SMF

I just stumbled upon this at The Gentleman's Shop:

The Gentleman's Shop wrote:D R Harris launched their new range at Birmingham’s NEC this week – Windsor. This new range smells fantastic and will be available this spring.

The new packaging also displays the other big news from D H Harris, they now have the Royal Warrant from HRH Queen Elizabeth II.

Royal Warrants are a mark of recognition to individuals or companies who have supplied goods or services for at least five years to HM The Queen, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh or HRH The Prince of Wales. Warrants have always been regarded as demonstrating excellence and quality, and are highly prized.

There are around 850 Royal Warrant Holders representing a huge cross-section of trade and industry. They range from traditional craftspeople to global and multinational firms operating at the cutting edge of technology.

Warrants are granted to named individuals – Grantees – who must personally ensure the Warrant is used correctly. Warrant Holders may display the relevant Royal Arms and the legend ‘By Appointment’ on their products, premises, stationery, vehicles and advertising.

Whatever their size or specialisation Warrant Holders are united by their commitment to the highest standards of service and excellence

D R Harris are a real pleasure to deal with and make some of the finest quality products available, now deservedly the holders of two Royal Warrants.

Great news for D.R. Harris, especially that of the second Royal Warrant.

I wonder if Robert could enlighten us a little further about the Windsor range?

Gareth

Agreed -- but launching in Birmingham????? Wot's with that????

I guess the NEC is a mighty big deal. Cool complex, that's for sure --- but ????

Is it shaving soap and cream? Sometimes when folks mention a product, it is just a fragrance they're addressing. I just want to avoid getting my hopes up if it's just cologne. I don't seem to lust after smelling good. I strive to smell neutral or mildly pleasant, but not the bright shining star of the elevator I'm riding on.

I strive to smell neutral or mildly pleasant, but not the bright shining star of the elevator I'm riding on.

You were sorely missed during my elevator ride this morning. I don't think you could have taken up the space of the two or three guys who didn't share that sentiment, but you would have helped.

EDIT: Also I like the idea of Royal Warrants, but more as an after the fact bit of trivia. I don't know enough about their royal highnesses to say: "He likes Laophraig and TOBS, I bet I'll also like a bag by SAB."

(That's actually a bad example because there is a SAB bag I'd really like, but the point remains that the sample size is too small to be useful to me.)

Aw com'on Wendell, I almost married a girl from Birmingham.

Wendell, nothing strange about it being launched in Birmingham. The National Exhibition Centre (NEC) holds some seriously major trade shows and events from all over the world. Birmingham is also the UK's 'second' city after London.

A quick search suggests it was the Spring Fair.

Gareth

Gary, who knows? I would be perfectly happy either way.

Gareth

i know that mark from vulfix / simpson was also at this fair. sounds like it was a reasonably significant week in the business calendar.

I work for a company that provides services by royal appointment to HMQ and rather like having the Royal Warrant on my business card. It's too commonplace a sight to elicit much comment here but my American colleagues dine out on it.

I think this topic about Royal Warrants has come up here before, so forgive me if I launch into a previously articulated, (lower case 'r") republican rant for a moment.

Let's put aside the big question of whether a constitutional monarchy is the best form of government.

As regards the warrant itself, the whole concept seems to be, (1) the royals use our product, therefore (2) it must be good, and (3) if you use it, you can feel superior to the common run of humanity, which is stuck in the benighted state of having to use plebian, mass-marketed goods.

Well now. I'm not trying to insult or denigrate HRH whoever, BUT, seriously, . . . who cares what products they use? Why should it influence my decision at all? It's the same product whether it's used by a prince or a pauper.

Surely the product should stand on its own merits? Surely some royal seal of approval tells me nothing more than that one guy with an aristocratic title (and maybe with an ex-wife selling to the highest bidder in the background? ouch, that might be a bit offsides!) likes it.

And what does that royal guy actually know about shaving, anyway? I would rate his opinion precisely on an egalitarian par with any other member of the shaving public.

I'd be far more influenced by the fact that a shaving product was well-reviewed by knowledgeable folks here on the forum, than by the fact that someone at Buckingham Palace likes it!

As for bragging rights, I mean, c'mon. Seriously? Is THIS how we are supposed to feel validated? Because Prince Charles likes our shaving cream??? Anyone with that underdeveloped a sense of self seems, well, in need of something more than just a decent shave!

Nope. Don't get it. Think it's daft. Stinks of snobbery, privilege, and hype. I rate its correlation to product quality at near zero.

Of course, this is just one ordinary citizen's perspective. Sorry if I've skewered someone's sacred cow!

(Truth be told, however, I rather like those poor Windsors . . . they've done a hard job pretty well for quite a long time, and on balance I think people think they're worth keeping around, which is certainly OK by me. I don't get a vote anyways because I'm not British! But just don't presume to tell me which shaving products I ought to like, yer majesty!)

Gareth wrote:Gary, who knows? I would be perfectly happy either way.

Gareth

I understand Gareth. I think my body chemistry has something to do with it.

P.S. I am happily anticipating a nice package containing a great fragrance that I was fortunate to have purchased from you a few days back! My fellow elevator riders might have to cut me a bit of slack for a few days!

You Brits can tell me if I'm wrong, but I understand that the premise of the Royal Warrant is that the royals have the money to buy the very best, and the education to discern quality.

Although I have no use for royalty, this makes more sense to me than our situation in the US, where athletes are paid huge sums to endorse products for which they claim no expertise, like Gillette being endorsed by Tiger Woods and Nascar drivers.

You Brits can tell me if I'm wrong, but I understand that the premise of the Royal Warrant is that the royals have the money to buy the very best, and the education to discern quality.

hummm, well to give you an example, kelloggs cornflakes has the royal warrant on it.....

Squire wrote:Aw com'on Wendell, I almost married a girl from Birmingham.

England or Alabama???

Gareth wrote:I just stumbled upon this at The Gentleman's Shop:

The Gentleman's Shop wrote:D R Harris launched their new range at Birmingham’s NEC this week – Windsor. This new range smells fantastic and will be available this spring.

I'm generally not an early adopter, but I love Harris products, and I'll be all over this: first a refill puck, just to make sure, followed closely by the cologne, a little break before adding the splash, finishing up with a mahogany bowl. I give the whole process less than a year.

--Glenn

paddy wrote:

You Brits can tell me if I'm wrong, but I understand that the premise of the Royal Warrant is that the royals have the money to buy the very best, and the education to discern quality.

hummm, well to give you an example, kelloggs cornflakes has the royal warrant on it.....

Thank God! I feel much better about my breakfast choices now.

There's a Birmingham in England?

Squire wrote:There's a Birmingham in England?

paddy wrote:hummm, well to give you an example, kelloggs cornflakes has the royal warrant on it.....

So that means that Corn Flakes are a simple but high-quality product ... or, the Royals are a bunch of greedy corporate schills.

I presume you fall on the more crass side of the equation?

[quote="Squire"]There's a Birmingham in England?[/quote]

Spoken like a true Southerner.