Why your next watch should have no logo
We created Freedom To Exist out of a desire to move away from the ever increasing noise of technology and branding. In an era of oversharing, we wanted Freedom To Exist be a secret brand that only the wearer of our minimal watches would be aware of us, and would be able to spot like minded people covertly, rather than have a logo screaming out at them. We would let the design and quality speak for itself, and then our customers would tell their friends and family about us.
It is a brave move for a new business, and one that we debated a lot when we were first planning the Freedom To Exist minimal watch project, but Kirsty and I felt strongly about it, and the feedback we have had from the majority of our customers has shown that there are lots of like minded people out there. We frequently get comments from people saying that "I have been looking for a watch like yours for ages....thank you so much", which shows we are on the right path with our journey.
From the classic LIFE OF BRIAN
Brian: Look, you've got it all wrong! You don't need to follow me. You don't need to follow anybody! You've got to think for yourselves! You're all individuals!
Crowd: [in unison] Yes! We're all individuals!
Brian: You're all different!
Crowd: [in unison] Yes, we are all different!
Man in crowd: I'm not...
Crowd: Shhh!
We felt that the that the line between branding and being branded was becoming even more blurred. We wanted to produce a watch that we wanted to wear, as we could not find anything on the market at the right price, with the right spec, with the right ethos. When looking at watches on the wrists of people when getting the job, its the same brands again and again. A watch is a chance to showcase your individuality, for men it is likely to be the only accessory that they wear and everywhere we looked was a lack of individualism and expression. "I am the same as everyone else".
When designing the watch, we focused on ensuring the "No Logo" principle was one we rigidly stuck to. To achieve this, we have placed our branding in locations where only the wearer knows they are there. The fte motif can be found on the underside of the watch case, and on the underside of the buckle.
On the watch dial, only a subtle dot at the "12" can be seen, which adds an element of uniqueness, whilst making only a very slight impression on the overall design.
