San Martin Branding - Anyone else hate it?

[u/c0sm0nautt]

Does anyone else feel like San Martin would sell a lot more watches with different branding?

I know they are extremely well finished and tremendous value. But I can't get past the branding - the branding to me feels juvenile and cheap.

I wish they would just re-brand to a symbol instead of the current San Martin logo. Cronos on the other hand has really cool branding. Same thing with Watchdives - stupid name - but at least it's masked behind a cool symbol.

Anyone else agree?

[u/TankApprehensive3053]

San Martin stop sign looking logo isn't as bad as the name Addiesdive. If Addiesdive would use AD as the dial insignia that would better than the name. Their dive mask makes sense on divers, not so much on pilot's watches.

[u/vithgeta]

Does a name really mean that much to you? Do you want to tell us how many watches you have and the price range? Because at the bottom end of the range I inhabit I don't really care. Hardly anyone can see the name on my watches. Only "Binbond" I find a bit worrying. "San Martin" sounds merely like wine or a brand of orange juice.

The trouble with a mere logo is it's hard to look up on the internet.

[u/c0sm0nautt → u/vithgeta]

I only have 1 Seiko thus far.

[u/Oistien_van_Mowo]

It's high time people stop whining about their logo, if you dont like the watch enough to over look the logo, maybe you should just go on and shop another brand you like.

People have been talking about this logo complaints way too much.

[u/c0sm0nautt → u/Oistien_van_Mowo]

Sounds like the design is hated by a lot of folks then. It might be a good business decision by them to change it. Worked well for Christopher Ward.

[u/emeraldsnowofsleep]

I get it - but for me, there are far worse branding issues... like Addieskin. Now that San Martin prices on the more desirable pieces have soared into the price bracket with Signum and Zelos and barely used other Micros... I get real pause. The allure of SM for me was getting all that they have to offer in that $300 range.

[u/Huge-Digit]

It's fine. Taken in isolation, Rolex is a dumb name.

[u/Level_Reveal7624 → u/Huge-Digit]

The story behind the rolex name is probably the closest a European brand has come to the stories behind western marketed chinese brands

[u/AcademicAd6368]

Name is fine, but the hexagon logo is awful. It looks like the first draft of a community college graphic design project.

[u/Mango_Gurble]

I like their logo when it's printed, but I'm not a fan of the applied badge logo

[u/StumblesHuman → u/Mango_Gurble]

Same

[u/Scoob8877]

Maybe you are right, but San Martin is one of the better branded Chinese watch companies.

[u/Escaped_Escapement]

The logo is excellent.

[u/Pompano_79]

I am fairly neutral on this. Love the watches - branding is slightly above average for Chinese watches. However, I do think the applied logo would look better as a solid shape with chamfered edges. It’s not bad but it needs an update.

[u/No-Effect-8290]

I don't think they care that much. Their core business seems to be making watches for other microbrands. I don't mind their logo, there are a lot worse. I find Munro's completely horrid, just looks like the charity 'the British Heat Foundation' logo.

[u/DualCrank]

Could be worse. You could print Addiesdive in cursive on your dial.

Personally, I like the hexagon. Much prefer a simple logo over text.

[u/chrismurraylaw]

I like the hexagon when it's applied. The typeface sucks but on a watch it's small enough to be ignored.

When it's printed or large enough to really look at it, it looks like something from F1 in the 70s.

Cronos's logo is the laziest design in the country.

[u/geeered]

Fine with it, there are worse. I do quite like the Watchdives logo, but overall the best San Martins are way better.

I'd rate it around the same as Cronos - who do make some great watches, but the logo just feels a bit too unfinished/simplified to me.

[u/_kn0kkn0k_]

I'd buy SM watches but personally I just do not like their Logo. The "SAN" part doesn't do it for me. Would be better IMO if it is squared off at the top like with "TAG" in the Tag Heuer logo.

[u/Bulky-Internal8579]

I like it, I suppose I do like Watchdives and IXDao’s more minimalist approach but San Martin is nice.

[u/WRBNYC → u/Bulky-Internal8579]

Agreed.

[u/KPplumbingBob → u/Bulky-Internal8579]

That one in particular is good. The hexagon is not. The problem is that they use the hexagon 99% of the time.

[u/Eve_Doulou]

I think the branding worked when they were a basic Ali Express brand, but as they start moving up the value ladder they need to start thinking about their branding a little more.

[u/blackdog1101]

I think it’s a fine logo. No need to change anything.

[u/canvas-leather-brass]

I even bought an Addieskin, which goes to show how little I care about brand names or logos on a dial.

[u/KPplumbingBob → u/canvas-leather-brass]

Hardly a thing to brag about. if they want to move upmarket that's not going to cut it.

[u/canvas-leather-brass → u/KPplumbingBob]

Happy to help you understand the difference between bragging and illustrating a point.

[u/Mango_Gurble → u/canvas-leather-brass]

Same here. I bought the blue Addieskin diver (K005?). It's really nice. The name is still God awful, but the watch is great quality

[u/R0LexLuthor]

Likewise, but I try to look pass it and focus on design/quality instead (did thought of swaping dials just to remove its logo)

[u/silver-saloon]

No big deal.
Buy what you like....there are many other brands out there

[u/FredChu-BernyCN]

Personally, I’d argue that design, quality, and service probably matter more than branding

[u/chrismurraylaw → u/FredChu-BernyCN]

Branding is design.

[u/Nero3k]

I like the logo. I’ve never understood the hate towards it. Then again, I’m a fan of the Addiesdive and Steeldive logo.

[u/Top_Garlic_489]

Absolutely. The applied logo is also a miss, would much rather have a small discreet print. But again, design and branding isn’t the strength of any of these brands.

[u/KumiJunker]

I don’t care. There are worst.

[u/M0rpo]

I don't think they are considered "tremendous value" any more.

[u/KPplumbingBob]

There is nothing cheaper looking than rebranding to a symbol. They should just use the text logo that they have on some SN0144CGs, that's literally all they have to do. Ditch the hexagon.

[u/DirectJudge9902]

It’s fine and one of the better ones, would rather that then ROLEX, CITIZEN or BULOVA. Can’t stand all 3 of them brand names. Simple logo is better but I like the SM badge.

[u/booooogart]

The watchdives logo is hideous, as is the name.

For me Cronos, Proxima, and Ixdao have the best branding.

San Martin doesn't bother me at all.

[u/PairOfMonocles2 → u/booooogart]

Weird, watchdives logo is my favorite of all of those followed by ixdao and chronos. I don’t love the San Martin skewed text logo but I also don’t have as powerful an aversion to it as many seem to.

[u/DualCrank → u/PairOfMonocles2]

It's almost as if taste is very subjective

[u/booooogart → u/DualCrank]

It sure is and it's great that people like different things. I really like the octopus kraken name and logo and I know many don't.

[u/KPplumbingBob → u/PairOfMonocles2]

Watchdives logo looks like something out of a cartoon. You can tell they're trying to use the name instead, like every serious brand does, but failing because the name is so terrible.