• Brandweek, Monday, October 22, 2007 11 AM

Seiko will shell out $20 million in the next year to push the message that its watches are stylish as well as functional. The global campaign themed "Me," will break on TV next month and also run in November issues of magazines like InStyle, Lucky and Maxim. About half of the total spend will be in the U.S. "Seiko is a 120-plus-year-old company that has been known primarily for function, not fashion," says Les Perry, executive vice president for sales and marketing at Seiko USA. "We want consumers to know the Seiko brand now stands for image and lifestyle as well as technology and reliability."

The brand's main customers have been men 45 to 60, but it wants to reach a different demo -- younger consumers and women -- and play in the higher price-point range.

The TV spot is for the $500-plus Coutura line, while most of the print ads tout Velatura, the company's new $500-plus watch collection, a category that is among the fastest-growing luxury segments. Ads run through Christmas and new creative will be out in 2008.

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