Brand Creation | Visual Identity | Brand Strategy | Art Direction | Digital | Print | Film | Advertising
Christopher Ward, a British watch brand, didn’t come to us with a brief; they came with an appetite for change. They were real, no-nonsense people, and their brand needed to reflect this.
The real watch revolution
The Christopher Ward founders set out to start a watch brand with a truly disruptive approach; challenging an industry renowned for a lack of transparency. They had a new way, a fairer way — direct to consumer, cost x 3 — no celebrity endorsement, no airport takeovers, no messing. When they merged with their Swiss Atelier, the watch industry had to pay attention – and this bold English watch brand was ready to step up.
A twin-flag motif was created to symbolise the Swiss / English union at the heart of the brand.
The twin-flag motif was developed to integrate into the DNA of the product — creating texture within the movements of the watches, reflecting the brands deep passion for watchmaking.
From the typography to the patterned textural components, this identity needed to reproduce in minute sizes through a wide range of applications and manufacturing finishes.
Christopher Ward have always taken a bold approach to advertising defying the conventions of the watch industry, shunning celebrity endorsement and luxury tropes, instead unapologetically inviting their audience to find out for themselves what makes Christopher Ward watches so special.
The C1 Bel Canto marked a milestone in Christopher Wards horological achievements — a watch that chimes on the hour, sounds simple? it’s not — and it’s not cheap, but being Christopher Ward, they created a ‘Sonneries’ for around £3,000 a high price point for the brand, but a fraction of the cost of watches with this complication — the Bel Canto launched at Opera Holland Park and the first batch (limited edition of 300) sold out within 3 hours.
Watch the film to hear the story of the Bel Canto.
Loupe magazine is the quarterly publication of Christopher Ward. We created Loupe magazine when we rebranded Christopher Ward, and have been producing it for over seven years (30 issues) — it remains as fresh and distinctive as ever — and is the core foundation of the brands marketing activity.
"We needed a partner that would challenge our way of thinking, we found that in Hello, and continue to work with them day to day driving our brand forwards."
Mike France — CEO
