Has this logo failed Made in Britain?
This is an extremely difficult post for me to write. I have been involved in the Made in Britain Campaign for nearly 2 years now and, as a Director, helped found the marque that had started to gain traction as the recognised symbol for British manufactured goods. However, it is with some sadness that I must announce my resignation as a Director of the campaign and I must retract any previous endorsement for this organisation.
It would be unprofessional for me to expand on my reasoning for this stance too fully but the fact that I feel it important to distance myself from the activities of this organisation should speak volumes to those that follow our blog.
I actually resigned as a Director of Made in Britain in August 2014 but had hoped to see some change in the attitudes/ethics of the small number of directors still involved. My hope that an organisation should exist that promotes British manufacturing with positivity and without ego is still as strong as ever but my belief that this is that organisation has faltered.
– James
Hi James, while I totaly understand that you dont want to be unprofessional by slating the marque, (which is highly commendable) could you expand just a little on this, as I wonder if I should still be using it on my website, labeling and product information or has it become something without merit.??
Many Thanks
As you can imagine it is a difficult situation which I am struggling to address with sensitivity. The concept of labelling your products is one that I would wholly recommend. However, I personally am no longer comfortable endorsing this organisation under its current administration.
Hi James,
So sorry to hear this as you’ve put so much work and effort into this, in addition to all the marvellous and outstanding work supporting UK-made products, through your British Family project, Britipedia and the Fayre. However, you’ve left with your integrity intact which you should be able to take some consolation in. If there’s anything I can do to help then please do drop me an email (dominic@kimwetu.com).
Best wishes,
Dominic.
Thanks Dominic. Your support is much appreciated!
No problem James – feel free to give me a call (number on website) if you feel like a rant!
Thanks James – I’ve been following your blog from afar (Bangkok) for quite a while, and commend all your efforts. As for the question on the logo – the answer seems very simple – it’s a downward facing arrow and the research in cognitive science does tend to support that it creates a negative impact.
Sorry to hear that AND SORRY FOR BRITAIN that you feel this way !!
ps, I’m still using my great credit card wallets and drinking my Welsh Penderyn !!
Keep supporting British manufacturing Mike!
What a shame. As someone who tries hard to buy British I find the market very confusing and assumed this new marque would help. However, prompted by your post, I have randomly looked at the websites of some of the members of ‘Made in Britain’ and continue to be confused. Some are very obviously manufacturing goods in Britain which is great, but others are sales outlets for all manner of items with no information as to what may or may not be made in Britain. Very confusing.
Hi Julie, Take a look at the Kimwetu.com website – I built the directory with exactly your worries (and those of many others) in mind. If a company has a logo with a union jack underneath it then it has explicitly told me (or does so on their website) that all their products that they register for (and are mentioned in the keyword on their listing) are made in the UK. Some may not have a logo attached, but that’s usually because it’s either unclear from their website text or I haven’t had the time to thoroughly check (with about 3000 companies, it’s a lot of work!). Hope this helps (Sorry, James – didn’t mean to hijack your post!).
Dominic.
no worries… keep up the good work!
Thanks James – you too! It can all get a bit demoralising sometimes. I find that it’s difficult to convince businesses that listing on the Kimwetu website is free. The time and effort that we give to support and promote UK-made goods is vocational because we think it is so important.
Many thanks Dominic, I’ll have a look.
I fully support your decision James. Sometimes it is harder to do what you believe in, than to follow the crowd.
I might be being a bit dilly, but I hope this doesn’t mean an end to all your news and views.
Just a quick note to Dominic – I’ve had a look at your website and shall bookmark it for future use. I noticed that on the search you have to put in a category and an area/postcode to get any results. It would have been nice to put in just a postcode and find out who is listed in all categories in the nearby area.
Hi Suze, You’re completely right, if you put in only a postcode or a region then it won’t find anything. The database was designed that way by the web developers – I think they just thought that you’d be interested in a particular product first and made the rest of the search parts dependent on that – sorry about that. I’ll mention it to them as they’re currently recoding it into a WordPress site and it might be possible to redesign it in the way that you’ll find it useful. You can also use the Browse tab but that doesn’t have the limits to a particular area.
Best wishes, Dominic
James,
A real shame. Does that mean your wife will follow in your footsteps at some point too? How can one half of the partnership renounce all links and the other carry on regardless? It doesn’t bode well if you ask me, and especially so given your ominously formal resignation message.
Hi Kevin – Emily never had a formal role with Made in Great Britain Campaign Ltd. Thank you for your concern in my marriage though ;-).
James, well done for following your feelings and I hope you feel better for it.
Forgive me for leaping in but we launched British Made For Quality (www.bmfq.co.uk) in 2003 and I am pleased to say that without wishing to sound smug we have remained ethical and true to our ethos over the years.
Probably because the four founders of whom I am one really believed (and still do) that manufacturing is the way forward for the UK. Given that the more we make and export, the more likely we are to be a prosperous nation with increasing self sufficiency – we are also run BMFQ on an entirely voluntary basis, taking no income for our efforts which U.S. probably why we still survive as an organisation.
If we need a home for your beliefs please feel free to get in touch via the website contact us page and we can talk!
Anthony Gilsenan
I will be in touch. Thanks Anthony.
Thank you James, I look forward to talking with you. Anthony
Hi James,
Well reading between the lines I can just imagine how frustrating it must have been at Made in Britain campaign after all your ideas and dedication to the cause.They’ve just lost a valuable Director and it’s their loss, that in time they will regret? Good luck with going onwards & upwards.
Thanks Juliette!
There is always two sides to every story, and I think it only fair that someone speaks up on behalf of the Made in Britain Campaign.
Until a few months ago, I was also a director of this campaign, and I know about all the hard work that has gone into it from all parties that were, and are, still involved. I personally had to step down as a director due to the many other commitments that I have since taken on, but I still give the campaign my full support.
James, I wonder whether you are calling into question the attitude and ethics of the Made in Britain Campaign because of sour grapes at the recent appointment of a new CEO ahead of you?
Whatever has happened between yourself and the campaign, it is disappointing that you have chosen this very public platform to air your grievances, and potentially compromise the activities of a very worthwhile, not-for-profit organisation.
We should all be pulling together behind British manufacturing, not engaging in sniping and back-biting. United (Kingdom) we stand, divided we fall…
Hi Kate – Made in Britain has been established for over 13 months, has taken over £100,000 from its members and has achieved very little. The administration has lost most of its Directors to power-struggles and accusations of dishonesty, leading to a rather toxic organisation.
I have had to endure some rather embarrassing discussions from businesses that have invested in this organisation and have seen no benefit or, indeed, have had no contact from them since they paid their money. For this reason I need to distance myself from their activities (or lack their of). This is the reasoning behind this post and nothing else.
I have to say as a paid up member all I have ever received is a single pin badge..!
Granted I do have the right to use the logos but I’m not entirely sure how effective that is, the old Stoves GB Tick was very good and free to use.
It does all seem very bureaucratic now, you log in and there are hundreds of different versions of the logo to choose from etc., can’t have been cheap to do/ implement and I’m not convinced they are all necessary…
I am sorry for the experience you have had with the Made in Britain Campaign. You are not alone and I am personally embarrassed by some of the conversations I have had with members recently. I feel it sensible that if this organisation really does want to do the best for it’s members then it operate with far more clarity. It needs to address its failure to service those that joined in 2014 but also set a list of clear campaign promises that will benefit its members in 2015. Then it needs to decisively undertake those promises.
The board also needs to expand in number significantly and anyone with a direct commercial conflict of interest needs to stand aside.
Perhaps then it can be an organisation that it will be fit for purpose, that British manufacturing deserves and one that I can once again get behind.
Letter from Made in Britain has raised some good points .Guess we shall never really
know. In the meantime I shall carry on seeking to buy British as indeed hopefully we all will.
Sounds like the organisation is crumbling from the inside out which does not surprise me as I felt they were over-promising particularly on their website; I met with them some months ago and felt it was a personal platform for some of the directors who were not able to offer very much to its membership; maybe looking for government gongs!
I’ve just renewed my year’s membership with MIB and am really wishing i’d read all these comments first. It is a lot of money for quite little contact/communication. What a shame. All the best for the future, as a fledgling British handmade business every penny counts.
Helen – my advice would be to put pressure on the Made in Britain campaign to fulfil their original objectives – of campaigning government and providing membership services to manufacturers. So far they have failed to do this and have deemed it sufficient to simply provide a logo. The reason we now offer a logo is to force them into providing a proper membership organisation. Let’s hope this kicks them into action.