New Bremont advertising campaign

[markrlondon]

I wasn't loking to start a huge argument with this thread, I just felt that given the majority of people here are English, they might appreciate the tongue in cheek style humour of the advert.

You would have hoped so but political correctness really does seem to have taken hold in the UK.

Whether people like the ad or not, its got people talking and I think that might be part of their strategy...

Indeed so.

[SimonK]

Apart from the concept, the copy is very poor indeed.

'... the greatest ocean-going vessel in British naval history' - this is pure Franklin Mint hyperbole,

'The ship that, under the audacious leadership of Admiral Horatio Nelson, vanquished the combined might of the Franco-Spanish fleet at Trafalgar'. Did it indeed? I always thought the other 26 ships of the line played a part as well.

'Admiral Horatio Nelson' - he was a viscount, he is normally titled Admiral Lord Nelson.

'The automatic movement features a double retrograde date, second-hand and chronograph' - no it does not; it features retograde date and retrograde seconds.

'And the case is built from 18ct rose gold and hardened stainless steel'. Is 'it'? I would have thought cases are built from 18 ct rose gold or stainless steel'.

[whoami]

The price is much more amusing than the advert.

[PIERS (UK)]

'The automatic movement features a double retrograde date, second-hand and chronograph' - no it does not; it features retograde date and retrograde seconds.

The watch does have a chronograph - I'm not sure what you meant by that statement!

[SimonK]

You're right, I was not clear - I was referring to the expression 'double retrograde date', which it does not have; or perhaps they were trying to say it has a double retrograde - date and seconds, in which case this paragraph was a perfect example of my point about badly written copy - straight from the 'eats, shoots and leaves' school of English.

[PIERS (UK)]

You're right, I was not clear - I was referring to the expression 'double retrograde date', which it does not have; or perhaps they were trying to say it has a double retrograde - date and seconds, in which case this paragraph was a perfect example of my point about badly written copy - straight from the 'eats, shoots and leaves' school of English.

I read it as double retrofpgrade, date + seconds. Maybe its the local water you are drinking ;-)

[RobDad]

The ad seems very old-fashioned to me, not offensive just naff.
I really don't get the idea of making watches out of old bits of boats etc - a boat is a boat, a watch is a watch?!
Mind you I just don't 'get' Bremont watches - I've seen a few in Selfridges and even a couple of people wearing them and they seem very pedestrian designs generally with a few extraneous design elements thrown in to somehow justify the price tags.

[scampers]

I think it's the wrong way to go about selling something, what will be next..... The enola gay Chrono, that they don't expect many sales in Japan.

It would have a great lume though!

[gentlemenpreferhats]

The ad seems very old-fashioned to me, not offensive just naff.

+1

You would have hoped so but political correctness really does seem to have taken hold in the UK.

Careful, Mark, the whole PC thing is a trap. Personally, I'm offended that you're offended that someone is offended.

[SternG]

I really don't think that the Marcels and Pedros of this world will be offended in any way if they happen to read this ad. It's the utterly ridiculous price that will put them off the watch, not the advertising copy.

[ralphy]

I really don't think that the Marcels and Pedros of this world will be offended in any way if they happen to read this ad.

Well, at least one of them has been. ;-)

I think the ad is amusing, different & tounge-in-cheek: for that it deserves credit. Have to agree with SimonK though, some of the copy certainly is poor and ambiguous.

R

[Broussard]

Hmm. Certainly has sparked a "debate", hasn't it?

I rather like it. Yes, it's risky (as this thread has proved), but it's also tongue-in-cheek.

It could be a lot worse. At least they didn't go for those horrendous double entendres like IWC did a few years ago. Hey ho.

I don't actually think the price is *that* bad for a solid rose gold case, interesting looks, some history and a decent movement. But I'm probably wrong. I usually am.

[AndyMilts]

Quite like that ad - It's just a bit of fun.

The watch looks fantastic except the crown, but £11k?????

I quite like a Bremont, but there are two things I am not keen n the price being number 1 £11k is just.... Outrageous and number two the leather round the case just looks wrong and it's £11 k

Thought the mustang and Spitfire watches were bait steep at about £7-8k but the jump to this is just too much for me

[iml]

My objection is nothing to do with political correctness. The advert is stupid, but the watch is stupider still. Bits of wood and copper in an otherwise average design do not justify that kind of price tag. It's just marketing to convince people they're buying something incredibly special, when in fact they are buying something pointless.

[TheDude]

Reminds me of the totally retarded "Titanic" watch people, I can't recall their name. Huge price tag for something average allegedly made out of something else. Bremont have been on the edge for a while, but have finally jumped the shark with this nonsense.

Bombadier beer ads on Dave are vaguely amusing the first time, but this is dreadful.

[Tokyo Tokei]

Over jingoistic tripe from a company scrabbling about for history to append to itself that has none of its own IMO.

Quite.

It's supposed to come across as a bit of fun, 1066-and-all-that. But it seems like another grasp at the playing fields of Eton minor Public School last night of the proms open-shirt boutique "aged" jeans Jeremy and Charles deep resonant laugh capability brown Wolsely demographic. Or more accurately, the wannabes. Buy a watch, instant breeding. It makes the similarly transparent Patek insecurity-lure seem subtle, nuanced and classy.

Can't stand the branding, personally. They're too far down the Spitfires and Empire, Queen and Country hole to turn around but I wish they'd not bothered. Nothing wrong with being a new brand. I like the watches. It's the grasping I find too desperate, like a bore at a party unsure of his own merit, quoting his connections all the time.

Paul

[drmarkf]

Adding bits and pieces of alleged historical relics (or assorted tat, depending on your viewpoint) to watches attracts some people, but unless it carries some real personal association I think it's just tarted-up jewellery. We shouldn't see Bremont doing this with their forthcoming Moon-phase, since thankfully it's been done before:
http://www.luxist.com/2010/08/06/arn...teorite-watch/

(BTW I wonder if Christopher Ward'll be hacksawing bits off the recovered carcass of Campbell's boat for their Bluebird homage? )

The OP asked a complex question, which is why we've had such a range of (entertaining) answers. The advertising line was mildly amusing: personally I didn't think it appropriate or worthy for an £11k purchase, but honestly i think you'd need to be on the Daily Mail Outrage Fanclub mailing list to be genuinely offended by it.

[WatchScout]

Im not a fan of PC sillyness, but thought the add strange and porly written.

Being patriotic smacks of someting dark these days, it seems. Sadly, its not really allowed to be proud of ones country these days.

I like studying history and am all for referring to history in most contexts. But in this case, it just seems Bremont is grasping for straws. They so desperately want to have their watches tie in with a history, that the company simply dont have.

I like small watch companies, but Bremont is trying too hard to give the impression of the brand having historical ties.
They are a (relatively) new watch company and should just stick to making watches and should look ahead instead of back.

The MB at least is latching on to something contemporary. Further more, there will be ejection seats in the future too. Stick with that.

The Victory watch itself is horrid looking. The barrel which looked great on the MB, just looks incredibly tacky here.

If possible, the company has lost even more credibility.

That is of course just my opinion. We all have different tastes. I realize some here like the watches and buy them. More power to them. Bremonts are just not for me (quite like the MB though).

Reminds me of the totally retarded "Titanic" watch people, I can't recall their name. ................l.

Assuming you are referring to the watch: Romain Jerome Titanic DNA.

[WatchScout]

It´s horrific.

The ´fighting off´ was in the mediterranean. Like the german pilots ´fighting off´ the brits in the battle of britain.
What would the brits feel about Glashütte bringing out a B-uhr gloryfying Manfred von Richthofen this exact same way?!

The continued occupation of Gibraltar is a very much disputed colonial left over form those ´Victory´ days that the spanish are VERY aware of.

Yes, the ad is pretty tacky.
I think, its the singling out of 'Pablo' and 'Marcel,' that is a part of it.
Not subtle nor profound - just tacky, tasteless and infantile some how.

In regards to Richthofen, the Germans are actually very proud of him. He was undeniably a good fighter pilot.
The Luftwaffe has had a Richthofen Squadron for decades - Jagdgeschwader 71 (JG 71) Richthofen. I have no problem with that.

No problem with the Aufklärungsgeschwader 51 „Immelmann“ (AG 51 „I“) either.

[SimonK]

The continued occupation of Gibraltar is a very much disputed colonial left over form those ´Victory´ days that the spanish are VERY aware of.

This 'occupation' is actually called self-determination, which I suppose must be a difficult concept for a country that has known democracy for less than 40 years.

[AlphaOmega]

This 'occupation' is actually called self-determination, which I suppose must be a difficult concept for a country that has known democracy for less than 40 years.

Forgive the analogy but that comment really is a Seawolf against Cilla's Exocet.

Did you see what I did there? It's a slightly inflammatory and insensitive comment - a bit like the ad.

FWIW, my opinion is that it's supposed to be a bit gauche, obvious and clumsy. It's not directed at WIS. If it were directed at us, it would be more subtle and technical. I'm afraid that is the level of the copy that has been proven to sell to the general public. Proven means ROI and sales figures. That says more about what drives your fellow man than it does the agency I'm afraid.

Note that I'm not condoning it. Personally, I wouldn't use this approach myself but then I wouldn't have designed a watch made from a weapon of war in the first place.

Don't forget that as Piers says, the agency and Bremont are very aware that it will offend some people. That's part of the strategy. With a bit of luck, some Sunday glossy will pick up on it and run the ad in their editorial. Or someone will complain to their MP. That really would be a bonus.

[gentlemenpreferhats]

Don't forget that as Piers says, the agency and Bremont are very aware that it will offend some people. That's part of the strategy. With a bit of luck, some Sunday glossy will pick up on it and run the ad in their editorial.

This is what I find baffling. Bremont are a young-ish British brand and, though I'm not a fan of their watches, I like the references to British technology achievements and I would like to see them succesful.

Currently their footprint in contental Europe is very limited. I would have thought that to shift an £11k watch they would have wanted to tap into the continent's not inconsiderable luxury goods market. Or am I being naive here?

[swanbourne]

Given the choice of safe or controversial, I know which I'd choose. Nigel Farage would make a good brand ambassador.

Eddie

[PIERS (UK)]

Given the choice of safe or controversial, I know which I'd choose. Nigel Farage would make a good brand ambassador.

Eddie

Well he'd probably qualify for an MBII at least for his plane crash!

[AlphaOmega]

This is what I find baffling. Bremont are a young-ish British brand and, though I'm not a fan of their watches, I like the references to British technology achievements and I would like to see them succesful.

Currently their footprint in contental Europe is very limited. I would have thought that to shift an £11k watch they would have wanted to tap into the continent's not inconsiderable luxury goods market. Or am I being naive here?

No, that's a good idea but it's one they've disregarded for some reason. Whatever their long-term strategy is, Bremont is trying to create a niche in a crowded market. FWIW, I think they're right to do this regardless of the subject matter. You can't please everyone - if you do, you'll end up with a bland campaign that nobody will talk about. Nobody will complain. Nobody will notice. And Bremont will drop their agency as a result.

Given the choice of safe or controversial, I know which I'd choose. Nigel Farage would make a good brand ambassador.

Eddie

You're right Eddie. It's easy for established companies to push out bland campaigns that simply put the product (forgive the phrase) front of mind but start-ups need to be able to differentiate themselves. One way of doing so is to create a stir.

[Captainhowdy]

Yes, the ad is pretty tacky.
I think, its the singling out of 'Pablo' and 'Marcel,' that is a part of it.
Not subtle nor profound - just tacky, tasteless and infantile some how.

In regards to Richthofen, the Germans are actually very proud of him. He was undeniably a good fighter pilot.
The Luftwaffe has had a Richthofen Squadron for decades - Jagdgeschwader 71 (JG 71) Richthofen. I have no problem with that.

No problem with the Aufklärungsgeschwader 51 „Immelmann“ (AG 51 „I“) either.

Check out the goose steppin here.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oxzg_iM-T4E

[NJH]

I think most Brits are proud of our achievements including all the military ones. Is anyone not proud of the Battle of Britain achievement? No I didn't think so, it was an amazing combination of technical genius, bravery, relentless hard work and guile. The achievements of our night bombers were no less awesome and in all the same ways as the Battle of Britain heroes. Is anyone proud of bomber commands destruction of Dresden? No I didn't think so, despite the fact that we will always celebrate the bravery and skill of those air crews, the engineering of the bombers and their aiming/delivery system and the superior bomber command.

This is the very thing though, how one celebrates military history and attaches themselves to it is hugely important, the way Bremont have done it is at least crass and can easily be judged to be jingoistic and juvenile.

Its not offensive to me its just completely lacking in taste.

[BryanEbru1512]

I wonder where on the ship the wood came from. What are the odds of it being part of the ship around on the 21st October 1805? It's all just a gimmick which ruins what is mostly a nice watch. I agree with Andy, the crown is wrong.

The Crown, I understand is designed around Nelsons pocket watch crown.........and I have to agree, it doesn't look right to me either.

[farmkid]

The Bremont boys shouldn't anticipate any sales anywhere-
the watch and the entire concept is utter crap.

It's desperate and pathetic........it makes getting Ronnie Wood
to paint your clock face look a great idea.......

[PIERS (UK)]

The Bremont boys shouldn't anticipate any sales anywhere-
the watch and the entire concept is utter crap.

It's desperate and pathetic........it makes getting Ronnie Wood
to paint your clock face look a great idea.......

Actually, the majority of watches have been pre-ordered by customers already, so in reality these will be sold out within a couple of months of their release. The ronnie wood clock sold recently as well.

Now I'm guessing you haven't even seen the watch in person, yet you have already made up your mind about it, which is typical regarding the majority of people who comment...yet have no real experience of seeing or wearing the watch.

[burnsey66]

Now I'm guessing you haven't even seen the watch in person, yet you have already made up your mind about it, which is typical regarding the majority of people who comment...yet have no real experience of seeing or wearing the watch.

Piers,

You've missed the point.

If the marketing is poor in the opinion of the poster, it's not going to motivate him into wanting to see or try the watch.

I bought an MBII new from an AD. Like everything else it was flipped, but I've teetered on getting another, however, blind, one sided promotion by fanboys has put me firmly off them. Goes for Grand Seiko too.

Shame.

[andrew]

You would have hoped so but political correctness really does seem to have taken hold in the UK.

Yup. Self-loathing numpties as ashamed of Nelson's victories at sea over a force bent on invading Britain as the Germans are of the Holocaust. It makes for sad reading.

At least Huertecilla demonstrates that foreign paranoia over British colonial hangovers is hilariously genuine. Thing is, though, Gibraltar was given away by the Spanish forever (and in Heurtecilla's own country too!), and now they want it for free, because it's close by. Problem is we now live in this UN-sponsored age of self-determination, and the number of Gibraltarians who want Spain to import its currency, cultural values and 50% youth unemployment is somewhere around 0%, I believe.

I can't see Bremont caring that this advert results in pissyWIS. Though for that handful of numpties who think that guffawing over Trafalgar is somehow morally equivalent to bigging up Treblinka or Dachau, try www.asa.org.uk but you won't get very far.

[stooo]

I don't think the advert is bad given the product. Not that it is a bad product, but its USP clearly guides toward a divisive tag line and to ignore the USP it would be "just another watch".

I do think there are better ways to reinforce Britishness in a product though.

[ralphy]

At least Huertecilla demonstrates that foreign paranoia over British colonial hangovers is hilariously genuine. Thing is, though, Gibraltar was given away by the Spanish forever (and in Heurtecilla's own country too!), and now they want it for free, because it's close by. Problem is we now live in this UN-sponsored age of self-determination, and the number of Gibraltarians who want Spain to import its currency, cultural values and 50% youth unemployment is somewhere around 0%, I believe.

Johnny Foreigner, eh: they don't like it up 'em at all... jingoism at it's very worst.

Back to the advert: perhaps it won't be so appealing to some foreigners as they are more used to the British self-deprecation humour? Surprised that anyone could take it seriously, though.

R

[andrew]

Johnny Foreigner, eh: they don't like it up 'em at all... jingoism at it's very worst.

Bet the Gibraltarians don't like it up 'em either. Or, at least, that's what the last poll suggested.

Surprised that anyone could take it seriously, though.

You're surprised? Lumme. I could see it coming from a thousand miles away.

In other countries of the world, British or English are often lampooned in forrin advertising. For those taking offence at this Bremont ad on behalf of 105 million French and Spanish (whom they neither speak for nor represent), I wonder how they would deal with this.

[jwg663]

I assume that none of their capitalisation comes from France or Spain?

[PreacherCain]

I saw the ad on Saturday and was wondering whether there'd be a debate here... I struggle to see the viewpoint of those who genuinely think it's offensive but I don't personally find it particularly persuasive as a sales tool. Some of that may be the watch itself - as others have said the inclusion of material from the Victory (a.k.a. HMS Trgger's Broom ) is of no horological significance and comes across as rather gimmicky. But in general I cringe a bit at any sort of jingoistic marketing because it strikes me as rather dated and a bit, well, crass. I can see how the intent might be to generate column-inches of controversy, though.

Incidentally (can't recall who posted this, sorry): I'm not sure that a fair analogy would be a Sinn "Treblinka" special edition. The Holocaust was a profoundly racist atrocity on an industrial scale, perpetrated by a national government against civilians. The battle of Trafalgar was an engagement between military forces in the wider context of a long war: not quite the same to my eyes. I suspect a better analogy might be the Sinn "Battle of Leipzig" special edition, which changes the emphasis somewhat (and hopefully de-Godwins the discussion a tad?).

[hhhh]

I am outraged on someone else's behalf, just in case they're not bothered.

http://www.businessweek.com/articles...itish-olympian

[dtdukok]

It all sounds a bit 'Danbury Mint' to me.

[Dapper]

It all sounds a bit 'Danbury Mint' to me.

......or 'Bradford Exchange'...... http://www.bradford.co.uk/product_in...2d9c1349698230

[Optimum]

blind, one sided promotion by fanboys has put me firmly off them

Seriously? Why give a stuff if you like the watch? I honestly thought you had more about you, Steve.

[burnsey66]

Seriously? Why give a stuff if you like the watch? I honestly thought you had more about you, Steve.

I think if I owned one I'd put up with it, but the fanboys give negative inspiration for me.

More importantly, you can't shift them (Bremont ir GS) on SC when you want to and as a flipper, that is enough for me to apply say 'been there, done that'.

[PIERS (UK)]

I bought an MBII new from an AD. Like everything else it was flipped, but I've teetered on getting another, however, blind, one sided promotion by fanboys has put me firmly off them. Goes for Grand Seiko too.

Shame.

Sorry to hear about this!

[Huertecilla]

Seriously? Why give a stuff if you like the watch? I honestly thought you had more about you, Steve.

The fanboy stuff is something one can ignore but the stúpid, offensive marketing is a hard reason not to forward a single cent to Bremont, boycot them, ´fight them off´ if they would dare enter french or spanish territory.
I wíll send a brit wearing one the wrong way if he would ask directions.

[farmkid]

Also look out for the new Sinn "Treblinka" and what harm could it do? as you say (at the end of the day it's just a bit of fun) but they won't expect many sales from people with big noses.

For a company that wants to charge high\mid end prices for the watches, the ad campaign is a little low rent in my view.

I could never have foreseen when joining the TZ UK website that Treblinka and people 'with big noses' would be mentioned on a watch thread!

[Optimum]

The fanboy stuff is something one can ignore but the stúpid, offensive marketing is a hard reason not to forward a single cent to Bremont, boycot them, ´fight them off´ if they would dare enter french or spanish territory.
I wíll send a brit wearing one the wrong way if he would ask directions.

Heaven help you if you had something serious to worry about. It's almost worth buying one just to hack you off.

[stix]

Crumbs, it's easy to offend it would seem. The ad is just that, an ad! The watch is a pleasing design but again, is woefully overpriced but hey, what do you expect, it's a Breyyymont! Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..................

[darrenw]

Bremont are damned if they do, and damned if they don't.

The ad's different and the watch is limited. WIS are not the target market.

I wouldn't like to see all of their marketing take this approach, but I'm sure it will achieve what it's set out to do on this particular model, which is to get the watch noticed in the right circles.

And owning a bit of british military history will appeal to some (maybe a bit tenuous, but the oak & copper is the genuine article), in much the same way a milsub will appeal to others. If you've got the money and that's your thing, then why not.

I like Bremont as a company (if not all of their watches) and the fact that they're clearly their own people. If their approach upsets you, tough.

[Geoff W]

I really don't like that jingoistic type of advertising. Get with the times Bremont, who wants to dwell on ancient victories that have nothing to do with our relationship with those countries today? Reminds me of those equally offensive Spitfire ale adverts. Sigh.

Pretty much this. It's not particularly smart, it's a terrible piece of advertising copy and it sure as hell isn't original either. Poor job all round (except the actual watch).

- - - Updated - - -

I really don't like that jingoistic type of advertising. Get with the times Bremont, who wants to dwell on ancient victories that have nothing to do with our relationship with those countries today? Reminds me of those equally offensive Spitfire ale adverts. Sigh.

Pretty much this. It's not particularly smart, it's a terrible piece of advertising copy and it sure as hell isn't original either. Poor job all round (except the actual watch).

[andrew]

The fanboy stuff is something one can ignore but the stúpid, offensive marketing is a hard reason not to forward a single cent to Bremont, boycot them, ´fight them off´ if they would dare enter french or spanish territory.

*Sniff* Corsican shortarse shouldn't have tried to invade Britain then.