The Big Interview


Prosperity in personalisation


With Choice Brands UK’s recent venture into the personalisation industry, P&P assistant editor, Cameron Beech, sits down with general manager, James Alexander, to discuss recent projects, the consequences of COVID-19, and the future of personalisation.


W


ith its unique collections of bespoke watch designs catering to everyone


from sports teams to charities, Croydon-based company, Choice Brands UK, is paving the way for fellow personalisation businesses.


Making a mark


The business’s journey began in 2006, with the founding of Choice Brands UK, and yet within two years, the company was making significant moves by becoming an official distributor of world-renowned brands. Starting out as a distribution arm for watches and jewellery brands, James told me that the company moved on to its own watch brands it had designed. In particular, James had mentioned the decision the develop a new brand called Toff London, just before COVID-19 struck in 2020.


London, the company decided to grow the brand and venture into curating collections.


Adding a personalised engraving on the back


The idea of the newly cultivated brand would be for customers to send pictures of their pet to the company, which would then transfer the image on to the dial as a sticker. James explained that Choice Brands had developed a bespoke programme on the backend of its computer systems, which prints and checks the logo image. Once the sticker is transferred, the customer would then have the opportunity to choose their case, strap colour and case colour, and create a personalised engraving on the back. It was from the inception of Toff


| 52 | September 2024


Consequences of COVID-19 What was fascinating to learn from my conversation with James was the extent COVID-19 was significant in the boosting of the personalisation industry. Despite the company’s only recent entrance into the personalisation sphere, James told me one of the key things he had noticed was how big the industry was rapidly becoming. He explained: “So many people, especially during COVID-19 and after COVID-19, wanted personalisation. People do not want to spend a lot of money, and they can buy something that’s personalised such as a celebrating an anniversary with an engraving. It makes a great present. It is more meaningful than just buying a standard watch or standard T shirt.” I asked James how COVID-19 could have such an impact on the industry to which he told me it was because of two reasons: people could not leave their house and personalisation is inexpensive. He said: “People had more time as well. When you’re thinking of personalisation, there’s more of a thought process. You have to decide what colour you are going to do, what message it’s going to be.”


Personalisation’s future I asked James what he saw the future looking like for the personalisation industry. He siad: “I think it’s going to grow and there’s massive potential. People are going more and more online. The high street is not growing, its declining. People are looking for something that doesn;t cost a lot, but it means something.


“Anything that is personalised has a meaning, and people are more likely to keep it. As you gift it, the reaction


you get is better. It takes a little more time so people know when you gift something personalised, you’ve spent that time looking for it, choosing the correct colour, choosing the correct engraving, the correct image etc. For that, people will keep it.”


Head watch maker, Mark Baldwin


Towards the end of the interview, I asked James if he had a favourite watch from one of the company’s collections, or one which was part of an especially enjoyable project. James spoke of a few which were in the running. He said: “We are creating a collection called the Pin-up collection, which I’m really happy with. “We have also designed a great pride collection. We work with a pride charity and we give a percentage away for every watch sold. That’s really good within the company because people like to know they are giving back as well when they do the designs. They know a percentage of what they do will be given to a charity, and we are really proud about that. The pride collection was one of the first collections that we created.” What was made clear throughout the duration of my conversation with James was that the personalisation industry is only predicted to grow and expand its market potential. Despite only entering the sector a few years ago, Choice Brands is living proof of the advantages of embracing personalisation. The company’s future seems to be most certainly bright and successful indeed.


www.printwearandpromotion.co.uk


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