The Inversion Principle: the secret to brand success
inversion
noun in·ver·sion \in-ˈvər-zhən, -shən\
: a change in the position, order, or relationship of things so that they are the opposite of what they had been.
Stunning, elegant and sensual, unique and strong in character. You wouldn’t believe it if I told you that this description belongs to the by-product of AK47 assault rifles taken from African warzones, where these weapons have become abundant and cheap. Successful social entrepreneur Peter Thum, has found common ground between business and humanitarianism. His mission: to take this iconic symbol of conflict and transform it into the opposite of conflict, the opposite type of human achievement. Swiss watchmaker Fonderie 47’s Inversion Principle has done just that with a highbrow timepiece made in part from the steel of a disengaged AK-47 assault rifles and a design that very delicately resembles the firearm.
Thum managed to put together a genius team, partnering with designer Adrian Glessing and horlogerie expert David Candaux –who worked for Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Hybris Mechanica series of super watches. Manufactured in La Vallée de Joux, Switzerland, the watch is equipped with jumping hours, retrograde minutes and a central three-minute flying tourbillion. Each timepiece incorporates a plate on the back made from the transformed steel of a destroyed assault weapon which rotates as the watch is wound. The serial number of the destroyed weapon the metal is from, is elegantly hand engraved beside the plate. There are two versions: silver and rose gold. The $195,000 Inversion Principle can easily stand out within other complicated watches of its class not only because of its impeccable design but also for its outstanding humanitarian mission. In the context of its higher purpose, each watch in the 20-piece edition will fund the destruction of 1,000 assault rifles in Africa. According to Fonderie 47, over 30,000 AK-47s have been destroyed to date.
The business model that Peter Thum has set forward deserves a noble stature. Unlike other “socially responsible” brands, the success of Thum’s ambitions has been attributed to the relationship of the product to the cause. This model has later been replicated by brands such as Toms Shoes and Warby Parker eyewear. Previous to Fonderie 47, while working for McKinsey and Company, Thum developed Ethos Water, a bottled water brand that raised awareness and funding for safe water, sanitation and hygiene education programs in South Africa. Ethos Water was acquired by Starbucks Foundation, which he directed from 2005 to 2008 and up to date has granted more than $6 million.
A brand is an excellent storytelling vehicle, inspiring others and helping them hear the heartbeat of a cause. I envision a world where brands can go beyond CSR programs, where social and environmental developments can be conceived at the core of business models and well-rounded brand strategies to support the fulfillment of our legacy. This is also part of the brand’s spirit or raison d'être; a business space where success is infallible.
Maybe the Inversion Principle, a term usually known in programming circles, can be introduced in our business and branding vocabulary. Maybe the Inversion Principle is the new substitute for Corporate Social Responsibility. Maybe, just maybe I can help you question yourself what your business' higher purpose is and how it is contributing to our collective evolution.
“We set out five years ago to create an original mechanical timepiece from an AK47. A piece that would reflect the finest Swiss watchmaking traditions and embody our principles and our mission of change; all at the same time. This was no easy task, but thanks to a remarkable team, I think that we well and truly have achieved this aim. But then, Inversion Principle also is more than just a watch. It is a manifestation of the principle that anything is possible.”
– Peter Thum, CEO and Co-founder
