English Luxury Watch Brand Puts Itself on the Map

LONDON, August 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

English watchmakers Christopher Ward boldly sponsored a team of British climbers and sent them where no expedition has stepped before - central Tajikistan. After a successful climb, the expedition is now claiming the right to name the newly-conquered peak 'Mount Christopher Ward'.

This extraordinary marketing coup is believed to be the first time that a brand name has been used in this way (No, 'Everest' isn't a reference to the double-glazing company, 'Fuji' was a mountain long before it was a photography brand, and we're fairly sure that 'Kilimanjaro Pest Control (Barnsley) Ltd' didn't exist before the mountain!). 

Christopher Ward, which designs in the UK but makes its watches in Switzerland and retails online, achieved this unique position on the map through sponsorship of a young 5-strong climbing team undertaking the Tajikistan Silk Road Expedition 2013.  Led by 20-year old Struan Chisholm, they achieved the highest unclimbed peak in the remote Rog Valley of central Tajikistan - at 4922m (16148ft), higher than Mont Blanc.

News of the expedition's success came via a brief satellite phone message on August 6th: 'Lat:N39-21'-0". Long:E70-0-18". 2am start. Shooting stars darting across the sky. Glacier creaking. Gruelling ascent culminating in a vertical ice climb. We reached the peak of the icy white giant dominating our valley - Mount Christopher Ward.

Mike France, co-owner of Christopher Ward, comments: "The expedition is all about skill, endurance and adventure and these are qualities that characterise our brand too.  As a small company, we identified with the expedition as a wonderful expression of British spirit on a shoestring budget setting out to achieve something new and, to be honest, quite eccentric. We are very proud to be associated with Struan and his team, achieving both a mountaineering high and a marketing first."

For the company's eponymous co-owner Chris Ward, the achievement is doubly interesting: "It's a wonderful addition to the company's storyline and a fantastic marketing coup but, personally, the thought of my name being put on the map for perpetuity is amazing! However, I'll now spend the rest of my life explaining that, yes it's got my name on it but, no, I didn't actually climb it myself..."

The expedition is currently returning to the UK. Once formal procedures for verification are completed, 'Mount Christopher Ward' will be added to the world map. 

For images and further details please contact: cw@kavanaghcommunications.com

Gemma Phillips, +44-(0)1483-238840