Hey man, no worries
and I certainly don't mean to insult your personal sensibilities, as said - everyone has their opinion on all matters and are welcome to them.
But in response to your post: I reckon you can't now have it both ways... you can't on one hand adamantly express complete superiority of this British brand, and then, sarcastically based on my remarks claim that it will 'sully' my products.. I think you're losing the focus of your own point there..
Make no mistake, I care
deeply for this brand (
obviously), and the fact that historical W&B employed a method of production and a business model relevant to the vastly different era they existed in, truly has no negative influence on me today - that I want to produce exceptionally high quality goods under the same name - I think that is the entire point, to
move the brand forward and to strive ever-higher in terms of quality and innovation. Does that idea not appeal to you?
You yourself now say that this revival should not 'trade off' a British name, and you also say you can appreciate true quality wherever it should originate from. So then, to be clear: there is no 'trading off' of this company name, as has been stated many times before, this is entirely and completely coming about at the hands
of the original W&B company, still based in Sheffield and thus still a British company and brand.
Only the work of handcrafting the goods is moving here to SA (for now), where as you agree, quality can
of course be achieved.
Why not my own name on the products then? I've answered this previously and will again reiterate: it is both a branding decision (I make no bones about it) and also a genuine love and an appreciation for the company as establish by the good Brothers - it's evocative and inspiring as all strong brands should be.
Why else does any individual/company revive or acquire any brand? It's either
A. A simple love for the brand,
B. A business/branding decision, or
C. A calculated mix of both these things.
We're with option
C...
Hey, thanks again to all who are supporting of this venture, and to all who offer a cautious resistance to it - really it's all good
Cheers,
- Mike