The history of the bank: the manufacturers of bank clocks
Bench has been producing fashion and clothing items for just over twenty years from its headquarters in Manchester, England, and has recently plunged into the timekeeping market, producing Bench watches. However, they are first and foremost producers of urban fashion, and this is where they started. At first, Bench made specialized t-shirts and hoodies for street skaters and bikers, and found great success doing so. What probably made Bench attractive was its mix of urban British designs fused with cultural inspirations from around the world, which makes Bench’s products unique.
However, Bench didn’t become big news until the mid-’90s, when they benefited greatly from the rise of the UK Brit Pop scene. Leading bands on the scene often wore Bench garments on stage and during interviews, and with this later trickling down to their fans who wanted to look like their stars, sales skyrocketed and Bench was a household name to many. Bench was a very suitable brand for that scene as it was urban and very English looking and they have also had great results with the clubbing scene and the people in it.
Using this newfound fame as a springboard, and also the money they made from sales during this time period, Bench looked to the future and decided they needed to push their image beyond UK shores. They signed on to sponsor a number of music-related festivals and events in the UK and across Europe, such as Snowbombing, which combines live bands and extreme winter sports. There were and still are a number of Bench sponsored events where the people who attend will fit the Bench demographic. By doing this, Bench becomes more and more well known, increasing sales all over the world.
To support this strategy of a growing face around the world, Bench went ahead and opened a series of exclusive stores and stalls across the planet in cities and malls. The first came in 2006 in Berlin, quickly followed by a number of stores in the UK and there are now many stores across the world and on most continents.
Finally, the last part of Bench’s strategy to take things to the next level was to branch out into accessories and market all kinds of items that consumers will need or want, of course, with the Bench brand logo. Doing this is almost a form of free street advertising and provides even more revenue from the sale of such items. Perhaps one of its most successful accessories has been its Bench watches. They have become one of the most sought after items on shopping lists and Bench has been able to transfer the same style and design that made their clothes popular into their watches. Double that with the fact that their product range is so wide and vast and they have made fantastic progress with their watches.
