A second bad rebrand for Royal Opera House
OperaLast month Covent Garden changed its brand to Royal Ballet and Opera.
Today it announced Rolex as ‘principal partner’, whatever that might mean.
Rolex makes watches exclusively for the super-rich.
If that’s the image Covent Garden is projecting, it seriously weakens its claim to public subsidy.
Here’s the information-free official blurb:
Tuesday 11 June 2024
Rolex becomes first ever Principal Partner of The Royal Opera
Today, The Royal Opera announces a historic new partnership with Rolex, as the prestigious watchmaker becomes its first ever Principal Partner.
Building on an existing 18-year partnership as the Official Timepiece of the Royal Opera House, this latest collaboration marks a new era that will see Rolex become the headline partner of The Royal Opera from the 2024/25 Season – the very first brand to take on this pivotal new role.
Director of The Royal Opera, Oliver Mears, said:
“We’re looking ahead to a thrilling Season at The Royal Opera and are delighted to be welcoming Rolex as our first ever Principal Partner. Our common values of partnering with the world’s most talented artists, celebrating excellence and artistic creativity will help us to develop the next generation of world class musical talent.”
A champion of the arts, the support of Rolex enables the Royal Opera House to deliver world-class productions to new and existing audiences around the globe. Already an integral partner of the organisation, Rolex has been working hand in hand with the Royal Opera House to inspire its audiences with its behind-the-scenes “Insights” series for almost a decade. Looking ahead to this new partnership with The Royal Opera, this relationship will continue to grow, reaching new audiences through storytelling and content activations.
I’m delighted that the Royal Opera has found a munificent sponsor.
What makes you think it’s munificent? No numbers have been given.
What makes you think it isn’t?
Knowing Rolex, money will definitely be involved, 7 digits minimum. As for Principal Sponsor, do you really need that explaining? It’s all marketing and sponsorship common practice and terminology. Get with the 21st century.
It has obviously been a sponsor for the last 18 years. This “headline partner” term gives me pause: does this mean we will be getting “The Royal Ballet and Opera presents the Rolex Giselle”? Or “The Royal Ballet and Opera presents Katya Kabanova, brought to you by Rolex”?
Or even The Rolex Royal Ballet and Opera House?
Yuck.
I know how much they were getting for the rolex clock on the website. So this new partnership will be many times that
Had to look up what munificent meant! See what the figures are before he cheer the or generosity. Supposed to be sponsors for the Met as well according to the Cinema relays, so butter may be spread thinly on the bread. By the way, don’t wear your Rolex out in a British street or it will get ripped off your hand!
A few years ago I noticed that the Rolex clock in the Floral Hall was usually running 2–3 minutes slow (I wear a radio-controlled watch that is accurate to the second), surprising and ironic in a function designed to help patrons get to their seats in time and not be denied admission until a suitable break. Of course, I wrote to suggest they might adjust the clock but received no answer. Hopefully the new “Principal Partner” will be a “Perfect Principal Partner” !
Those clocks all supposed to be radio controlled too and all of them are wrong… I always thought it would be embarrassing as hell if someone from Rolex were to see it.
The Breguet huge clock at Carnegie Hall keeps excellent time……
I mean, it’s not exactly as if they’ve been presenting an image of unassuming poverty for the last five decades, is it? Their programme books are dripping with adverts for luxury products, and have been since forever. If you’re coming to the ROH from a struggling regional arts scene it already presents an image of unimaginable affluence. In that context I don’t think a slight adjustment in their relationship with a single sponsor is even likely to register.
Someone should call time on this.
Perhaps Jakub has entered renegotiations?
He is actually too good for the plush orchestra pit with its bedroom acoustics.
He really deserves better than ROH and Rolex!
Only the likes of Rolex have the funds to provide the sponsorship the ROH needs…. it certainly won’t get it from the government.
Rolex are not for the super rich. They are for middle earners. The super rich would wear Patek or AP…
If Lidl replaced Rolex, would poorer people suddenly turn up in droves?
And the LSO should reconsider BMW sponsorship of its free Trafalgar Square concerts as the neighbouring streets are invariably clogged with £40,000+ cars.
No way. BMW is a major sponsor of music all over the world. They also sponsor sport. We should be thanking them.
It wasn’t a serious suggestion.
The objection to Rolex is ridiculous.
Well done, ROH. Now we need sponsors for the Welsh Opera, ENO and the Northern Ballet.
Has the ROH got C III R curtains yet?
Just another way to snub ordinary people into assuming that Opera is ment only for those capable of and interested in conspicuous consumption.
The “Rolex Opera House” has a certain ring about it!
Perhaps Eno’s might sponsor ENO? They wouldn’t even have to change the name of the product. Kraft could sponsor the WNO with whom they already have strong cultural ties.
So the Director of the Royal Opera has now been quoted as “celebrating excellence”. Oh dear, does this not mean he is at odds with the position of major funder the Arts Council, which has just issued a report saying:
“Terms like ‘excellence’…are indicative of the way in which opera and music theatre still retains unhelpful hierarchies about what kinds of work are valued, and what is considered to be ‘opera’ (or not).”
(page 32 of the Arts Council report, available here: Lets Create_Opera and Music Theatre Analysis_Full report.pdf)
Trouble ahead as luxury watchmakers and Maoist arts administrators fight over how well opera stars should be able to sing?
Equating “excellence”with “unhelpful hierarchies” — what are these people mainlining? God Almighty. Let us all be mediocre together– is that the philosophy at the ACE?
Good for them. Rolex only associates their brand with great products. I hope it involves some good money too.
I don’t think this sponsorship “seriously weakens [the ROH’s] claim to public subsidy”. I imagine that most governments would applaud arts organisations that secure private sector funding.
I’m also happy that the ROH has (afaik) avoided accepting funding from companies involved with oil, tobacco, alcohol etc.
Many years ago, managing a sponsorship at the ROH – a painful experience – the only thing I learned from the RO press office was not to use adjectives in a press release. Take them out of this guff and what do we have? Oh, and what “thrilling season” Mears refers to?
Remember those Rolex adverts featuring Lorin Maazel?
Maybe ENO and WNO can get TIMEX to be their principal partner?
1. This is not a rebrand. It is a sponsorship. These are different things and this is clear to anyone who has a brain.
2. How do you suggest arts companies drive commercial revenue without major brand partnerships being part of the income profile?
3. When you rely on wealthy donors for much of your income why would you not partner with a company that can provide alignment with their experience and expectations?
4. Principal Partner in this context clearly means ‘Major corporate financial sponsor’. The ROH has never had one before and clearly would not give away this sort of accolade without significant investment.
5. You’re welcome.
Opera costs a lot of money to produce. It is not that the poor unprivileged darlings do not untie the purse, but they prefer to finance rap or whatever.
Desperate as the ROH gets into more and more debt.
Didn’t they sell the Hockney painting of former Director Sir David Webster to get them out of a financial crisis just before covid?!
Lots of working people aspire to own a Rolex, and if you’re willing to go second-hand, achievable on an average salary if you save for a while. Likewise, many working people like the opera as a classy evening out. Who are you to say these things are “exclusively for the super-rich”? With regards public subsidy – if Arts Council England want opera companies to turn away gifts from certain corporate sponsors because it sends the wrong “message”, they need to make up the difference!
It used to be tobacco companies. Rolex is a trusted brand.
It doesn’t sit well with an organisation that should be trying to encourage a more diverse audience (not exclusively for the rich in the best seats) if you promote an exclusive watch company as its principle partner. Unless they intend to sponsor cheaper seats for less affluent opera/ballet lovers. As a younger man I and my friends could only afford the God’s.Live relays are fantastic but not the same as being at Covent Garden.
Prove us wrong.
Sponsorship helps keep all ticket prices under some control.
1. Rolex also sponsors other opera houses. There doesn‘t seem to be an issue elsewhere.
2. As if Royal Opera House is not already connected to “super rich”. For heaven‘s sake, it got “royal” in its name!
3. I am not rich at all. I own zero Rolex watch and I only buy lower price tickets, but I am very happy that some super rich brands would pay to maintain or improve the quality of performance, which I will be benefited from when I don‘t actually buy their stuffs.
“As if Royal Opera House is not already connected to “super rich”. For heaven‘s sake, it got “royal” in its name!”
So the RSPCA is also “connected to super rich”?
Not sure how that works.