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Left: Nail Clip 583 is described as “ready for air travel”; Right: Nail Clip 580 is offered in four colours | |
SWITZERLAND. Wenger, maker of the famous Swiss Army knife, unveiled its new world of outdoor equipment at the TFWA World Exhibition in October.
The company, which found itself frozen out of the travel retail sector after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, has reinvented itself as an outdoor equipment specialist, majoring on travel-friendly personal accessories, bags and watches.
The new branding initiative also includes a small modification to its famous logo and a “Seal of Authenticity”.
“The Wenger brand empowers adventurers with multi-functional equipment possessing a unique pedigree, yet we seek to reflect the more humble attitudes and the true spirit of active dynamic individuals who appreciate the beauty of the great outdoors, through human and natural-powered activities,” explained Wenger CEO Peter Hug, who attended the Cannes fair.
“Multi-functionality is what sets us apart from the crowd and we will continue to design and engineer product that serves more than one purpose, performs more than one task, like our Swiss Army knives,” he added.
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A new advertising campaign will include billboards, print ads and posters at major trade fairs |
New products for adventurers
Among the recently introduced products targeted at travel retailers is the Nail Clip 583, a personal manicure tool, which is described as “ready for air travel”. The ultra-compact product does not have any sharp or pointed tools, making it safe for air travel, according to the firm.
Featuring a full-sized nail clipper, the Nail Clip also includes scissors, tweezers, toothpick, nail cleaner and key ring. The tool deployment mechanism allows for easy, safe opening and, after use, the nail clipper quickly and easily folds back into the body.
Also available is the Nail Clip 580 model, which is offered in four translucent colours: blue, pink, green and violet.
Each Swiss-made Nail Clip is designed to be multifunctional, and comes with a lifetime warranty.
Wenger LED Nomad sports watch
Designed for outdoor enthusiasts, the Wenger LED Nomad is described as a design-forward, multi-functional Swiss-made sports watch, offering analogue and digital functions.
The digital compass function is easily activated by one push of a button. The degree heading digitally appears in red in the centre of the dial while a directional arrow appears from below the Wenger Swiss cross logo, aiming to provide quick and easy-to-read orientation. In addition to its analogue hour, minute and second functions, the Wenger LED Nomad also provides a digital display of the day of the week, an additional hour, minute and second time function, as well as the date, including the month.
While other analogue/digital watches feature conspicuous LED screens, the Wenger Nomad’s goes undetected until the user engages one of the four digital pushers. The model has a simple one pusher/one function feature and its 43mm, stainless steel case is assembled with a black PVD bezel, on which the pusher functions appear. Luminous numerals provide visibility.
The Wenger LED Nomad features two models: a black dial mounted in a steel case with a black and red bezel fitted with either a black silicone strap with matching red stitching or a stainless steel bracelet. It has a scratch-proof crystal, 100m water-resistance, as well as an international limited three-year warranty.
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LED Nomad is both analogue and digital; Right: Commando WPER pays tribute to the Patagonian Expedition Race | |
Wenger Commando WPER watch
Wenger recently signed a three-year title sponsorship of the Patagonian Expedition Race – described by the company as “the adventure at the end of the world”.
Wenger supplies Swiss Army knives and Swiss watches along with footwear, tents and other camping equipment to the Wenger Patagonian Expedition Race. This new association will run through 2011 and is the first title sponsorship of the annual adventure race, in which top-ranked international teams compete in rugged, geographic and climatically diversified terrain.
The Wenger Commando WPER watch is a tribute to the race. The 42mm quartz timepiece offers chronograph functions measuring 60 seconds, 30 minutes and 12 hours, add and split time, tachymeter, analogical time display and date.
The multi-functional timekeeping tool delivers information such as local time, date, elapsed race time and thanks to its tachymeter, vehicle velocity. This data is acquired in one quick glance, due to the extra-large 38.5 dial opening and the thick white Superluminova covered markers, numbers and hands for enhanced visibility in the dark.
The black PVD coating on the stainless steel case, pushers and crown, aim to provide the anti-reflective concealment feature required in the wilderness. Fitted with a solid black rubber strap, the watch has a black and white dial execution with the official Wenger Patagonian Expedition Race logo on its case back. The model offers 100m water-resistance, as well as an international limited three-year warranty.
Speaking about Wenger’s sponsorship of this race and its brand ambassador, the adventurer Mike Horn, Hug observed: “Strategically, we have partnered with world-class ambassadors who will test the boundaries of our product performance. Equally important, each carry strong environmental messages. For example, Mike Horn’s Pangaea Expedition will spend four years travelling the globe educating the world’s youth about the detrimental effects man is having on the environment. And the Wenger Patagonian Expedition Race is the world’s most challenging adventure race whose goal is to preserve and protect the vulnerable region of southern Patagonia, Chile.”
About Wenger
Wenger was founded in 1893 in the Jura, the heart of the Swiss watch-making and micro-technology industry. Like these light industries, Wenger is based upon the same qualities of innovation, precision, craftsmanship, and hi-tech and aesthetic requirements. The company became a distributor of speciality knives and then expanded its range of products. Over the past 20 years, watches, backpacks, sleeping bags, travel equipment and computer bags have been added.
In 1901, Wenger became one of only two suppliers of the Swiss Army knife. The firm offers over 150 different models of the famous Swiss Army knife. In 1989, Wenger started selling watches, and now has 150 models ranging from CHF100 to CHF550. The watches are sold in over 90 countries.
In 2003, Wenger started offering tents and other outdoor equipment in the US. Shortly after, a line of travel equipment, computer bags and backpacks completed the assortment of Wenger products in North America. In summer 2008, a new line of trekking and sports shoes was added. During the upcoming months, Wenger, together with its partners, will launch a full product range.
A new advertising campaign will include billboards, print ads and posters at the Outdoor Fair in Friedrichshafen, Germany and the Outdoor Retailer Show in Salt Lake City, Utah. The campaign will feature Wenger’s Mike Horn Knife, Alinghi Yachtman’s Knife and Nomad LED Compass Watch.
Wenger products are sold in over 150 countries.
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