Britain is home to world-leading watch and clock makers that produce around one million products every year with a total market value of around £125million.

In recent years there has been a massive resurgence with manufacturers that have been in business for centuries being joined by a wave of new brands created by the latest generation of modern designers and entrepreneurs.

So we’re very proud to be working in partnership with the Alliance of British Watch and Clock Makers – the sector’s official trade body. We began shortly after it was founded in 2020 and have been helping to channel the renewed energy in the sector to provide a strong voice for members that already include over 65 brands. That number features businesses which range from those with a history dating back centuries to the very beginning of timekeeping and today make sure that world-famous landmarks such as the Elizabeth Tower clock (Big Ben) keeps on ticking, to modern brands that make uber-chic, custom-made watches worn by A-list stars such as Ed Sheeran.

What makes it even more exciting and prestigious for us is the fact that the Alliance evolved from the tremendously successful GREAT campaign which for the past decade has showcased the best that Great Britain and Northern Ireland has to offer the world.

The Challenge

Our ongoing brief is to work in partnership with the Alliance team to champion British watch and clock making. This includes the key aims of helping the Alliance to…..

• Provide a powerful voice for the sector and encourage more members to join
• Celebrate exquisite British products and the fascinating backstories behind their creation
• Support the drive to promote training and career opportunities in the industry

Our Mindset

We recognised that the world’s finest watches and clocks created by British manufacturers have the potential to interest a diverse, global audience. A custom-made wristwatch, for example, is a unique piece of precision engineering created using a combination of traditional skills and the latest technology, but it’s also a personalised fashion accessory and a collector’s item. So, in addition to businesses and professionals already working in the British industry, there is also a much wider audience that the Alliance needs to engage with.

Our Method

As you would expect for an agency working with an industry that’s all about accuracy, we knew that we had to provide a precise, targeted solution when we were asked to enhance the Alliance’s social media strategy. Our first step was to conduct extensive research so that we could accurately identify the most effective strategy to reach, and engage with, the Alliance’s target audiences.

After analysing the research data we worked out a perfectly balanced content plan with…

• 20% promoting the Alliance brand, mission and vision
• and 80% being informative content that’s useful to the target audience

One of our success stories is growing the audience for video content on social channels which offers unique ‘behind the scenes’ insights into the British industry. The live streamed ‘Open Dial’ series, for example, gives Alliance members exclusive opportunities to speak to leading figures at major brands, and see the remarkable skills of watch and clock makers at work.

Our Client’s View

We’re delighted to have received excellent feedback from the Alliance team about the results we have helped them to achieve so far. At the time of writing we had helped the Alliance to boost their Instagram followers to well over 3,000. Our work also played a part in increasing the number of Alliance trade members which currently stands at 70, and includes most of the leading British watch and clock brands.