgang stepped back and made a gesture of invitation, motioning for everyone to take a seat.
"How is the view outside the window?" Wolfgang's opening line was a little unexpected. He skipped over Leigh and spoke directly to Lu Ke, and his words hinted that he had already noticed Lu Ke before he even entered the room.
Compared to a year ago with Under Armour, Lu Ke had grown up. Although he was still a little excited and nervous, he was more calm. "I finally understand why people always like to climb high. It's not just about looking down at others but also about having a far-reaching view. When the field of vision expands endlessly, such a sight is truly priceless."
Wolfgang's eyebrows raised slightly. "I didn't know you were a philosopher." The tone was positive. He then added, "In Europe, we like philosophy." The subtext was that in America, people...
The two exchanged a look, and a smile appeared in their eyes. Leigh, sitting next to them, shook his head helplessly, unable to find the words to complain.
"But not everyone can stand on top. The view from the top is beautiful because it's rare," Wolfgang added, changing the topic directly. "This is also the motto of our brand, Rolex."
Lu Ke pursed his lips and smiled, nodding gently, and teased, "A beautiful transition."
Wolfgang accepted the tease gracefully and continued, "This is also the reason why Rolex wants to partner with you, Mr. Lu." Then, Wolfgang noticed that Lu Ke seemed to be about to speak but instead turned to look at Leigh with a faint smile on his face. Wolfgang then took the initiative to say, "If you have any questions, please feel free to ask."
Leigh spread his hands, neither confirming nor denying.
Lu Ke looked away, and the smile lingered on his lips for a moment. In the end, he spoke honestly, "Why me? There are countless top-tier players and top rookies in the entire NFL. Why did you choose me?"
The reason he asked this question was because the brand was Rolex.
It should be noted that sports marketing is one of the most important ways to increase market share. Thanks to the large market share of sports, the public base of the World Cup, the Olympics, and the World Championships is unmatched. This is one of the best choices for companies to expand their influence, increase their brand awareness, and enter new markets.
Among them, the connection between watches and sports is even closer. Because time is one of the basic principles of sports events, all sports require timing. Even field events like high jump and long jump have a time limit for each attempt. This makes timing equipment an indispensable part of sports events.
Many top watch brands have been integrated into specific sports events. For example, Omega is in track and field and swimming. For tennis's four Grand Slams, Longines is in the French Open, Citizen is in the U.S. Open, and Rolex is in the Australian Open and Wimbledon. Then there's TAG Heuer in F1 racing, and so on.
Watch brands can always be seen in the most prominent places on the field, which has become their most important bargaining chip in sports marketing. The viewers of these high-end events are usually the target audience for watch manufacturers, so this is also a relatively accurate and effective marketing strategy.
Rolex is no exception.
But there is a slight difference.
Rolex's global market share is well-deservedly at the top, and it has even ranked first for many years. They don't need a large number of endorsements to expand their market. They are more focused on further delving into their brand image and depth. Therefore, they are always cautious when choosing partners for endorsements. They usually only choose a few, or even just one, of the most top-tier athletes in each sport.
Before this, Rolex had never partnered with any of the four major American sports leagues, not just the NFL but also the other three. The NBA didn't have an official timekeeping sponsor until 2016, which was Tissot.
This meant that this was the first time Rolex was officially partnering with one of the four major sports leagues, and they chose Lu Ke. Naturally, this led to Lu Ke's question:
Why?
After asking the question, Lu Ke laughed at himself and quipped, "I mean, if the answer to the question might cause today's partnership to fall through, then you don't have to answer it."
Wolfgang didn't smile. Instead, he straightened his back and showed a serious expression. It was clear that Swiss and American humor and ways of talking were indeed different. "Mr. Lu, do you know what Rolex's standard for choosing a sport is?"
Lu Ke didn't answer but showed a focused look, waiting quietly.
Wolfgang smiled and said, "We've been partnering with sailing for more than half a century. Whether it's supporting the highly competitive Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race or maintaining the traditional glory of the Rolex Super Yacht Cup, we've established a unique and close relationship with the elite of the sailing world. This is our purpose."
Although Wolfgang only mentioned one sport, more associations immediately popped up in Lu Ke's mind.
Rolex is undoubtedly one of the brands most enthusiastic about partnering with sports, even more so than other watch brands. They are involved in golf, tennis, racing, skiing, sailing, equestrianism, adventure, and more.
The common feature of these sports is that they have a certain threshold and are often associated with high-end, prestigious, or extreme challenges. As a world-class watch manufacturer, Rolex builds its brand culture step by step through long-term partnerships with top events or athletes in these sports, which further deepens its influence in its target market.
In other words, Rolex didn't partner with the NFL, NBA, and other major North American sports leagues because these sports are more civilian, more popular, and more market-driven, which is different from Rolex's brand positioning.
After a short pause, Wolfgang waited for Lu Ke to process and react before continuing, "Undoubtedly, the NFL is not only the number one sport in North America but also one of the most competitive and challenging sports in the world. Partnering with football has always been one of our goals."
"But we haven't found the right opportunity," Wolfgang said, looking at Lu Ke with a smile. "Until you appeared. You are a one-of-a-kind presence in the entire league, and we knew that the opportunity we had been waiting for had finally arrived. If we missed it, we wouldn't know when the next time would be. Do you know Rolex's brand slogan?"
A Rolex, a story.
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