Clogau Gold insists that 2013 will be ‘the year of the airports’ after the Welsh gold brand gained further listings on airlines and cruise ships in 2012.

 

The brand grew its business by 360% in 2011 and by March of this year alone, Clogau says it had invoiced more business than it did for the whole of 2010.

 

As well as being listed on many airlines – such as British Airways, Cathay Pacific, American Airlines and Lufthansa – the brand is now present on 25 Harding Brothers ships.

 

It’s other cruise ship partners at present are, P&O, Tallink, and Star Cruises. However, when TRBusiness.com attended Clogau Gold’s booth in Cannes, representatives from Starboard Cruises and Princess Cruises also appeared interested in striking up negotiations.

 

HARMONIOUS PARTNERSHIPS

But after a year of high exposure for the brand – in January 2012, Clogau announced a collaboration with well-known harpist Claire Jones who was the former Official Harpist to HRH the Prince of Wales – David Butler, Head of International Sales for Clogau Gold, is convinced that in 2013 the brand can really make gains in airport shops.

 

[Left: Claire Jones was the former Official Harpist to HRH the Prince of Wales]

 

“We do good business with the airlines and cruise ships, but we are pretty confident that 2013 will be the year of the airports for us, after some interesting conversations that we’ve had in the last few months,” says Butler.

 

Butler hinted to TRBusiness.com that although there are plans in place for land-based business in Asia, late 2012, there is also much interest from the Middle East.

 

Speaking in Cannes he said: “We have appointments with some retailers from the Middle East that could certainly be very interesting.”

 

18 CARAT GOLD STRATEGY

But for the Asian and Middle Eastern markets, Clogau will be bold in its approach. “Our discussions will be focused mainly on 18 carat gold in those markets,” says New Business Development Manager, Artemis Kouroupaki. “This is a strategy we have tested in Cyrpus and it’s really working.”

 

Kouroupaki, who specialises in Asian markets, says that although the brand sells 9 carat gold to the UK and 14 carat gold to the US, it’s offer in Asia and the Middle East will comprise mainly of 18 carat gold skus.

 

[Right: Clogau point of sales unit]

 

Clogau Gold also exhibited at the 2012 TFWA Asia-Pacific & GATE ONE2ONE show in May where visitors were shown the new Spring & Summer 2012 collections. For the first time, Clogau also demonstrated its interactive display unit, which “helps retailers beautifully illustrate the rich heritage of the brand, in particular its 100 year association with Royalty,” says Clogau Gold.

 

“The unit is the perfect sales tool to utilise in airports, cruise ships and other duty-free retail spaces.”

 

 

[Above: Heartstrings collection as it appears in the Clogau brochure]

 

HEARTSTRINGS COLLECTION

This year the brand has introduced a number of additions to its existing collections, in association with Historic Royal Palaces – the independent charity that looks after five of London’s palaces. A special commemorative collection, Royal Jubilee, has been commissioned in honour of Her Majesty the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

 

Brand Ambassador, Claire Jones, former official Royal harpist has joined the team and heralded the launch of the new Heartstrings collection inspired by the harp – the musical instrument of Wales favoured by Royalty.

 

Other new pieces that were presented in Singapore and Cannes (include the Seren (Welsh word meaning ‘star’) pendant and the internationally most-popular in terms of listings, Kensington collection.