Wear a diamond watch, earn millions. Is this too much to ask? Apparently, it was, for Charlize Theron, who just couldn’t keep up with this arduous task.
Raymond Weil, a maker of luxury Swiss watches, slammed Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron with a lawsuit last Monday, alleging she violated an endorsement deal by wearing other designers’ watches. The actress was accused of two-timing the company by wearing a Christian Dior watch in public — a serious faux pas in light of her $20 million deal.
“When companies like Weil put eight figures behind a campaign, exclusivity is very important to the brand,” explains Ryan Schinman, president of Platinum Rye Entertainment, which deals with talent buys for corporations. “The minute she’s seen wearing a competitor’s jewelry it diminishes the entire believability of the campaign.”
However, Schinman clarifies that it’s not entirely Theron’s fault. “As far as what Charlize did I’m sure it was unintentional but it is her team’s responsibility to make sure that doesn’t happen.” And, he says, the incident will likely have repercussions in the industry. “Agents and clients are likely to be a lot more careful about policing their clients in the future,” he adds.
The 31-year-old star of “Monster” and “North Country” signed on as the face — or wrist — of a $21 advertising campaign in October 2005, apparently agreeing to wear only Raymond Weil watches in public. Theron promoted the limited edition line of diamond-covered Shine watches, which sell for about $7,000.
But her sponsors were unhappy when she turned up in a Tourneau catalogue wearing a faux diamond watch over the words, “Charlize Theron wears Dior,” as part of another endorsement deal to promote a Dior perfume.
The lawsuit does not say how much Weil is seeking in damages, but the watchmaker’s lawyer, David Jaroslawicz, says his client spent more than $20 million on the Theron advertising campaign.
Celebrity endorsing brands are getting more powerful, not only in Hollywood or the USA, but worlwide. according to some key players in the industry. Catherine Zeta-Jones for T-Mobile cell phones. Gwyneth Paltrow for Damiani jewels. Courtney Cox for Kinerase skin care, Cindy Crawford for Omega watches.
Wouldn’t you? And get paid as much as $3 million for as little as a day’s work?
Apparently the South African siren found that a little too hard to stick with.
