Anyone know? Thanks.

 

One can speculate! I have never seen a Bond movie. But I understand that the particular Bond movie in which this Omega appeared, was also the movie that a BMW roadster appeared. Coca Cola, PepsiCo, cigarette manufacturers, armaments manufacturers, they all are prepared to pay big money to have their product featured in movies, but also to keep other maker's products OUT of some movies. Think of Men in Black, the movie in which the actors were wearing Hamilton Ventura replicas! That didn't happen by accident. Omega watches appeared in the movie The Edge, as did a vintage Hamilton pocket watch (which, I have heard, is now owned by Anthony Hopkins). And the Bond movie where Bond wore a Rolex!

 

I heard Rolex refused to supply them free watches and they lost out to Omega..but seems unlikely given the long term affect!

 

I read that the costume designer wanted to refresh the image and since omega has been tied with the British navy, Bond would naturally have an omega.

 

Yeah, and my sources tell me that when (Sean Connery's) Bond dressed up for dinner with M near Whitehall (MI6 Headquarters), he strapped on his 9k Dennison-cased dress model. But when he was at a Casino in Monaco, it was always 18k Swiss.

 

Goldfinger created movie tie in craze from fans: Corgi toys, lunch boxes, etc. Movie studios later created product placement as sponsorship/revenue stream. If you see an Omega, coke can, or any other named product in a film shot you have witnessed product placement. Almost all products viewed are placed in a scene for a fee. It's a large revenue source for the film. Omega stepped up to pay for the air time. Think $ millions for the product placement, but it pays off with increased watch sales.

 

This is closest to my belief and understanding as well.
Remember that in 1995 another bond movie was a gamble... License to kill had flopped, and it had been 5 yrs in between films... Omega was approached, and I'm sure got a bargain...(not as much of a bargain when contract needed renegotiating)

Pierce Brosnan actually resisted, and wanted Bond to wear a Cartier ( his choice at the time, and the watch given to him by his late wife)

Goldeneye was a success, and then things accelerated..
Tomorrow never dies budget was completely covered by product placement money...

Omega had paid much less than you'd think (less than $1million for Daniel Craig bond movies- although more for Spectre from what I am told)
And the famous "Rolex?.." "No, Omeeega" line on the train ... Omega had nothing to do with it...

 

This is exactly what I read somewhere. I believe it was on reddit not so long ago but I can't seem to find the post

 

Beat me to it.

 

I am glad they did, the SMP really put Omega back on the map and led to a revival of sorts.

 

As I understand is it wasn't the costume designer but Barbara Broccoli that wanted a slightly.more elegant watch than a Rolex ( last Bond before Brosnan where Rolex)

Then the pitch for money came into play. I know Rolex did not supply a watch for Cannery which is why the famous Rolex on Nato was so clearly a used and weathered watch, it belong to one of the camera operators.

Now on Spectre we've reached TV commercial levels of placement and advertising. From the cars to the clothes to the watches and the drinks. A bit much.

 

My understanding is that it was definitely the costume designer - Linda Hemming - But I've also hear that Tag was approached, and Omega may have been one of several companies to which the studio had reached out ... ( kind of like Nasa Sending out a rfp to multiple watch companies for a watch that would ultimately be used on the mission)

I also had always thought that Cubby Broccoli himself gave Connery the Rolex off of his wrist to wear in the scene...

Then again, I've been wrong before (just ask my wife)...


The thing about the product placement in Bond films... as with most things Bond, I make an exception...its almost become part of the fun..
its just as expected/anticipated as the "shaken not stirred", and "Bond, James Bond"...

Its almost reached that level of self-parody.. that only truly works if there is self-awareness... Which is why the Craig films (other than CR) have always fallen a bit flat for me...at least Brosnan always seemed like he was in on the joke...

 

Interesting...I always felt Brosnan, while being an excellent actor, was the weakest Bond.

 

True.

One of my favorite lines on Casino Royale

"I'll have a Vodka Martini"
"Shaken or stirred?"
"Do I look like I give a damn?"

On the rest...who knows? bottom line is someone thought to change it and make a good buck out of it and they did...and worked.

 

what's amazing is that the product placement for Omega did work out so well.
but for 007 to drive BMWs instead of Aston Martins is pure sacrilege.