They were “Ward Bros.” for a very brief moment, between the initial missives and launch of the actual brand. At the time I wondered whether they’d been on the receiving end of an injunction. Pure speculation of course. I think Tribus is a better name than Ward Bros, but not terribly taken with their watches and actually turned off a bit by their marketing, though in fairness I’m probably outside he demographic of their target market.
What’s in a name?
-
- Trusted Seller
- Posts: 1329
- Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2018 11:46 pm
- CW-watches: 4
- Location: Cambridgeshire
Re: What’s in a name?
My name is 0uatiOW, but before you ask, no I don’t.
“Exquisitely minging” MissF, 19 July 2022
Just call me Diderot
“Exquisitely minging” MissF, 19 July 2022
Just call me Diderot
- jkbarnes
- Senior Forumgod
- Posts: 7852
- Joined: Wed May 24, 2017 8:39 pm
- CW-watches: 3
- Location: Virginia, USA
Re: What’s in a name?
Being an English brand, it seems only fitting to me that they should rebrand with a name that can be expressed in iambic pentameter. Maybe something like “C.Ward, Fine Watches, Maidenhead, England.” That just rolls right off the tongue!
x..../......x....../..x......./..x.../.....x.../
C Ward, Fine Watches, Maidenhead, England
x..../......x....../..x......./..x.../.....x.../
C Ward, Fine Watches, Maidenhead, England
Drew
Re: What’s in a name?
When people have noticed my watch and asked the brand, the reply "It's a Christopher Ward", despite them maybe never having heard of it, has gravitas. It's a reasonably "posh" name. It ain't Dave Smith is it?
I do believe the name itself could be omitted from the watch face and replace with just CW. This would make placement easier as it takes up less room, and the rebrand would only take a font change.
Matthew Humphries Design use MHD as their watch brand for example.
I do believe the name itself could be omitted from the watch face and replace with just CW. This would make placement easier as it takes up less room, and the rebrand would only take a font change.
Matthew Humphries Design use MHD as their watch brand for example.
C2, C7 Mk1, C6 Blue & black, C60 LE Yellow & Orange, C11 MSL PVD, C13 Chrono, C60 300 Orange, C65 Trident Diver, C65 AM GT, Lillenthal Supernova LE, C60#Tide, C65 Classic LE, C63 GMT
- Kansas City Milkman
- Senior Forumgod
- Posts: 2520
- Joined: Mon Sep 24, 2012 11:08 pm
- CW-watches: 14
- Location: Surrey
- Amor Vincit Omnia
- Moderator
- Posts: 33796
- Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2011 7:34 pm
- CW-watches: 4
- Location: Norfolk, UK
Re: What’s in a name?
Yes, I thought about that, Steve. If I just say Christopher I think I would put a stronger emphasis on the first syllable than if I said Christopher Ward, where I know that I would put a much stronger emphasis on the second word. When quoting both names the three syllables of Christopher would, I think, be fairly even. At least, to my ears.welshlad wrote: ↑Sun Jan 31, 2021 2:59 pm A lot of this comes down to which syllable we each emphasise when we say "Christopher Ward". When I say it, the syllables are fairly uniform with a slight emphasis on both the initial "Chris" bit and "Ward". So three triplets followed by a single beat in 6/8 time. If you emphasise the "Ward" then the Addam's Family rhythm fits better. If you emphasise and stretch the "Ward" then you're back to Beethoven's 5th.
Steve
Linguist; retired teacher; pilgrim; apprentice travel writer
Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time
Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. (Max Ehrmann)
Linguist; retired teacher; pilgrim; apprentice travel writer
Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time
Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. (Max Ehrmann)
Re: What’s in a name?
You would get over all the problems with "Chris Ward", but I don't think it has the right level of gravitas.
Re: What’s in a name?
+1 This. To "un-do", by walking away from 15 years of Christopher Ward branding, makes no marketing sense to me.
Small collection of timepieces that I enjoy
Re: What’s in a name?
In business matters you never ever put your own name on a business because when you sell the business it still has your name on it. And you may not like the direction the company goes on after your departure. It's even more irritating for the founder if they are forced out.
Having said that from the perspective of the company post departure of the founder they have a decision to make, rebrand or keep the name, they obviously will feel differently from the founder (I realize that in this case there is more than one founder). If the founder has a very serious public moral failure (think Peter Nygaard or Harvey Weinstein) then it's very difficult to distance the company from the founders name and a forced rebranding is often in order.
CWL have now established the name and the business as it is and it would be expensive and very difficult to rebrand at this point AND to keep the emotional attachment customers have for the brand which is very powerful.
Much of the 'mystic' of the brand is tied to the name.
Many businesses continue to thrive after the founder(s) have left and I suspect CWL will continue to do the same under the current branding.
Having said that from the perspective of the company post departure of the founder they have a decision to make, rebrand or keep the name, they obviously will feel differently from the founder (I realize that in this case there is more than one founder). If the founder has a very serious public moral failure (think Peter Nygaard or Harvey Weinstein) then it's very difficult to distance the company from the founders name and a forced rebranding is often in order.
CWL have now established the name and the business as it is and it would be expensive and very difficult to rebrand at this point AND to keep the emotional attachment customers have for the brand which is very powerful.
Much of the 'mystic' of the brand is tied to the name.
Many businesses continue to thrive after the founder(s) have left and I suspect CWL will continue to do the same under the current branding.
Omega Speedmaster, Bulova Accutron Gemini, Tudor Black Bay Heritage Maroon & Black, C65 Trident Bronze SH21 LE, C65 Trident Black, C65 Trident Diver SH21, C65 Trident Ombre LE, Longines HydroConquest beautiful AF and better than C60 300
-
- Senior Forumgod
- Posts: 1693
- Joined: Mon Jan 11, 2021 9:14 am
- CW-watches: 15
- Location: FLX, NY, USA
Re: What’s in a name?
I happen to like the name Christopher Ward. That the man is no longer with the company isn’t that big an issue for the company. After all Messers Rolls and Royce are not doing much with the manufacturer these days and their namesake company is doing alright.
with Kung Fu grip, and life-like hair
Re: What’s in a name?
I am pretty new to CW watches. The super compressor brought me in (not bought yet, though).
So as an 'outsider' who has NOT become blind to shortcomings in company processes i can say, that the name christopher ward was (and still is) quite off-putting to me.
My brain always connects it with brands like daniel wellington and the like - which really isnt a compliment. Aesthetics aside.
So the reason i didnt get a super compressor yet is
a) the name
b) the not very nice looking endlinks on the C65 metal bracelet
I´m trying hard to overcome (or at least learn to ignore) those two points, though!
Greetings!
So as an 'outsider' who has NOT become blind to shortcomings in company processes i can say, that the name christopher ward was (and still is) quite off-putting to me.
My brain always connects it with brands like daniel wellington and the like - which really isnt a compliment. Aesthetics aside.
So the reason i didnt get a super compressor yet is
a) the name
b) the not very nice looking endlinks on the C65 metal bracelet
I´m trying hard to overcome (or at least learn to ignore) those two points, though!
Greetings!
Re: What’s in a name?
Welcome to the forum.Seahorse wrote: ↑Wed Mar 10, 2021 11:56 am I am pretty new to CW watches. The super compressor brought me in (not bought yet, though).
So as an 'outsider' who has NOT become blind to shortcomings in company processes i can say, that the name christopher ward was (and still is) quite off-putting to me.
My brain always connects it with brands like daniel wellington and the like - which really isnt a compliment. Aesthetics aside.
So the reason i didnt get a super compressor yet is
a) the name
b) the not very nice looking endlinks on the C65 metal bracelet
I´m trying hard to overcome (or at least learn to ignore) those two points, though!
Greetings!
The name, and its position, is much discussed here with many people agreeing with your dislike of it. It is what it is and you will either buy a CW or not.
I agree with you about the Super Compressor bracelet, it looks wrong to me as well. The first time I saw it I could not understand why it was brushed the way it is. Personally, I think the style of watch is better suited to a strap; in particular a rubber tropic.
Tim
-
- Senior
- Posts: 97
- Joined: Mon Feb 01, 2021 8:36 am
Re: What’s in a name?
TBH when asked about my watch I'm wearing,I tend to reply it's a 'chris ward'.
A Google search under Chris or Christopher ward brings the same results for anyone curious enough to take further.
A Google search under Chris or Christopher ward brings the same results for anyone curious enough to take further.
Steinhart Ocean 39 vintage red/blue ceramic,Olko edition
C65 Super comp
C60 Trident Pro
C60 Blue LE
Omega Seamaster 300m
Longines Admiral Chronograph
C65 Super comp
C60 Trident Pro
C60 Blue LE
Omega Seamaster 300m
Longines Admiral Chronograph
Re: What’s in a name?
Nough said!
Only 10 more watches sold due to a better name and branding would already give them 10 grand to be wisely invested beforehand...
-
- Senior Forumgod
- Posts: 1793
- Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2009 10:36 pm
- CW-watches: 3
- Location: New Forest, England (Earth)
Re: What’s in a name?
For me, if Christopher Ward himself was described as "Posh" to his face I'm sure he would laugh. As a Liverpudlian football fan with a distinctive accent I suspect he would find it amusing.
For rebranding and the name There may well be legal issues non of us are privy to.
If I had any say I always believe less is more, so switching to the twin flags or "CW" as the logo would be the way to go. But, logo's and letters take time to be recognised.
The Rolex "crown" and "Omega" symbol are very successful examples of this. But have taken many many years along with countless others we could all recall to show it can work.
I imagine CW himself is happy to have his name on the brand provided he gets a cut of the profits, but what if it all goes wrong and his name is connected to the company yet has no say in what happens there?
At the moment I imagine there are many people who are connected to the "House of Windsor" who are horrified at what is going on in that "firm", but, that is another issue
For rebranding and the name There may well be legal issues non of us are privy to.
If I had any say I always believe less is more, so switching to the twin flags or "CW" as the logo would be the way to go. But, logo's and letters take time to be recognised.
The Rolex "crown" and "Omega" symbol are very successful examples of this. But have taken many many years along with countless others we could all recall to show it can work.
I imagine CW himself is happy to have his name on the brand provided he gets a cut of the profits, but what if it all goes wrong and his name is connected to the company yet has no say in what happens there?
At the moment I imagine there are many people who are connected to the "House of Windsor" who are horrified at what is going on in that "firm", but, that is another issue
Remember...your left hand has the thumb on the right hand side