Audemars brings film innovation to the streets of New York

July 19, 2017

Audemars Piguet has commissioned a 3D film aired in Times Square

Swiss watchmaker Audemars Piguet is bringing unique digital innovations and out-of-home advertising together in its latest campaign to capture the attention of the masses.

On every night in July, the electric billboards in New York’s Time Square will feature a special film commissioned by Audemars Piguet. Through the 3D animated film on the streets of New York, the watch brand is hoping to make a dramatic impact.

"We are delighted that Sun Xun’s Time Spy will be presented on the screens in Times Square this summer," said Olivier Audemars, vice chairman of the board of Audemars Piguet. "It reaffirms the importance of the Audemars Piguet Art Commission, supporting artists from all over the world to realise some of their most ambitious projects.

"Time Spy is a truly original artwork that explores complexity and precision, values that are core to our brand, and we are thrilled to see it shared on such a significant platform," he said.

Art in the sky
Artist Sun Xun has created a special animation for Audemars Piguet that stands out with the use of 3D technology. Passersby in Times Square are able to view the installation with free 3D glasses handed out on the street, every Thursday through Saturday of July.

Audemars Piguet passes out 3D glasses for the film. Image credit: Lovis Ostenrik

Running from 11:57 p.m. to midnight, “Time Spy” was filmed using thousands of individual hand-carved woodcuts. A violin with wings flying around a sky filled with rotating moons and machinery that spins turn into pressure values on a unique landscape are a few of the interesting illustrations the viewer will see.

Time Spy is rooted with many Chinese motifs, one of them being the elements earth, water, fire, metal and wood, along with Western themes.

The hand-carved woodcuts were made by hundreds Chinese art students who assisted the artist with the film.

Speaking on the subject of the film, Sun Xun explained that it is about past versus present and said, “You cannot touch yesterday; you cannot touch tomorrow. All you have is now. Now represents time. Time is invisible, it’s untouchable, but it remains the foundation of our existence."

Times Square in New York will feature the film, image credit: Lovis Ostenrik

Audemars Piguet Art Commission is supporting the piece to emphasize its alignment and loyalty to the arts. The film was unveiled at this year's Art Basel in Miami Beach.

About 17 billboards will be featuring the film every night just before midnight, which started on July 1 and will run to July 31. Audemars Piguet worked with Times Square Advertising Coalition to make the film experience possible.

Audemars and art
The Swiss watchmaker similarly celebrated the longest day with global content.

For the Summer Solstice, Audemars Piguet took consumers on a trip around the world, stopping at its international boutiques throughout the 36 hours of sunlight. While functioning as an engagement opportunity around a shared experience of the first day of summer, Audemars Piguet's event also promoted two limited-edition watches made for the season (see more).

The watchmaker also captured the balance between innovation and tradition that goes into its Royal Oak Supersonnerie timepiece through sound.

Audemars Piguet commissioned French DJ and producer Surkin to portray the striking watch’s chime in an audiovisual project under his creative entity Gener8ion. Through recorded ambient noise at Audemars Piguet’s manufacture in Le Brassus and sounds from the natural world, “Sound Awakens” tells the story of the brand’s craftsmanship through a new point of view (see more).

“Time Spy, a film that explores the passing of time and how people make sense of it, will be an exciting addition to the Crossroads of the World where tourists and New Yorkers alike come to pass the time and to explore," said Harry Coghlan, chairman of the Times Square Advertising Coalition. "Sun Xun is considered to be one of China’s most talented young artists, and we welcome his project as part of Midnight Moment.”

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