My interpretation of CW branding

Discuss Christopher Ward watches
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H0rati0
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Re: My interpretation of CW branding

Post by H0rati0 »

ajax87 wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 8:07 pm

I stand corrected! There was likely a COVID related impact for some of 2020’s numbers, but not 2019. I’d be curious to know more detail since CW also took on the TV advertising thing in 2020, and had some popular releases in 2020. Where did you find this info?
I hope this link works, with luck it will take you straight to CW's Companies House filings. They have just filed their March 2020 accounts (both Group and UK) which make quite interesting reading - well to a weirdo such as me, anyway....

https://find-and-update.company-informa ... ng-history
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Re: My interpretation of CW branding

Post by watchaholic »

nordwulf wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 2:40 pm Free advice for CW to move forward and leave the past behind. They clearly didn't put a lot of thought in the brand name when they sat in their little boat on the Thames and started a watch company with inexpensive watches made in Asia.

1. Acknowledge there is a problem
2. Ditch the weird long fashion brand name and Lego block logo
3. Change brand name to something timeless and not related to any people. Short, catchy, easy to remember
4. Create a real awesome visual logo and brand name design
5. Gain respect of watch aficionados and luxury buying customers
6. Sell lots of watches! Make lots of money!

The longer they wait, the more difficult it will become to change. Sure, it will take some time, effort and money but sometimes you have to start from scratch. Christopher is gone, time to move on.

What if some of the other brands would have put their founder's name on the dial in an awkWard position..

James Bond scene on the train:
Woman asks: Is that a Jean-Frederic Dufour on your wrist?
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Re: My interpretation of CW branding

Post by Kip »

nordwulf wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 2:40 pm Free advice for CW to move forward and leave the past behind. They clearly didn't put a lot of thought in the brand name when they sat in their little boat on the Thames and started a watch company with inexpensive watches made in Asia.
While I am not addressing the rest of your post as it is simply your opinion, I do think that the above needs to be addressed.

I happen to be privy to how much time and effort the founders put into arriving at the original company name and logo. What you state is simply not true.

While you may not like the name or the logo incarnations over the years the fact remains that Christopher Ward has moved progressively forward. Many, many months went into research, design and decision making with regards to the company name (and logo). Perhaps they didn't put a lot of thought into it when they were on that boat, but a lot of thought went into it later before launching the company.
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Re: My interpretation of CW branding

Post by ajax87 »

H0rati0 wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 8:27 pm
ajax87 wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 8:07 pm

I stand corrected! There was likely a COVID related impact for some of 2020’s numbers, but not 2019. I’d be curious to know more detail since CW also took on the TV advertising thing in 2020, and had some popular releases in 2020. Where did you find this info?
I hope this link works, with luck it will take you straight to CW's Companies House filings. They have just filed their March 2020 accounts (both Group and UK) which make quite interesting reading - well to a weirdo such as me, anyway....

https://find-and-update.company-informa ... ng-history
It did work, thanks! I’d need a while to review this in full, but it’s interesting at first glance. Still doesn’t really answer whether or how a logo change would affect the business :?
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Re: My interpretation of CW branding

Post by H0rati0 »

ajax87 wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 9:43 pm

It did work, thanks! I’d need a while to review this in full, but it’s interesting at first glance. Still doesn’t really answer whether or how a logo change would affect the business :?
Not at all, that is a $64k question. IMHO I doubt it would make a lot of difference when you get down to it, the most important thing with branding is consistency.
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Re: My interpretation of CW branding

Post by DEV.Woulf »

It's now pretty obvious that they should have named themselves after something that reminded them of England instead of actually having an English-sounding name, such as

.
MALVERN

It would have saved any and all discussion about logos before they even began. :ka:
Christopher Ward | LORIER | MONTA | SEIKO

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Re: My interpretation of CW branding

Post by nordwulf »

Kip wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 9:32 pm While I am not addressing the rest of your post as it is simply your opinion, I do think that the above needs to be addressed.

I happen to be privy to how much time and effort the founders put into arriving at the original company name and logo. What you state is simply not true.

While you may not like the name or the logo incarnations over the years the fact remains that Christopher Ward has moved progressively forward. Many, many months went into research, design and decision making with regards to the company name (and logo). Perhaps they didn't put a lot of thought into it when they were on that boat, but a lot of thought went into it later before launching the company.
The only info about the brand name origin I know about is that out the 3 founders names, Ward sounded the most British. Please share if there is more to it.

https://www.christopherward.com/int/our-story.html
Once our indignation at these high mark-ups subsided, we saw the opportunity to create a different type of premium watch business. A company that would avoid the huge marketing overheads and third-party retailer margins of the Swiss brands. A company that would provide “the cheapest most expensive watches in the world”.

We called it Christopher Ward. It seemed the most quintessentially English name of the three of us.
All I know is that every review on watch sites and Youtube shows comments about the strong dislike for the brand name, postion on the dial and the font used. Same thing on the forums and social media. I never see that with reviews from Oris, Rolex, Omega and other brands. So it's not just me.

Obviously my post is a bit tongue-in-cheek. Don't take it too seriously. :)
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Re: My interpretation of CW branding

Post by thomcat00 »

Silly me, I’ve liked the various incarnations of the name part of the logo. I have one with the Cw, others with the Chr. Ward, and the latest variant, at both 12 and 9. And I still keep coming back for more! As for the company name, keep it as it is. Does it really matter that the man himself is not part of the company for it to retain his name? I’m sorry it didn’t work out for Mr. Ward to remain with the firm he founded. These things happen. Neither Mr. Rolls nor Mr. Royce are currently engaged with the firm they founded and it hasn’t stopped the business from carrying forward. I don’t see people saying, “I’m not buying another Roller now that Charles is gone.” People aren’t buying the person, they’re buying the car. Same with CW. Do you want the watch or not?

As for them “not caring,” I’m sure the folks involved at the business do care, and care deeply. We may all have different ideas and preferences. That they choose differently for the logo and such from the man on the street is not a personal insult. Sure, we hear all these opinions but on which side is the majority? We cannot know just from who shouts loudest.
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Re: My interpretation of CW branding

Post by H0rati0 »

nordwulf wrote: Sat Mar 27, 2021 3:12 am

All I know is that every review on watch sites and Youtube shows comments about the strong dislike for the brand name, postion on the dial and the font used. Same thing on the forums and social media. I never see that with reviews from Oris, Rolex, Omega and other brands. So it's not just me.

Frank, I hear you. But it reminds me of that old Irish pearl of wisdom:

Excuse me, can you tell me how to get to Dublin?
Well, I wouldn't start from here if I were you....

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Re: My interpretation of CW branding

Post by Lawrence »

I read a while ago that the font used is the same as the London Underground. I like touches like that. I also like the name and the watches.
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Re: My interpretation of CW branding

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

Lawrence wrote: Sun Mar 28, 2021 6:00 am I read a while ago that the font used is the same as the London Underground.
I'm not sure that is quite true. They are similar for sure, but if you compare lower-case A...

The Underground (Johnston 100) font uses something similar to a

Check the same letter in "Ward" and it's similar to: α

I used a Greek keyboard to generate the CW letter, so it's not identical.

Lower-case G is often a good indicator, too, but CW doesn't use one.

Edit: Johnston 100 uses a diamond-shaped tittle over lower case i and j.
The tittle over the i in Christopher is a circular dot.
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Re: My interpretation of CW branding

Post by Lawrence »

Amor Vincit Omnia wrote: Sun Mar 28, 2021 9:02 am
Lawrence wrote: Sun Mar 28, 2021 6:00 am I read a while ago that the font used is the same as the London Underground.
I'm not sure that is quite true.
I read it on either the CWL website, in a copy of Loupe or some other CWL material. Unfortunately it was a few years ago so I cannot remember the original source. However I did read it so that much is accurate. The London Underground font has changed during the decades so I cannot say which font CWL is referring to but I suspect CWL use Johnston not Johnston100. Johnston100 was introduced in 2016.

There's a link here on the forum to an article online about the switch posted by jtc.
https://www.wired.com/2016/06/londons-u ... gital-age/
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Re: My interpretation of CW branding

Post by exHowfener »

The font used by London Underground (Johnston) is owned by TFL so I'd be surprised if CW paid them rather than use a freely available font. If I'm wrong though I'm sure someone will soon say so!
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Re: My interpretation of CW branding

Post by JAFO »

H0rati0 wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 8:27 pm
ajax87 wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 8:07 pm
I stand corrected! There was likely a COVID related impact for some of 2020’s numbers, but not 2019. I’d be curious to know more detail since CW also took on the TV advertising thing in 2020, and had some popular releases in 2020. Where did you find this info?
I hope this link works, with luck it will take you straight to CW's Companies House filings. They have just filed their March 2020 accounts (both Group and UK) which make quite interesting reading - well to a weirdo such as me, anyway....

https://find-and-update.company-informa ... ng-history
@H0rati0 thanks for the link. As you say, interesting, and the current year ending in a couple of days must have been equally interesting. Indeed, we live in interesting times.
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Re: My interpretation of CW branding

Post by Caller »

With all the changes to the logo and the introduction of the twin flags to add to the mix, the last thing the company needs is a name change and whether by design or accident, when most talk of the brand, it is reduced to 'CW' for convenience. It's surely a good thing that within the watch community, that is understood.

What it needs (maybe) is an identity. This was touched on before when discussing product lines. Many of the new offerings almost seem like one offs, but then again, they are doing okay with that. Currently, to me, they seem the on-line version of Lacroix, Weil and Constant and as they are three successful mid level-brands, that's not a bad place to be.
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