One of several running stories I’ve been working on lately is a chronology of influential watch ads, and perhaps I need to add this latest campaign from Shinola to the list. The headline is that the brand’s popular Duck watch is getting a mechanical movement. In my humble opinion, that’s a pretty exciting announcement within itself whether you’re a mechanical devotee who’s loved the aesthetic of the collection but been uninterested in quartz or whether you’re mechanical-curious and looking to acquire your first model with an automatic movement.
However, Shinola decided to take things a step further with a wild launch campaign combining four personalities spanning entertainment, comedy, music, and internet culture – Tefi Pessoa, fresh off Love Island USA; Kareem Rahma, creator and host of Subway Takes and Keep the Meter Running; viral creator Benton McClintock; and New York rapper NEMS, whose ‘Bing Bong’ became an internet phenomenon. But that’s not all – somehow Cheerios (yes, the iconic cereal) is also in the mix. Let’s unpack this and how it all (supposedly) relates to the launch of this new watch. 
First and foremost, we have to get into the watch itself. The new Duck Automatic collection is making its debut in four iterations. Each offers a well-proportioned 38mm build and is topped off with Shinola’s new quick-release H-link Duck bracelet with a micro-adjust buckle. There are two in classic stainless steel, one with an alabaster hydro sunray dial with turquoise detailing and one with a black plume dial with pink and turquoise accents. For a different twist on the design, there’s also a gold PVD version with the same black plume dial but this time with turquoise and orange accents. The fourth and final version comes as part of a special limited edition gift set. This iteration is also rendered in stainless steel with a slightly different dial in black hydro sunray with simple turquoise accents. The gift set includes both the new H-link Duck bracelet and an additional Drake gray basketweave dive rubber strap.
While the campaign might have you think the celebrities are the star of the show, I believe the real spotlight should shine on the new automatic movement. Here, you have the slim Miyota 9015 caliber powering the three standalone versions in stainless steel and PVD gold and offering a power reserve of 42 hours. Alternatively, the iteration in the gift set gets an upgraded caliber with the highly exclusive Miyota 9085, which is part of the movement maker’s premium Miyota 9000 series and offers a longer power reserve of 80 hours.
Now that you know about the good stuff (the watches, obviously), you may be curious about the campaign and how this all comes full circle. According to Shinola and the brand’s new creative direction under Jonathan Bailey, the compilation of personalities across mediums is meant to celebrate “the freedom going off-script for a while: following wherever the day takes you, indulging a distraction, getting lost, touching grass, watching ducks” – you get the idea. The real crux of the matter is introducing a more unexpected side of Shinola to a new generation of consumers.
Extending that spirit beyond the campaign, Shinola has also partnered with Cheerios to create a limited “Duck Watching Snack” – a playful take on the simple pleasure of stopping to watch ducks that turns an everyday food into an unexpected collectible. If you’re planning to attend Windup in NYC October 16–18, the first 50 Duck Automatic purchasers at the fair will receive a “Duck Watching Snack” Cheerios box along with exclusive custom merchandise designed by the Japanese artist SAKIE.
The full Duck Automatic collection is available today with the two standard stainless steel models priced at $895 and the PVD gold version along with the gift set both priced at $1095. For more information, head over directly to Shinola.
