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EIGHTEEN

NINETY FIVE
THE R O TA RY JOURNAL

Icons of British Design

Vol. i
WELCOME
Rotary Watches is pleased to announce the launch of The Rotary Journal. In
this first issue we delve into the new direction for the brand, one which pairs
contemporary design ideology with over 120 years of enduring heritage.
CONTENTS

1. A NEW ERA
How Rotary is adapting its business strategy in order to attract new customers
while remaining relevant to its existing base.

2. THE ROTARY JOURNAL


A foreword from our CEO, Peter McKenna.

3. IN THE STUDIO
An interview with our Head of Design, Matthew O’Neill.

4. BRAND STRATEGY
An interview with Hardeep Dhanjal, Head of Marketing, on the realignment of the
brand and it’s policies.

5. THE COLLECTION
An outline of the new and improved collection structure, providing an overall
insight into Rotary’s offering.

6. THE ESSENTIAL SALESMAN


An interview with our Head of UK Sales, Martin Devaney.
A NEW ERA
OUR IDENTITY

Rotary’s journey from its origin to now can be considered a


truly natural progression. It was originally established in 1895 in
Switzerland’s, La Chaux de Fonds region; very much the cradle of
watchmaking. It was here that Rotary would develop the key values
which have endured today. Meticulous design, exceptional value for
money and superb reputation for service.

The company’s success and subsequent rapid growth allowed for


a unique opportunity. In 1907, Rotary moved its headquarters to
London, bringing across the very best in watchmaking techniques
and considerations. The brand’s influence grew massively during
wartime years as it became the official timepiece supplier to the
British army. With this accolade, Rotary’s popularity grew within
the British Isles with every town having its own Rotary stockist.

“Meticulous design, exceptional value for money


Over the coming months, Rotary is proud to present a new and superb reputation for service.”
structured collection which we believe is truly the finest in the
brands history, with product tailored to today’s consumer. This
combined with an overhauled approach towards branding, advertising
and online presence ensures that Rotary remains an institution
among retailers and continues to be relevant to consumers.

With Rotary available in over 65 countries worldwide, it is crucial


that we present the brand in the right way, honouring our past and
having a clear and coherent message of where we wish to be in the
future.

With its Swiss origin and British influence, Rotary provides a unique
offering which combines over 120 years of watchmaking expertise
with a contemporary design ethos.
VISION & STRATEGY
Rotary’s vision is simple. The brand intends to re-establish itself as a superb quality
and fantastic value for money offering, centering around a combination of classic
and contemporary design cues. Key to this is developing strong and enduring
relationships with both customers and consumers, ensuring impecable service at all
levels across the business.
THE ROTARY JOURNAL
PETER MCKENNA - CEO

“Rotary has been based in the UK for over a century and we believe the opportunity to celebrate this is
long overdue. Britain is a world - renowned hub of creativity and diversity which perfectly complements the
longstanding watchmaking expertise and exceptional service which Rotary is historically known for.”
The British Isles remain the most important territory for Crucially, we have streamlined our collection to showcase
Rotary Watches, with a well-established brand presence, families with distinct features and aesthetics all whilst
accounting for the majority of annual turnover. maintaining the overall classic Rotary appeal.

The aim of this journal is to provide insight into how the Finally, we talk a little about the most important Rotary
brand is refreshing its image, from exciting marketing employees, our Area Sales Managers. Martin Devaney, Head
material, to our unbeatable value product offering. of UK Sales is an integral part of the business, and is at the
forefront of our commitment to great service and value for
I’m incredibly proud of our in-house British design team all of our customers.
with all products designed in our London headquarters. It’s
important to us that our consumers get to know exactly how I hope you find this journal valuable, we’d love to hear your
much goes into designing a Rotary timepiece so our Head feedback. Most of all I’d like to emphasise that our business
Designer, Matthew O’Neill, talks through the process of is all about your success, we are committed to providing you
concept generation. with exceptional service, outstanding product and unbeatable
value, we are proud to serve you.
The modern consumer can be reached through a variety
of platforms and selecting which media form is the most
effective can be challenging. Our Head of Marketing,
Hardeep Dhanjal discusses how to use new media channels
to communicate our brand in a more dynamic way.

“It’s important to us that our consumers get to know exactly


how much goes into designing a Rotary timepiece.”

THE ROTARY JOURNAL | PAGE 11


LB05190/67
THE DEVIL IS IN
THE DETAIL
The Rotary design team’s passion means that each individual
detail of a timepiece is meticulously considered. No two Rotary
models are the same.
IN THE STUDIO
MATTHEW O’NEILL - HEAD OF DESIGN

TIME ON HIS MIND

We speak to Matt, a British designer who has been situated at


Rotary HQ for the past eight years, about the processes involved
when designing the collection.
Having nurtured a talent for creativity in his home town of Oxton, Wirral, Matt took his passion for design up to Newcastle to study
at Northumbria University before relocating to London in 2010, where he was given, what he describes as ‘an opportunity of a lifetime’.

What appealed about the position at Rotary to begin with? the market and its trends and assess our current selection of
products to determine if the proposition would fit. A product
Rotary wanted to introduce someone with experience in 3D brief is defined, which gives me parameters to work to, and
CAD to their in-house design team. I’d been working in the then it’s time to put pencil to paper. I can’t claim to be the
aerospace industry, pining for a more creative role, when I was best sketch artist, but this is where I begin to generate ideas
contacted to see if I’d transfer my skill set over to developing that ultimately provide the reference point for my 3D work.
timepieces. I was so excited to have the opportunity of joining
a watch brand with so much history and ambition for the Why 3D?
future that I moved to London in an instant and have been
here ever since! Developing a product in 3D has multiple benefits and for me
the most important is the ability to manipulate model features
Did working in London have a factor in your decision? in real-time and immediately assess the proportionality of the
design. The virtual parts of the watch I’m creating on screen
Yes it certainly helped; the atmosphere, culture and are all precisely accurate thanks to the powerful software I use
architecture of London is a great place to get the creative juices and this allows me to go into extreme levels of detail.
going... and here, in the heart of Soho, is where the process of
designing a watch all starts. I’ll add material textures and finishing to the case, bracelet and
dial and produce photo-realistic renders to assess the design as
a whole. We have a strong team dynamic and it helps when
“I was so excited to have the opportunity of joining a we critically evaluate a product – you have to be able to take
watch brand with so much history and ambition for criticism well and turn the feedback into a positive for a better
the future” design.

Do you use any specialist equipment?


How do you stay on trend?
Our latest member of the team, ‘Gerbil’, is a small desktop 3D
Keeping designs relevant for our consumer is as important as printer which uses stereo lithography technology to produce
ever. We have a vast archive of product from the history books resin prototypes of the model in a matter of hours. The speed
and with it a reputation as a classic watch brand. and accuracy of this allows us to save months in development
Applying the research we carry out on market trends means costs by analysing aspects of the design that sometimes don’t
I can add contemporary flair, pushing the boundaries of our translate well from the page/screen.
traditional aesthetic allowing the collection to evolve with the
times. Finally, what do you see for the future?

What are the initial stages of designing a timepiece? It’s an exciting time to be a part of Rotary as it embraces its
British roots. Our goal is to continue to produce high quality,
Firstly it’s important to identify a purpose for the product to reliable and affordable timepieces with great design that people
exist - the end goal must be to create a desirable piece that are proud to wear. I want Rotary to have the finest designed
will appeal to the savvy Rotary watch wearer. We research watches in the market for our price point.

IN THE STUDIO | PAGE 18


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BRAND STRATEGY
HARDEEP DHANJAL - HEAD OF MARKETING

CHANGING THE RULES

Rotary has made steps to allow for its policies to become simpler
and easier to understand from all points of view.
Hardeep Dhanjal has over a decade of experience with the brand, working through every position in the department from: Marketing
Assistant, In-House Designer, Brand Manager and now Head of Marketing, overseeing all Rotary communications. His driven career path
brings a direct wealth of knowledge and experience to the role. This along with working closely with the Product Team for a number of
years provides Hardeep with a well-rounded insight into all creative aspects of the business.

What challenges do watch brands face in the current climate? How do you reach out to consumers from the digital age?

Looking back at my first years at Rotary, I remember thinking Digital age consumers are constantly becoming smarter. Smarter
that each brand had one look, one style, one story – we all played in the way they research and filter information, as well as, faster
inside our brand spaces. There were fewer brands and stronger in how they do it. The general feeling with digital media is that
identities back then, versus the 100’s of start-ups that are hard to direct selling can be damaging for a brand and we would much
differentiate in the window, which we see today. This competition rather have brand advocates, creating a root of information,
doesn’t necessarily drive better designs, but it does inspire to create which can later form in to a desire for the product. This subtle
new way to market a product. The challenge we face today is the approach allows the brand image to become more influential, a
same as 20 years ago – “How do you stand out in a crowd of 10 far more sustainable solution, than simply forcing an image in
brands?” except now it’s more like 50! front of every potential customer. We want our customers to
understand what they’re buying into, what justifies a price point
What is the consumer looking for? and what goes into creating each and every product.

For us, the question is ‘Customer & Consumer’, as Rotary’s key


strength has been to market to both of these categories. Are they “We want our customers to understand what they’re
seeking the brand name or the design…maybe both? Or it is buying into, what justifies a price point and what goes
simply the lifestyle? Who wears a Rotary watch and what are they into creating each and every product.”
doing? Whilst we have always strived to communicate our quality,
design and affordability, the message may not be relevant to
today’s consumer. Creating an identity for our watches is definitely How do you keep global consistency with brand?
a more interesting way to talk about our brand. I feel it reveals
more about the product than simply talking about great specs and As Rotary is sold in over 65 countries worldwide, it’s always
fantastic design. been a challenge to maintain a level of brand awareness, where
a consumer can recognise us no matter where they see the
Has your approach to marketing changed to suit a dynamic, collection. We’ve created a campaign that hits this challenge
shifting consumer market? head-on by focusing on our rich heritage of British Design. Our
expansive collection is accompanied by unique visuals that tells
We dabbled in TV campaigns a few years back but our focus a story about each family, whilst being aspirational in terms
has definitely switched to more targeted approach, rather than of lifestyle and location. The brand strategy delivers a message
trying to rack up the number of eyeballs on an advert. Rotary to targeted demographics, illustrating Rotary’s coverage of key
has historically supported our B2B structure with bespoke price points in the mass market.
merchandising tools. I believe the next logical step in this
methodology is to transfer this model to the B2C, with tailored I’m confident our brand strategy is recognisable from all corners
content through the use of digital media. Within the department, of the globe and gives our consumers a taste of our Icons of
we invest in staff whose sole responsibility is to monitor social British Design.
media content and build relationships with the ideal candidates to
be ambassadors for our products. This takes an enormous amount
of time and effort but the reward is high-quality, authentic and
brand building content.

BRAND STRATEGY | PAGE 24


KEY IMAGE FOR PRODUCT FAMILY KEY PRODUCT
Relevant background image to harmonise with both product and brand. High saturation and subtle drop shadow
Desaturated tones allows for a visual consistency across backgrounds. to draw initial focus directly to product.

CAMBRIDGE | GS05252/01 | DOMED SAPPHIRE GLASS | HIDDEN CROWN | AUTOMATIC

TAGLINE
Further develops consistency across artwork, additional
use of 3308 reinforces brand image.

NEW LOGO COLOUR SCHEME BASIC SPECIFICATION


Pantone 3308U along with Grey Pantone 877C (Or silver foil Small, key spec of featured model provides a technical talking
where applicable). point without compromising visual impact.
THE COLLECTION
Rotary’s collection spans across 9 families, with each tailored to a distinct style and
personality. We provide an overview of each, explaining what makes them unique and
where they sit commercially.
CONTEMPORARY

AVENGER OXFORD CAMBRIDGE

OCCASION

ULTRA SLIM KENSINGTON


TRADITIONAL

CANTERBURY GREENWICH WINDSOR

SPORTS

HENLEY
OXFORD
The Oxford family caters to the modern consumer, classic case
shapes combined with striking, clean dial details help to establish
a preppy feel. A calf leather strap with distinctive stitching helps
to complete the aesthetic.

• Sapphire Glass
• Calf Leather/Alligator Leather Straps
• 3-Link Stainless Steel Bracelets
• Water Resistant to 50m

THE COLLECTION | PAGE 30


THE COLLECTION | PAGE 32
WINDSOR
The Windsor family proudly stands as Rotary’s entry level product.
The classic design of these models allows the family to remain
timeless and suitable for any occasion. A variety of additional
features makes Windsor superb value for money.

• Sapphire Glass
• Leather Straps / Stainless Steel Bracelets
• Day/Date Functions
• Water Resistant to 70m
CAMBRIDGE
Like Rotary itself, Cambridge embraces the unity of tradition
and contemporary design. This flagship family is a triumph of
form and function, with models featuring meticulously considered
detailing.

• Domed Sapphire Glass


• Domed Dials
• Curved Hands
• Hidden Crowns
• Water Resistant to 50m
THE COLLECTION | PAGE 36
KENSINGTON
A ladies only collection, Kensington is free to be an elegant, and
chic product from the ground up. The stylish flair of these models
makes them perfect for evening wear.

• Sapphire Glass
• H-Link Bracelets
• Water Resistant to 50m
GREENWICH
Greenwich makes up Rotary’s skeleton offering, for those who
appreciate the intricacy of fine craftsmanship. An aperture on the
dial frames the mechanical movement powering each piece.
• Sapphire Glass
• Skeleton Dials
• Water Resistant to 50m

THE COLLECTION | PAGE 38


ULTRA SLIM
Ultra Slim is sleek and sophisticated. Two step dials allow for a
flexible aesthetic and with a case profile of just 5.7mm, Ultra Slim
models are unparalleled in comfort and perfect for the working
professional.

• Sapphire Glass
• 5.7mm Case Profile
• Guilloché Dial Pattern
• Water Resistant to 30m
AVENGER
Inspired from Rotary’s rich archive, Avenger returns as an
undeniably retro piece. Vintage bubble glass and dual finish dials
help to highlight this historic family.

• Bubble Mineral Glass


• Dual Finish Dials
• Calf Leather Straps
• 3-Link Stainless Steel Bracelets
• Water Resistant to 50m

THE COLLECTION | PAGE 42


HENLEY
Henley makes up Rotary’s sports offering. Dynamic case shapes
and stark indexes help to define the hard-wearing aesthetics of
the range.

• Sapphire Glass
• Ceramic Bezels (Selected Models)
• 3-Link Stainless Steel Bracelets
• Calf Leather Straps
• Water Resistant to 100m
CANTERBURY
The Canterbury family expertly balances a number of dial details,
creating a range of iconic and classic pieces.

• Sapphire Glass
• Clous de Paris Dials
• Leather Straps / Stainless Steel Bracelets
• Water Resistant to 50m
THE ESSENTIAL SALESMAN
MARTIN DEVANEY - HEAD OF UK SALES

ON THE ROAD

Martin Devaney gives insight into Rotary and its Independent


customer base, with his near unmatched experience in the indsutry.
Having been in the business for 15 years what drives you to How does Rotary maintain its loyal retailers’ precious window
continue? space?

We have a fantastic brand and enjoy great relationships with our At the end of the day it’s all rate of sale and few brands
customers. Rotary’s unrivalled heritage demands we to do justice consistently generate sales and profit like Rotary. Great rate of
to the company founders and our new owners. In our personal sale, industry leading margin, no handling charge and a speedy
lives we all remember great customer service and so it’s really delivery service, it’s easy to see why we are market leaders.
important that we meet or exceed our customer expectations. Rotary has a very much ‘can do’ listening approach. For instance,
The Rotary ethic is very much built on team work, I have some changes to our guarantee and waterproof rating system are now
great colleagues with huge experience and a passion for what simpler than ever before and have been widely acclaimed.
they do.

Has the industry changed and if so, how? How is Rotary positioned going forward?

Of course today we have an increased number of competitors Our stylish new collections have a great feel, with the increased
vying for space in the window and an endless list of fashion specification and quality they represent fantastic value for money.
brands which come and go. Our largest market is the UK and so The plans for the brand going forward are really exciting and
being based in London provides us with a significant advantage, make us feel very confident.
it allows us the speed to react which other brands cannot enjoy.

THE ESSENTIAL SALESMAN | PAGE 50

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