Press Release TAG Heuer: Joseph Schooling Is TAG Heuer’s New Friend Of The Brand

Singapore’s 1st Olympic Gold Medalist partners TAG Heuer  

TAG Heuer has named Joseph Schooling, Singapore’s first-ever Olympic gold medalist, as its newest Friend of the Brand. The swimmer will be fronting the TAG Heuer Aquaracer, which is the brand’s ultimate sports watch inspired by the aquatic world. The Aquaracer watches are dynamic, sporty and extremely versatile. 

The brand’s involvement and commitment to the world of sports convinced Schooling that the brand shares the same philosophy as he does. There is also an emotional layer to his decision: The first Swiss watch that Schooling owned was a TAG Heuer timepiece, gifted to him from his parents. Colin and May Schooling are TAG Heuer collectors themselves, possessing an Aquagraph, the predecessor to today’s Aquaracer, a vintage Heuer Monaco, amongst others. So, Schooling, the gifted swimmer from a young age, grew up in the company of top-notch TAG Heuer timepieces.

Born in 1995 to May and Colin Schooling in Singapore, Schooling won the hearts of Singaporeans and international swim fans by snagging the 100m butterfly gold medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. With a time of 50.39 seconds, he set a new Olympic record, beating multiple Olympic-medal winner Michael Phelps’ record of 50.58 seconds set at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

“I’m deeply honored to be appointed a Friend of TAG Heuer. As a professional athlete, I face many different types of situations, some of which pushes me into a corner and to the brink of cracking. But only the strongest succeed. That’s why I live by and resonate with the philosophy of #DONTCRACKUNDERPRESSURE, which is TAG Heuer’s tagline. Through this partnership, I hope TAG Heuer and I can encourage and inspire the younger generation to beat all odds, overcome challenges and scale greater heights,” said Schooling.

On the appointment of Schooling, Ms Amelia Sillard, Vice-President of TAG Heuer, South-East Asia said, “TAG Heuer is very proud to welcome Joseph Schooling to join our family of athletes. We saw how Joseph’s story has inspired many youths to work hard and pursue their dreams. Through him, I can see TAG Heuer connecting with the millennials and the younger generations, communicating the brand’s Avant-Garde spirit—a philosophy of doing things that pushes us to innovate, to be disruptive, and to take risks. It is a new interpretation of Don’t Crack Under Pressure which, I hope, will inspire the youths of today.”

About Joseph Schooling
Schooling’s story is one of inspiration. At the tender age of six, he already wanted to train and swim competitively. He left Singapore to train at Bolles School in the USA at 14 years old in 2009 under Spanish coach Sergio Lopez. In 2012, he made his Olympic debut at the London Olympic Games as the youngest member of Singapore’s contingent. An equipment mix-up resulted in a poor performance. A disappointed Schooling famously said: "Champions don't make excuses", and vowed to bounce back from the sub-par performance. And he did so in the 2016 Olympics with the rest being history. His story has inspired many Singaporeans, especially young swimmers, to overcome challenges and strive for success. His success did not come easy as it took many years of hard work, sacrifices and support from the people around him to get him where he is today. Schooling has recently completed his collegiate career with the University of Texas and is now ready to embark on a professional career. His next major competition is the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang in August. 

About TAG HEUER

In 1860, at the age of 20, Edouard HEUER founded his watchmaker’s workshop in the Jura Mountains of Switzerland. Creating the mikrograph in 1916, sponsoring F1 teams in the 70s or launching the first luxury connected watch in 2015 are just some examples of the major technical innovations, ultimate accuracy and passion for disruptive design that define our unique spirit. Headquartered in La Chaux-de-Fonds, TAG Heuer operates in 4 production sites, mastering the whole watchmaking process, and is active on all continents through 4500 points of sale, including 170 TAG Heuer boutiques, now directly on www.tagheuer.com in a selection of markets. TAG Heuer timepieces are designed for those who love challenges. Our influence is enriched by our unique communication strategy based on three pillars, Sport, Lifestyle and Heritage. Broad and disruptive, it embodies our legacy and DNA. Partnerships and ambassadors illustrate our open-minded and open-doors culture. The most prestigious and avant-garde names team up with TAG Heuer: RedBull Racing Formula 1 team, Monaco F1 Grand Prix, Formula E Championship, the biggest football leagues around the planet in Europe, Americas and Asia…- Manchester United; Trendsetters like it-girl Bella Hadid, the American star quarterback Tom Brady, Hollywood actors like Chris Hemsworth or Patrick Dempsey; and the first appointed Art Provocateur by a brand, Alec Monopoly! 

#DontCrackUnderPressure