Stuart kenrick

Licensed brands Q&A: Stuart Kenrick, Peers Hardy

As part of WatchPro’s March issue focus on licensed watch brands, Peers Hardy general sales manager Stuart Kenrick explains the licensed brand design process and hints at exciting launches for the company in H2.

WatchPro: Which licensed watch brands does Peers Hardy work with?
Stuart Kenrick: Peers Hardy works with many brands to produce and market watch licenses, such as Radley, Moshi Monsters, Ice-phones and Ice-clocks. Most of these are recent developments for the brands in question as they expand their brand footprint to give a broader appeal to their consumer.

WP: The demand for licensed watch brands appears to be growing in strength in the UK. What are your thoughts on this?
SK: Brands with strong profiles appreciate that accessories, and watches in particular, offer a method of reaching new consumers who may previously have been excluded from access to their brand.

WP: How do you work with the brands to design, build and market the collections?
SK: This is a fully interactive process and starts with our in-house design team meeting the brand in question to ensure we are able to represent their core brand values in the watch line. Communication continues regarding style, materials and trends so that final watches reflect their original product line and sit perfectly in situ at point of sale.

WP: Is it up to Peers Hardy or the brand to promote the watch collections?
SK: This is collaboration between the two parties on an individual basis. Dependent on the market in which the brand sits, they are marketed through a mix of advertising, PR, social media and through our field based sales teams.

WP: Peers Hardy has had great success with Radley and Ice-Watch. Are there any brands that you have your eye on to work with in the future?
SK: We are fortunate that our past and current work demonstrates that Peers Hardy will perfectly replicate a brand philosophy in to a successful watch line. Brands now approach us to work with them and we have several forthcoming launches in the latter half of the year.

WP: Which area of branding do you think is untapped when it comes to licensed watches?
SK: Potential lies within all areas [but] the opportunity lies very much with the strength of the brand in question.
 

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