August 26, 2018
CITIZEN nominates tennis pro Naomi Osaka
as new brand ambassador.
CITIZEN signs on Naomi Osaka — one of Japan’s top-ranked tennis professionals — as its newest brand ambassador.
Under the brand statement “Better Starts Now,” which encapsulates the belief that no matter who you are and what you do, it is always possible to make something better — and now is the time to start doing it, CITIZEN embarks on a new pivotal brand initiative since its foundation a hundred years ago in 1918. Always pursuing the discovery of new possibilities in watchmaking through industry-leading technologies and unequivocal skills as a manufacture d’horlogerie, CITIZEN’s new century of excellence starts now.
In the same spirit of striving to become ever better, tennis professional Naomi Osaka is the ideal “Better Starts Now” symbol to demonstrate an uncompromising drive to become the top of her game worldwide without the pretension that sometimes comes with fame and accomplishment.
Says Toshio Tokura, President and CEO of CITIZEN Watch Co. Ltd, “I’m honored to have Naomi Osaka join us as our new brand ambassador. Her dynamic spirit of advancing forward shares the same essence of our brand spirit. People around the world are taking notice of her powerful moves and imagination. Likewise, we would like to demonstrate exciting new products based on expertise and innovation.”
“I am delighted to be a part of the auspicious team of CITIZEN brand ambassadors,” says Naomi. “Better Starts Now fits perfectly with my philosophy of taking on new challenges to reach the top of the world as a tennis sports representative. I hope my CITIZEN watch becomes a personal lucky charm from now on” she adds.
CITIZEN continues to support athletes of various sports from figure skating, table tennis to rugby, who represent not only Japan but other countries as well, in their pursuit of sports excellence. This integral spirit of always striving to improve befittingly aligns with the company’s deep-rooted philosophy of constant innovation as a true manufacture d’horlogerie throughout all phases of manufacturing from design and production of movement components to the watch’s final assembly.
Naomi Osaka continues to advance in the sport, challenging top players from around the world. As a young and energetic professional, she has a prominent future ahead, which makes her an ideal partner for CITIZEN’s “Better Starts Now” brand communication. For further information about Naomi as our brand ambassador, please visit the promotional website to be launched on August 27.
Naomi plans to participate in the US Open Tennis Championships beginning August 27, wearing her CITIZEN Eco-Drive Bluetooth BZ4006-01E watch. As one of the major four grand slam tournaments, the US Open Tennis Championships is held in New York every year.
Eco-Drive Bluetooth BZ4006-01E.
To be launched this autumn.
See your local CITIZEN website from the global site.
About Naomi Osaka
Born on October 16, 1997 in Osaka, Japan to a Haitian father and a Japanese mother. Moved to the U.S. at the age of three and currently resides in Florida. Started tennis taught by her father, joined the International Tennis Federation (ITF) tournaments at the age of fourteen, and turned professional in 2013. Qualified for the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) tour championship in July of 2014 at the Bank of the West Classic for the first time. In January 2016, at the Australian Open, qualified to enter her first Grand Slam, rolling into the third round and achieved into the top 100 of the WTA rankings. In the same year, reached the third round of the French Open and US Open as well. In October 2016, at the Toray Pan Pacific Open, reached her first WTA final and moved into the top 40 of WTA rankings. Won “Newcomer of the Year” at the 2016 WTA Awards, an award given to the player who made the biggest breakthrough. In March of 2018, became the first Japanese woman to win the Indian Wells Masters in California, U.S., also known as BNP Paris Open — the Premier Mandatory category — widely considered the second biggest event in tennis, right behind the Grand Slam, joining the ranks of worldwide top players. A must-watch up-and-coming player with a powerful serve, Naomi takes advantage of her 180cm height and forceful forehand. Ranked as No. 19 in the tennis world as of August 20, 2018.
About CITIZEN WATCH
CITIZEN WATCH, marked its 100th anniversary in 2018, is a true manufacture d'horlogerie with a comprehensive manufacturing process that extends from creating a watch’s individual components to its final assembly. The company operates in more than 130 countries around the world. Since its founding in 1918, CITIZEN have held the belief of “Better Starts Now” — that is, no matter who you are and what you do, it is always possible to make something better, and now is the time to start doing it. Sharing this belief, we have made watches, invented and improved technologies and explored the future of watches such as our propriety light-powered Eco-Drive technologyand state-of-the-art satellite-synchronised timekeeping.