For their 130th anniversary, Hamilton employed a bicoastal celebration strategy that highlighted the brand?s key strengths. Thomas Calara already brought you a story about part one of the big celebration, the annual Behind the Camera Awards, which were turned up a notch this year to note the big milestone and included the release of the new Black & Gold collection, ready for any red (or black) carpet event. A Hollywood based event obviously highlights Hamilton?s long and proud history of involvement in the movie making business, a part of their story that is filled with no small amount of glitz and glamor. But when you?ve been around for over a century, you?re not likely to be defined by only one thing, and the second leg of Hamilton?s anniversary festivities in their hometown of Lancaster, PA put a focus on the brand?s early history, which is a uniquely American story. 
Before we dig into how Hamilton connected with their roots in Lancaster last week, it?s worth mentioning the flexing involved in staging two events, back to back, on opposite sides of the country. This just isn?t something most brands would attempt, and while the size and scale of the events were certainly different (I imagine the vibe in Lancaster was considerably more subdued, overall, than whatever happened in LA with a roster of movie stars), the message Hamilton is sending here feels pretty clear. Just as the watches themselves run the gamut between every imaginable style and category, t...