Citizen Watch's Eco-Drive Campaign: Key Findings
Campaign Snapshot
Citizen Watch is marking the 50th anniversary of Eco-Drive with a new global campaign that makes the brand's invisible light-powered tech visually and culturally relevant.
"Powered by Any Light" launched January 22 and will run globally through 2027 across social video and streaming services.
Directed by Matt Genesis of Late Shift Films, the spot stars Devin Druid, known for his role on Netflix's "13 Reasons Why," and his partner Annie Elliot, an actor and director.
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The work showcases how Eco-Drive uses any light source to power Citizen timepieces, from club lights and desk lamps to sunlight and underwater lights.
Making its 50-year-old technology feel current requires showing it working in environments where younger audiences would be found.
Younger Watch Buyers as the Target Audience
The campaign marks a clear departure for Citizen, showing the brand's aim to modernize its visual language while maintaining its focus on sustainability and long-term value.
The choice to cast real-life couple Druid and Elliot adds authenticity to scenes showing the watches in everyday use.
Brand assets include a director's cut, plus 30-, 15-, and 6-second cuts that bring different light sources to life.
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The variety of formats lets Citizen reach audiences across different platforms, with content tailored to each environment.
The approach shows how legacy brands can refresh relevance with younger audiences by updating visual cues and formats without abandoning the values that built long-term trust.
Two New Collections Launch With The Campaign
Citizen has also released two new Eco-Drive watch collections this month as part of the anniversary celebration.
The Endeavor Chrono ($595-$650) is a bold, nautical-inspired chronograph with Citizen's first-ever rotating ceramic bezel.
The Fio collection ($275-$350) features petite, everyday Eco-Drive watches designed for stacking and styling.
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These watches use Citizen's smallest Eco-Drive movement, available in round and elongated case designs.
More commemorative timepieces will follow throughout 2026, and the 50th anniversary celebration will continue with a brand launch event at a New York art institution.
It will feature an immersive installation showcasing how Eco-Drive harnesses light, archival timepieces highlighting key innovations, and special-edition watches.
Brands celebrating legacy technology can learn from Citizen's approach:
- Make technology visible in real settings. Showing how a feature works in real environments helps the benefits register without explanation.
- Treat anniversaries as long-term platforms. Multi-year timelines give legacy stories room to build relevance.
- Pair storytelling with product choice. Releasing new items across price tiers lets interest translate into action while attention is high.
Anniversary campaigns are most likely to resonate with audiences when they connect brand heritage to current customer needs.
Our Take: Does Invisible Tech Need Visible Marketing?
I think it does, especially when the technology solves a problem customers don't tend to think about until their watch battery dies.
Eco-Drive has been around for 50 years, but most younger people probably don't know what powers their watches or that light-powered options exist.
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Showing the tech working across different light sources makes the benefit immediate and visual.
I also think targeting Millennial and Gen Z consumers makes sense, since they care about sustainability but are also likely to want to see the product working in their actual lives.
In other news, Ring makes its Super Bowl debut with a campaign to help find missing dogs, showing how brands can use major broadcast moments to introduce features that solve real problems.
Brands launching heritage campaigns need agencies that understand how to make legacy relevant to new audiences. Take a look at the top creative agencies in our directory.
