Technology and entertainment joined forces on August 5, 2009 at Wall Street’s classy dining staple Cipriani. The night was organized by Casio to celebrate the exceptional growth of their G Shock brand. A fresh red carpet lined with at least 15 staff members in fresh, white blazers led to a room with gaze-catching ice sculptures, an elaborate light show and hundreds of new watches on display. 

The convergence of technology and entertainment was apparent from the start, as the night began with a press conference led by Casio executives and brand ambassadors, and later transformed into a private concert with hip-hop mega-star Kanye West.   
 
The press conference and music performance spelled out a clear message that Casio’s G Shock brand has evolved not only into a leader in its product category, but also a fixture in the music, sports and fashion worlds. Casio debuted their new women’s line called Mini-G, which they expect to be a strong seller in the seasons to come.

Two esteemed guests in attendance were Casio’s own Etsuro Nakajima, chief engineer for the Module Development Department, Timepiece Division and world-famous tattoo artist, car customizer, illustrator and designer, Mister Cartoon.      

Sitting in a room high above the star-studded party, which included guests like music mogul Russell Simmons, hip-hop songstress Estelle, and skateboarder Stevie Williams, were t-shirt-clad Mister Cartoon and clean-cut Etsuro Nakajima.

At first glance, the two appear as polar opposites, however, a brief discussion proved that both embody the message that Casio is conveying about G-Shock: it’s a watch that holds true to both technological innovation and artistic authenticity.
 
Mister Cartoon was in New York showing off his new collaborative project with G-Shock, a limited edition watch that incorporates his artwork. Sitting close by was Mr. Nakajima, who is on his thirty-third year working with Casio to develop new, innovative ways to make Casio’s timepieces the most cutting-edge and sought after in the world.
 
Even with his tough-tattoo-covered persona, Mister Cartoon has a soft spot and yearns to inspire youth. He explains that after the watch is released in October he plans to visit schools in L.A show off his creation to the kids. He says, “Basically I want to plant seeds inside of the youth and tell them that if I could do
this, look what you can do.” 
 
And on the other end of the line Nakajima is in the process of developing a low-energy watch equipped with Bluetooth technology, the first of its kind. With excitement, Mr. Nakajima says, “ For example, if you have e-mail (on your phone or computer) it will notify you. And this is going to be a revolutionary watch.”  
 
The night ended with a performance by Kanye West. The energy in the room was palpable. It was clear that this wasn’t just another paid corporate gig for Kanye, as his genuine love for Casio showed in the performance of heart-felt freestyles alongside all the top-40 hits.

Casio’s hunger to stay on the lips of music masters and fashion tastemakers alike is evident. With help from the minds of visionaries like Nakajima and Mister Cartoon, sports figures like Stevie Williams and international superstars like Kanye West it seems like the only direction for G Shock to go is up.

Text by Amanda Domurad
Photos by Nick Brandreth