Kim Clijsters, Reigning US Open Tennis Champion, Joins Citizen Watch Company

Laurence R. Grunstein, President of Citizen Watch Company, welcomes Kim Clijsters, reigning US Open Tennis Champion, as the newest Brand Ambassador for The Signature Collection. (c) Citizen Watch Co. of America, Inc. (PRNewsFoto/Citizen Watch Company) LYNDHURST, NJ UNITED STATES

18 Mar 2010 11:03 Africa/Lagos

Kim Clijsters, Reigning US Open Tennis Champion, Joins Citizen Watch Company as Newest Brand Ambassador for the Signature Collection

LYNDHURST, N.J., March 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Citizen Watch Company has signed Kim Clijsters, the reigning and two-time US Open tennis champion, as its newest Brand Ambassador for the Citizen Signature timepiece collection. Ms. Clijsters joins three-time Major champion golfer Padraig Harrington in becoming one of the strongest Brand Ambassador teams in the watch industry today.


(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100318/NY72180)


Ms. Clijsters, who had won the US Open Championship in 2005, returned as an unranked wildcard in 2009 following a 27-month absence after the birth of her daughter. She promptly won the 2009 US Open Championship, and in the process became the first unranked wildcard to win a Grand Slam event in over 30 years. She has also won the WTA World Championship, twice; has been Doubles champion both at Wimbledon and the French Open (2003); and is one of only five players to have held the #1 world ranking in Singles and Doubles, simultaneously.


"Kim Clijsters exists at the intersection of the Citizen Signature Collection timepieces and its advertising campaign. She possesses the unstoppable passion, precision and artistry associated with the Citizen Eco-Drive brand, and the credentials inherent in the concept 'The Making of a Legend'," states Laurence R. Grunstein, president of Citizen Watch Company of America, Inc.


Ms. Clijsters is equally pleased with the partnership. She adds, "I am very proud to be an Ambassador for the Citizen Watch Company. Citizen has had a long affiliation with tennis as the Official Timekeeper of the US Open, so a partnership with Citizen is a natural choice for me. Passion has always been a critical part of my tennis game, just like the passion that Citizen has put into The Signature Collection."


The Signature Collection was introduced by Citizen Eco-Drive in Basel, Switzerland in 2009, and has successfully continued to expand into leading independent, regional and national jewelry stores. This week at Baselworld, Citizen Signature will be unveiling a men's series with an exclusive new hand-assembled movement, as well as a new ladies' series featuring 65 hand-set diamonds. All Citizen Signature timepieces are designed with the environmentally-friendly Citizen Eco-Drive light-powered technology.


The Citizen Signature media campaign, "The Making of a Legend", will run throughout the United States, Canada, Caribbean, United Kingdom and Ireland. New creative breaks in the U.S. in July with print, in-store POP and outdoor advertising.


About Citizen Eco-Drive:


Citizen Eco-Drive proves that style and sustainability can co-exist with ecologically-friendly timepieces. Utilizing the power of light, Citizen Eco-Drive technology converts light into stored energy to power the watch for at least six months, even in the dark. Fueled by light, it never needs a battery.


Citizen holds the leading position in the mid-priced watch market in the United States and is available nationwide at fine jewelry and department stores. www.citizen-signature.com


Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100318/NY72180
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN1
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Citizen Watch Company

CONTACT: Alyson Gottlieb, +1-201-438-8150 x8268,
agottlieb@citizenwatch.com


Web Site: http://www.citizen-signature.com/