Running any business requires not just one or two things to go right, it takes dozens of decisions every day that broadly follow a path set by the owners that they hope will lead to better brand perceptions, higher sales and improving profits.
That is the mission for Davide Cerrato, who took the helm at Bremont after co-founders Nick and Giles English handed over the reins (apparently to go and run a posh pen company in the Midlands).
Four big decisions got a public airing on day one of Watches and Wonders yesterday.
First, Bremont participated in a major Swiss watch fair for the first time since exhibiting in Le Palais, a rather grand name for a marquee in the plaza of Baselworld, about 10 years’ ago.
Being in the main show at Watches and Wonders (not down in town with the ‘pirates’) is a big expense and bold statement.
Secondly, a new ‘Wayfinder’ logo was revealed that appeared to draw a line under the co-founders’ era.
Out went the retro-style airplane propellor, a tribute to the English brothers’ father who died in a vintage light aircraft crash.
In comes a sort of NATO-style stamp that combines more modern propellors, compass points and a subtle hint of a union jack flag.
It is no accident that the union jack is subtle enough to be overlooked, and this is the third big decision: Bremont is not going to trade off its mission to be the first British watch brand to manufacture industrial quantities of watches in the UK.
There was no mention during a launch presentation of new Terra Nova field watches of British-made movements. The entire family runs off Sellita calibres, with Bremont refocusing its Henley premises on assembly rather than manufacturing.
This is related to decision number four, which is to lower the average price points for Bremont watches.
A time-only version of the Terra Nova is selling for £2,500. That is competing with Oris and Longines, not Breitling or TAG Heuer.
All of these decisions were described by an almost entirely new team of people at Bremont, which you could say is a fifth big decision by the incoming CEO.
Is Mr Cerrato right? Only time will tell.
We can get immediate feedback from social media (views are mixed about the new logo and direction), but it will be retail partners putting their money down for stock, and punters buying the watches that counts, and we will only see whether this is happening in a couple of years.
For my money, something had to change. Bremont could not go on losing money year after year indefinitely in the hope that a white knight would buy the brand. That never happened and its investors, however rich, need to see a return.
I hope we see the company at Watches and Wonders for many years as a strong, proudly British independent business. The decisions on show at this year’s fair are bold, and will be tested to destruction.
A lot of Bremont fans, myself included, are in mourning. It’s a really strange thing to feel when all that’s happened is that the management and the design language have changed, but we feel it all the same.
I feel quite sad at this. Yes Bremont will probably go on and do well but I was won over by story of slowly bringing watch manufacturing back to England and that narrative seems to be dead and buried. I do hope they don’t just become another watch designer pretending to be British
Having seen so many comments on the rebranding (not here various sites) I cannot believe the group think that a brand cannot evolve and move on and change scope. Countless brands have changed logos or split the branding. Its common. Apple, Starbucks, Google, Breitling!!! to name a tiny amount.
The company clearly wanted to make some inroads into a younger market and that’s perfectly reasonable. The old fans wont be buying watches forever. New fans have to find the brand.
Also to say fans are in mourning over a brand is beyond a tad dramatic. My teenage daughter isn’t this dramatic.
Mixed reviews is a putting it mildly. Though I suppose it would appear that way when Bremont are deleting any form of negative feedback comments and blocking user accounts. Cerrato and Hellcat have single-handedly binned all the hard work and dna that the English brothers put into this once brilliant brand and turned it into a more expensive Hamilton.
In Mourning????? Over a brand changing its logo? Seriously?
Another watch brand to die of mediocrity.
Not sure Texasholdem75 and OP341980 understand that watches are all about emotional attachment. The Apple/Starbucks/Google shout suggests not. Although it has been like watching your favourite pub be turned into a Starbucks.
You may laugh but I loved the Heritage, story and mission of Bremont. The military styles, the over engineering- just a shame there is felt a need to endlessly develop. I will wear my MB II London proudly.. nowthey are just A N Other Brand.
Having been with the lads in ‘09-‘10, my first suggestion was that they were reaching too high, too fast, with prices that exceeded benchmark Brands at that time. The Core, ALT1’s ($5,280.00-$6,280.00), Martin-Baker ($4,950.00) and the newly released Supermarine ($5,150-$5,600) that came in Basle. The Case finishing, the Design Language (Vickers, Trip-Tick, ‘Tested Beyond Endurance’ were all positives), the Aero connection that was on Crown, below Brand on Dial, or the Escapement was all very well done and crafted, thanks to Peter Robert’s. There was Bear Gryll’s who being English, brought Brand synergy and adventure. My first efforts were to refine the pricing (i.e. $5,150 to $4,999) and to bring Strap to Bracelet closer than the +$600.00 gap, U.S., but this they would not listen to. At days end, it was “a bridge too far” for the lads. To this I think Mr. Cerrado is correct, a repositioning, slightly, given where prices are today, and the determined Brand Competition that they are targeting. That said, the Logo change and font for Bremont, does nothing to enhance, and to extent confuses with other British entries into the Watch Arena. We identified where we should be and why, and we’re moving in that direction, when things changed suddenly and Nick moved briefly to the U.S., but then pulled back. There is room, but the Brand must decide who and what it is, and to whom they see themselves competing with. I wish them much success.
Emotional attachment to a brand? Sorry but that’s crazy talk. You can be emotionally attached to a timepiece and the reasons or story for that watch but to a whole brand? Do you still drive your 1st car? Do you love (insert car brand) in the same way?
I don’t have anything against a brand reinventing itself when it sees the market has shifted, but when you completely destroy all evidence of the brands foundations and the design language changes so drastically overnight I think there could be a long hangover from the old customers dropping off to the new customers being drawn in.
I am stunned how badly they redid everything. The old Bremont had a fantastic Logo, elegant, subtle. I can get over the sellitas, its a busibess decision but tge designs are so disconnected from the old and so dull and ugly, Bremont isnow a new company and I dont like any of it.
I wish them well and hope they bring manufacturing back in the UK in the near future, at a reasonable price this time (the French did it! ). I also believe Christopher Ward should focus on that too.
I fear the rebrand will be Bremont’s Bud Lite moment, New Coke Moment or worse still, Their Gerald Ratner moment (youngsters may need to google that one). Whilst in business terms, it is agreed changes had to be made, but why rip up and toss in the bin a heritage of 20 years, built on a story that many bought into, and simply toss it in the bin? If Cerrato felt he wished to drop the price, surely he could have done so without stripping Bremont of it’s identity with a generic logo and poor font? The current crop does not shout premium brand or luxury. They look cheap, middle of the road where if I was to purchase, would rather go with a Tag Hauer or a Tissot.
I simply cannot identify any USP this brand now has and I will be looking elsewhere, like many other owners, when I come to purches my next luxury watch.
The article is a light touch and not reflective of a young company that has invested millions preparing for the future and achieved it’s success by engending a loyal customer and it’s story unfolded. My analogy is they were the British Heart Foundation and over night have changed to the Red Cross… Still a worthwhile organisation but not what a lot of folks signed up for… Think new football manager needs the fans?
Why do I Jim Morrison from the Door’s singing “This is the End”…
I’ve now seen an interview with David C at W&W where he confirms that the Alt-C, MB, Supermarine 500’s will continue to be offered in the original designs and logos. The New ranges with the new logo are in addition….. time will tell.