Marketing and the NFL Post Lockout

First of all let it be known that no one ever thought that the season wouldn't happen.  $9BB is a lot of money to leave on the table and let's be honest without the fans there really is no NFL anyway.  And because the NFL has the largest viewership of any sport in the U.S. it means that there is a lot more money to be made through marketing and advertising.  Just a quick recap to those who don't understand why it is essential to market through the NFL.  The NFL touched 150 million viewers last season or just a little under half of the U.S. total population.  The demographic is 18-55 year old males, middle class with a tendency to lean right.  If you have a product that fits that demographic and it has the potential to offset the incredible price you are going to pay to see a Patriots vs. Jets game in primetime then you darn well better pony up the money and get on it.

TV stations had been reluctant to sell advertising space because of the lockout but now that the locks have been removed from locker rooms it's turning into a free for all to gobble up all the advertising space.  The NFL signs incredibly lucrative tv deals that it distributes to the teams.  The TV stations make their money from companies doing media buys to push their products.  Now that we have a firm grasp on how it works here is how the landscape will change and look now.

It really won't look too different on the surface but internally it'll be a scramble!  The biggest challenge is coordinating the new sponsors and advertisers.  There won't e any down time in commercials or a lot of repeats, in fact it will probably be an even better play for the networks carrying the NFL.  Money is king and there was all kinds of build up to this season because of all the story lines with the lockout that everyone wants to have a piece of it.  The only down side could possibly be the fact that without a full blown training camp that the on field product won't be as good as previous years at the beginning of the season.  If marketers actually pay any attention to this it will probably be in weeks 3-7 when the injury bug will hit a group that is out of shape.  If I were to put money on it I would avoid these weeks because of the probability.  Injuries usually occur at the beginning and the end of the season when people are out of shape and then tired. 

With the shortened training camp expect people to still be getting their feet under them even in the beginning.  If anything the risk of injury and lack of cohesiveness on the field during the first few weeks will keep the marking and advertising back.  There will still be some great games and the die hards are going to love every week their team plays but to the casual fan if Peyton Manning is injured during the time period (and the way things are looking he could be out at the beginning of the season) who is really going to want to watch Indy play?  Same goes for Brady and the Pats or Brees and the Saints.  The lockout will affect the product which if you are a marketer would mean not as much money being spent in the beginning... but that being said look out for the second half of the season, through attrition you'll see some lean, mean, and fresher than normal teams which will factor into a great closing stretch of the season!  My money is on marketing late in the season when it means more and you have the better product on the field.

My sincere apologies

I have been missing in action.  I have been working diligently to finish writing my book.  I hope that everyone can forgive me for not posting more often.  I will get back with some incredibly insightful and earth shattering thoughts on marketing and the pursuit of happiness soon.  I am planning posts and hope to get back to it sooner than later.  Some of the scheduled posts are:

NFL How the marketing will look post lockout.
MLB and what a face can do for a brand.
The growing footprint of The North Face.
Outdoors but not granola.

Hopefully these will intrigue you to check back!

Thanks for the patience.

Ryan

Branding and Marketing a Book

This post is going to be a work in progress.  I'm finishing writing my first book and I am very excited about it.  But now that I have a book, my product if you will, how do I get people to read it?  Well let me tell you.  The first thing I did before I started writing my book was look at my target market.  Who would buy my book?  Does this target market actually buy books regarding this?  How big is this target market?  I even went as far as to consider hot topics right now.  My book is social commentary which is an incredibly hot topic right now.  I figured that if you put up something that was entertaining, controversial then it would possibly sell. 

Writing is a huge undertaking.  I managed to hit the 50K word level which is probably just about where I want to be.  A good read but a quick one.  Knowing what I have in terms of a product and who I want to sell to I next started considering the opportunities to gain publicity.  Talking heads can be annoying but they are also the biggest proponents of my type of book.  I also am going to contact local radio stations to set up inteviews about my book and my opinions.

I need to establish credibility so I'm going to book speaking engagements and also see if I can submit a couple of articles to news papers.  The end goal?  It's to pick up some credibility, spread my thoughts and honestly, just see how far a guy can get with a product!  It's almost an experiment of sorts.  I want to produce a commercial for it and see if it goes viral on Youtube.  I'm going to have a website for it also.  I really just want to see how big I can grow it.  I believe in my book and my thoughts.  I think that I have reasonable credibility and would love to write more.  I'm not doing it as a Morgan Spurlock type thing, it is a real book with real opinions, but combine that with my marketing ability it'll be interesting to see what I get.

As for the release date... TBD, the name... I have one but I want to make sure that it is what I want it to be.  I'll keep you updated.

Travel Brands

I recently returned from a trip to Panama and while there I couldn't help but notice the different brands of the different travelers.  First of all you have to understand that Central America is a haven for travelers.  It's a conglomorate of Europeans travelling for 1-2 months, Australian college students looking to get a way for 6 months, rich latins who spend time in another country flaunting their cash, business men doing deals in developing countries and the dread locked nomadic "dude I just love the laid back lifestyle" hippies who hang out for months at a time and who knows how long they end up staying there.  Oh and did I mention the crazy Americans who have given up on the country and are drawn to the cheap real estate and semi-Americanized culture (in Costa Rica and Panama at least).  Then there are the typical Americans who only have a few days off of work because we all work so hard.  We spent 9 days in country and everyone thought we were crazy, I thought it was a good amount of time until we heard the stories of people hanging around and traveling all throughout Latin America.

Anyway, back to the subject at hand.  The adventurers and Typical American travelers are the ones who pack for the trip.  They wear the clothing that is best suited for travel and the conditions they will encounter.  If you look at the different brands that are available that tout themselves as "Travel Brands" you can easily recognize many of them and many you didn't even know existed.  Ex-Oficio is a travel brand.  They want to be known as a travel brand plain and simple.  Their clothing is for those who want to have good looking apparel that is somewhat performance based but the branding is all about the Jet Setter.  Many companies have "Travel" as a category now.  For example Patagonia has a Travel section see here.  Another well known company that is making headway into the apparel realm is Merrell.  They like Patagonia, have a Travel section.

Of all the brands that I saw in all of Panama ironically old faithful Columbia was the most visible brand.  I saw many travelers, businessmen, adventure seekers, and fishermen wearing the Columbia Omni-Dry shirts.  Multiple times I saw the hats and shoes.  Somehow Columbia has resonated with the traveling types.  I have a couple of theories on this.  First, the price point.  Columbia is affordable and many deft travelers are used to traveling on budgets and want to get the best bang for their buck.  Second, Columbia has penetrated the Latin market better than many of the aforementioned brands.  I saw many Latins wearing Columbia which leads me to believe that a concerted marketing effort has been made world wide.  And it has paid off.  I saw fishermen from Europe with Columbia on, backpackers from Argentina, Americans that were laying on a beach all wearing the brand.  What does this mean?  Well, I'm not sure if Columbia intended to become a traveler brand but it certainly is a big area that could/should be and is being exploited see here. 

I remember it being that cute brand from Portland that had the old lady testing coats.  They made great coats and outer wear but now Columbia has grown into a formidable affordable outdoor/travel giant.  I guess I can't say that I was completely shocked to see everyone wearing Columbia clothing as I brought my fair share of Columbia gear, I guess I was just shocked to see so many people wearing it in the airports and on the buses.  Everyone scattering around to participate in their various activities while wearing quality performance apparel.

Sponsorships and branding

I recently went to an auto race in Utah and I was intrigued by all of the sponsorships.  On every car... well almost every car there were a grundle of sponsorships.  The teams themselves are supposedly extensions of bigger brands/owners.  There is the Michael Jordan Racing team, complete with the Jumpman logo and everything.  The National Guard is a sponsor for that team along with Gatorade, Upperdeck and Hanes.  All those brands have jumped on board all to be part of the man MJ.

Sponsoring is rough way to go when you think about it.  It fairly ineffective way to spend marketing dollars and you really never know what you're going to get as far as returns.  Even worse than that you really can't measure any of it.  Every once in a while you hit a homerun when you line your brand up with a relevant event or product.  I look at some of the classics that have been successful and they make sense.

Gatorade - Has done a great job with associating itself with sports and leagues.  NBA, NBA, High School Athletics.  This is great sponsorship dollars.

Coke - Pumping billions into the Olympics is incredible but there is a reason why it is the global drink of choice.  (Even though they have a different formula in Mexico... they use real sugar and it's better!)

Nike - College football teams.  If your team wears Nike apparel you know you have a good thing going.  This extends beyond just the unis, the apparel is going to be quality also.

Under Armour - The NFL Combine.  It is the perfect showcase for UA.  The training and the venue is right on.

Mountain Dew - The Dew Tour.  Young, adrenaline kids showing off with loud music and disregard for society... well done.

Social commentator/film maker Morgan Spurlock the man who brought us Super Size me has a new movie "The Greatest Movie Ever Sold" coming out in which he had sponsors pay for all of it by using ad placement.  He even got Pom the Pomegranate drink to purchase the naming rights to the movie.  It looks fascinating and kind of puts things in perspective.  How effective placement and sponsorships can be depends completely on the product and the associated brand.  The Sprint Cup doesn't seem like a great marriage nor does Energy Solutions Arena but spending money and sponsoring can certainly get your name out there. 

The Battle For the Most Interesting Man in the World Title

Make no mistake, there is a battle going on.  It's fierce, it's bloody, and it's foreign.  Sound like something out of Central Asia?  Well, you'd be mistaken, the battle is in the booze.  Beer as a matter of fact.  With the incredibly overwhelming success of the Most Interesting Man in the World campaign by Dos Equis created by Euro RSCG of New York, Heineken decided it needed to ride this wave too.  What makes this type of campaign so appealing that the Dutch brewers want to jump on board?  Lets take a look:

Historically beer drinking wasn't associated with class.  Many of the drinkers  had a rough edge to them and saw it as a recreation drink or relaxation drink.  Picture a beer at a baseball game, or tailgating at a football game, or best of all, "bartender give me a beer".  With this type of audience already firmly entrenched as a drinking base it was time to reach out to other drinkers.  A subtle message that is permeated throughout the campaigns is that everyone can drink a beer.  These campaigns can be as educational as they can catchy.  With this in mind it's interesting to see how similar yet different these two campaigns are.  The end goal is to have one of the catchier campaigns, reach a new audience and get people to buy your beer because of the campaign you put together.

Dos Equis:

I love this guy, he's my hero, he's who I want to be in 30 years.  Problem is that it's in 30 years.  What about in the meantime?  Well, Dos Equis has done a great job of inserting clips from "his life" throughout all of the the ads.  The ideas for their creativity has been astounding.  Essentially clips of a man throughout his life showing all of the amazing things he has done, stuff that you and I could only dream about.  His life reads like a story book or a novel.  He has rubbed shoulders with dignitaries, explored in places that are so remote not many people have been there.  Accomplished tasks that still show up in record books.  All while wooing women and smiling.  He's exotic with a beard.  His accent can't even be placed, is he Spanish?  Dunno, German?  Dunno... his origin is as interesting as he is.

As part of the overall message, Dos Equis has really appealed to the young professionals, shooting for the 25-40 year old range who still think they can be that guy.  It's a fun campaign that has changed the way we look at Dos Equis.  Having an exotic foreign name to it has helped too.  Having gone from almost complete obscurity to on of the most talked about beers out there, congratulations, it worked.  It worked so well that I now can't wait for the next Most Interesting Man in the World commercial.

Heineken:

A little known fact is that Heineken owns Dos Equis.  So the big question is why would they compete with themselves?  The answer isn't so easy to explain.  There are two sides to this.  In case you haven't seen the ads, there is a young man whose nationality can't be placed (the spot was shot in Spain with a French actor) but totes a thin beard and is dark haired.  He enters a room and immediatly greets all sorts of people.  These people range from Indian women to foreign dignitaries.  There is even a scene with a Martial Arts expert.  Essentially the man is good at everything and has done everything in order to meet and greet these people.  Everyone loves him and he too is one of the Most Interesting Men in the World.

To answer the question of why compete?  The overall success of the Dos Equis campaign had to be so overwhelming that the big whigs thought it would be Okay to introduce a little competition. Rivaling The Most Interesting Man in the World (TMIMW) is a very hard thing to accomplish.  He is distinguished and has a take on life that we would all love to have.  So to introduce a spunky young man into the mix and try to take some of that real estate was a tough task to ask.  Heineken did a really good job through the agency Weiden + Kennedy of Amsterdam in making this young buck "interesting".  The campaign is older than you would think. It started in 2010 and has been a viral hit for a while but starting in March 2011 went mainstream.

The music, the feats, the person, all scream a younger peppier version of TMIMW but will it last and will it win?  Heineken sure hopes so because of this being their flagship brand and precedence for the rest of the company.  They are confident that this globtrotting youngster will inspire people in their exploration of the world and their Beer. “Heineken wants to elevate our drinkers by showing aspirational behavior — our consumer knows how to navigate the world, is confident, open-minded and resourceful,” spokeswoman Tara Carraro told Ad Age.

  Regardless Heineken is sure looking to brand itself very similarly to Dos Equis.  The difference being a peppy and young look trying to inspire young people to behave a certain way.  Heineken will never touch what Dos Equis as done and I think it's safe to that The Most Interesting Man in the World is still in a league of his own.  He was a first mover and carries a mystique to him that can't be matched. Our young Heineken friend looks like one of his disciples but as was with Peter or Paul, there is no replacing the Master.

UPDATE: The latest commercials.

The hype leading up to the launch, hitting your target.

One of my current clients has been working on raising some hype for one of their products.  It made me think of the hype that companies raise in order to grow awareness.  One recent campaign that is a few  years old is the Android campaign where pre-launch commercials were produced and run non-stop through every major event.  I remember watching them through the Superbowl and every other major event.  When the phone was finally released the brand had been established and the consumers knew everything about it.  It seems to have lived up to exactly 89.3% of the hype.  It was positioned to rival the iphone and is sorta kind of doing that.

In the outdoor and sports world this type of things is a little more difficult to do.  Consider this: if The North Face wanted to launch a new type of coat that would be the end all be all for any type of activity (never gonna happen but I'm just saying).  How would TNF position this?  First of all you would have to consider the fact that not everyone is going to purchase your product.  Your target market is very defined.  Someone in Arizona or Florida is not going to need your product.  With a phone, everyone buys a phone and wants a phone.  This is not the same with outdoor products.  TNF would launch a huge campaign to hit their demographics but the ROI on that investment wouldn't be very good.  Conversely if TNF targeted their campaign to the traditional outdoors outlets they would probably sell the exact same amount of product.  It's like I've said before, those who are going to buy it are going to buy it.

This leads again to the question of how do you hype a product before you launch it if your results are going to be the same without the additional costs of the campaign?  The answer is long and murky but here is the brief version of it all.

Currently the mentality of the "next big thing" doesn't really exist in the outdoors community.  It doesn't make sense to do it.  The results will be the same without the spend.  Gun manufacturers have attempted this but it requires someone following the industry intently.  The best way to hype an upcoming product or brand is to piggy back on what is currently being done by the company.  There are plenty of really good campaigns out there but instead of completely focusing all the efforts on the next product only about 20 - 30% of the focus should be used on the next product.  While a complete campaign will need to be run for the product it's much safer to utilize the space of a current product that is doing really well.  One example of this is in the outdoor clothing space.  Take my old favorite Under Armour.  What Under Armour has done is utilized what they have done in the past, leveraged their brand and put together small campaigns announcing or advertising upcoming products.  A great example is ski and snowboarding clothing.  There was never a big campaign or even a lot of money spent, rather by inserting it as an option or "see our winter line" on their website they were able to spark interests and create the next "big" for them.

It's a tough industry to revolutionize.  That's why building large amounts of hype just doesn't work.  You have to parlay your current hype of one product into the next thing that is coming along.  Unless the overall product is really something that is show stopping it's not going to be worth the costs of creating the hype.  The outdoors market is finicky and has to be treated as such.  Make sure your campaign is concerted and hitting the right target.  One proven way is to utilize other products that already have awareness.

The world loses a true outdoorsman and an amazing person: Garrett Smith

The world becomes a lesser of a place when a good person is taken from us on this earth.  I knew Garrett Smith from interactions at church and inviting him and his wife over for a gathering of friends.  It's odd when you can just sense that someone his great.  There is greatness about them.  Despite Garrett's great size at 6'7" I could still feel that he was a great man.  We chatted about life, the outdoors, and what we wanted to do with ourselves.  He always wore a scarf.  Garrett was truly man enough to wear a scarf.  We talked about the purpose they served and how in the desert they are essential to keep all the sand and sun out.  I thought he was just talking but later when I learned about his life and what he had done and seen our conversation made more sense. 

Garrett was a world traveler, a photographer, a mountaineer, a climber, a skier, a husband, a brother, a son, an uncle, and a friend.  Garrett traveled to Morocco, Israel, Africa, Europe, lived in Spain, spent a lot of time in Central America, skied backcountries and saw many other parts of the world that most people can't even imagine.  Garrett ultimately lost his life doing what he loved, he was backcountry skiing in Central Utah around 11,000 feet on Saturday March 26th and passed away on the 27th.

I can honestly say he affected me however little I knew him. He had the ability to affect people with minimal interaction, he did it with a big smile and quiet confidence.  When the world loses someone good we all are affected.  I was deeply touched by him and by his wife.  They were and she still is, avid outdoorsmen and amazing people.  I admire him for what he accomplished in life.  He has an amazing gallery of photos on his website www.hammersincphoto.com.  We had reached an agreement to refer people to each other to do work with the outdoors clients. Garrett worked for Petzl the maker of quality headlamps.  He saw the world differently.  He was a falconer and had a pet hawk that he trained when he was a teenager.  He ran the Wasatch 100 without much training.  He did things we only dream about.  He was quiet and sarcastic.  He was stoic and strong.  I want to remember him and think of how what he did and his outlook on life.  Ever the optimist, he valued each day and lived it to the fullest.  This life was about the journey for him.  We all need to be a little more like Garrett.

Here is the story told by the news in Utah.

What Jimmer Fredette means for marketing.

As Jimmermania swept the country this basketball season an interesting thing happened, Jimmer became a brand.  Jimmer had an amazing senior season at BYU leading his team to the Sweet 16.  Jimmer led the nation in scoring averaging 28.9 points per game and became the poster boy for jim rats everywhere (pun intended).  As Jimmer looks towards the NBA I'll take a look at what Jimmer means for marketing possibilities.

Jimmer has interesting marketing possibilities.  His game is range, he'll pull up from 30-35 feet away and drain it.  He has the capability to do that.  How well his game translates to the NBA is yet to be determined but I will say this, if you can put the ball in the hole you can play.  Because of that interesting dynamic and who Jimmer is he has the ability to instantly come onto a team and be the face of the team... in a way.

First of all Jimmer is white.  He's not incredibly athletic, athletic, but not incredibly.  He's a good looking guy with a great personality.  He says the right things, practices the right things (He's Mormon), hits trick shots and dribbles like Curly from the Globe Trotters.  It's very marketable.  In a time when the NBA is loaded with tatted thugs breaths of fresh air are craved (see Blake Griffin with T-Mobile and Subway).  Jimmer can instantly come into a situation and be the smiling face that some team wants to use to appeal to the large majority of their fan base; middle class white suburbia.

Jimmer has brandability.  He has the name, he has the shot, and he has the looks, what he doesn't have is a guarantee of success in the NBA.  Undeservedly he has been compared to JJ Redick and Adam Morrison.  Basically it's because he's white, had a great college career based on his skills not his athletic ability.  Just my quick thought on that then back to marketing.  He can create his own shot and he can finish in the paint, neither of those two could do that.  That may be just enough to get him into the league and make him an attraction.  At the end of the day it's about watching some of the greatest athletes in the world do amazing things.  The way he shoots is amazing.  Him being who he is may not be amazing, but it may sell.  I can see moms buying Fredette jerseys for their kids and feeling okay about it.  I can see some team putting his face on their program and not worry about someone fathering 9 kids with 8 different women (see Antonio Cromartie of the NY Jets).  I can see it.  I can see Jimmer doing interviews and laughing with the media.  I can see him saying all the right things and doing guest clinics in the local community.  I can see it.

What I can't see is Jimmer doing it for the NY Knicks.  The market is just not right.  Too glitzy and glamorous (although DT Justin Tuck did text Jimmer during the NCAA Tournament and he's from the state of  New York).  I don't think he does it with the Heat either.  He needs his shots and they already have too many people taking shots now.  I don't see it in L.A., again, too much glamour and Angry Jack sitting on the sideline wouldn't like Jimmer if he jacked a 35 footer and missed it.  I do see Jimmer in Memphis, I see him fit really well there.  Southern folks can appreciate a good old fashioned white guy.  I see him in San Antonio or even Dallas for that matter.  I actually see him fitting in the Spurs system and he has small market guy written all over him.  I can't see him in Portland, doesn't fit the team culture.  Honestly, he could fit in Minnesota, how fun would that be with two unathletic white ballers!?

Last but not least, I see him back in Utah.  He would sell tickets, he would have all of Provo, Utah up to see him and half of Salt Lake.  During a time when Utah his going to struggle for the next two years... even if the Jimmer show is only a side attraction to the bigger overall picture.  It might just be worth it for the Jazz to draft him and sell some tickets.  Jimmer is marketable, he has to be in the right situation and with the right team and he can make someone a lot of money.

What's so special about the "Sweet 16"?

I love sports and to be quite honest there really aren't too many sporting events that rival the NCAA Tournament.  I remember from the time I was young going to Pizza Hut getting the lop sided basketballs that they sold for $4 for the Final Four.  They also had a Sweet 16 deal that involved something for $16.  If you're judging a teams success by how far they go in the tournament you can say that if the team made it to the Sweet 16 they've had a pretty good year.  Buy why then, what is so special about winning two games and making it to the level before the quarter finals?  I'm a BYU fan, and this year the team rode the success of super phenom why guy superstar Jimmer Fredette.  The team had struggled to get out of the first round for so many years actually got a decent scede and won two games against fairly decent opponents.  (Gonzaga was that good, and yes Jimmer was that good, Florida was an off shooting night and the Gators play defense really well and close out quickly so BYU didn't have too many great looks.  Okay now that's off my chest, burn in Hell Rick Reilly)... where was I?  Anyway, the point is that when you really look at it it's all a branding/marketing ploy.  I used to feel like it was a way to gague your teams success, and to a certain degree it is, but lets be honest, BYU being a #3 seed should have won those two games.  Pitt obviously was a litttle overratted and now Ohio State and Duke fell victim to that too. 

You see, the whole thing used to be a basketball purists dream.  Just young guys not playing for money but for the love of the game.  Then incredibly, rediculously, stupidly huge TV contracts became involved.  TV ruined college football and has ruined college basketball.  I was shocked at how many TV timeouts there are this year!  If the game is close, there are going to be even more.  You wonder how those guys can play at such furious paces, well, they get a two minute rest every three minutes.. sometimes it's only 30 seconds.  Turner Networks paid $9 billion dollars to co-broadcast with CBS and they want to make their money back somehow, so what better way than to make us all nautious after viewing the same commercials for the 15th time in 20 minutes.  It's all about the money.  It's not about the success of your team, it's not about making it to the Sweet 16, it's about money hungry executives charging time for companies eager to get their products in front of people wanting to watch a game.  Southwest and their giant red tape ball can shove it... I'm done with seeing it. 

I quickly digress.  I love the tourney and what it should stand for.  So what is so special about the Sweet 16?  Well, not a lot anymore.  It just means that you've had to sit through way too many commercials and too many people having their brackets screwed up because some reporters made you drink the Cool-aid.  You know, to be one of the final 16 teams in the country is pretty cool.  The NCAA and the media have made it that way.  It is an accomplishment but it seems to be less and less of one as time goes on and as the media takes over.  Problem is, we'll all keep watching it cause it's that good.  I've said my two cents... The NCAA tournament is an incredible product and a great brand and everyone rides its coattails.  I guess I can't blame them, I'm doing it too.

My Top 5 Camo Brands (patterns maker)

I have to admit that there are very few real Camo companies, most companies license the pattern from the company.  Talk about a good business to be in.  You don't ever have to make your own products, you just have to come up with a pattern!  Because of that you have to make a quality camo that companies want to use.  Here are my top 5 best represented and quality camo companies based on quality of camo, effectiveness, and overall marketing and branding.

5- Columbia Sportswear - original patters.  The Timberwolf Pattern and Delta Hunter patterns are original.  This is why Columbia landed in my top 5 of active outdoors brands.  They are an outfitter to everyone.  While most active outdoors companies shy away from the hunting scene, Columbia continues to take advantage of the big spenders that are hunters.  The patterns they have are pretty solid.  Good cover in a quality product and the camo is pretty effective with the distinguished patterns.  The company hasn't pushed the hunting side of things too much.  It's more of an upland game company but moving forward with fishing and hunting.  If they wanted to they could easily make a bigger push.  I expect it in the future.

4- Predator Camo - I'm very impressed with this smaller brand.  They have original clothing and license the patterns.  The company has an obsession with blending in by combining natural colors with some crazy bright patterns, that are exclusive to the location.  This is a very good "tree stand" brand if you move around quite a bit it tends to lose its effectiveness because of the very specific coloring. The branding is trying too hard.  It is for "hard core" enthusiasts that really want to get after it.  Flaming dear heads as a logo puts you right in the bulls eye for hunting, there is no subtly or lounge wear made from this brand like the Mossy Oaks or Real Tree's.  They stick to who they are.

3- Sitka Gear - I love it.  It is a super effective camo that is incorporating more technology than any other brand.  They have patterns that claim to be invisible to a dear's eye.  More importantly and maybe less effectively they are the exclusive makers and users of their pattern.  The company is vertically integrated meaning they do all of the research, testing, designing, manufacturing and distribution.  It's a tough pill to swallow but they seem to be doing okay.  The camo is killer the price point is high and the biz model is ok.  The unique look and feel of it makes me think of something exotic.  The name is exotic and the logo is indistinguishable (makes me think of two branches interwined... dunno, just a thought.)  The branding isn't great on it but the product is quality.

1b- Mossy Oak - I don't know what to say.  If you buy a shirt that has camo on it chances are it is a Mossy Oak or a Real Tree pattern.  They both are incredibly established and continue to crank out great patterns.  You can find a pattern for almost any occasion.  Mossy oak origniated in the south and was designed for a lot of, you guessed it oak tree hunting but has a full pattern line all the way into arctic gear.  I am impressed with the company the R&D and how they are continuing innovation.  (For the record, Mossy Oak has a better logo and more distinguished look to the logo, RealTree has the better name)

1a- Real Tree - The company that has their camo everywhere.  Many top manufacturers use Real Tree including Russell, Wrangler and even Wal-Mart has some.  I don't think it takes away from the brand at all.  The fact that they have their patterns on everything means one of two things or maybe both.  1- they make such a quality product that everyone wants it, or 2- They don't have to have high margines hence the ability to sell it for cheap... either way the company is killing it.  Anyway you look at it, RT has a great selection of patterns that are all well researched and customized.  They have the best name of the bunch for marketing purposes.  I like where they are going with the brand and the newer logos they have been incorporating. 

Other notables: Under Armour (will crack the top 5 by next hunting season, they do have some original patterns), Seclusion 3D (you won't find much about it but it is Cabelas choice for private label stuff, could be on the list).

My top 5 Active Outdoor Companies based on branding

This list is based on the overall branding job that the companies have done.  This includes the overall look, the message, the essence, the strength of the brand and the creativity of the brand.  These are in desending order:

5- Patagonia.  Many would argue that this should be higher because it is well known among the faithful.  In a purely outdoors sense, yes it should, but for overall brand strength it lacks a little because of the weakness in the flash (then again, that's what make it what it is).  (BTW, I love Patagonia stuff, this is purely based off of the branding.)

4- Merrell.  I like Merrell.  I think they have great shoes and they've done a good job selling that.  It's incredible that they have done as much with so little.  They are a bit of a one trick pony but I like the organic feel and the appeal to everyone.

3- Mountain Hardware.  The brand is technical.  That is what they want to display.  You know that if the person is wearing the brand then that person understands the outdoors, otherwise they wouldn't be spending that much money on their equipment.  Clean and technical.  I like it for what it is.  They have done a good job of transmitting their message.

2- Columbia.  Mountain Hardware's mother company, Columbia has successfully become the provider to everyone on every level.  The company went from just ski parkas in the 90's to a complete outfitter.  The brand screams quality and value but still screams outdoors.  While not a top technical brand, they save that for MH, they still make great products but the overall branding and experience that Columbia gives you is top notch.  The brand appeals to everyone through imagery, price point, design, and function.  Well done.  (P.S. they make hunting apparel, big plus for me!)

1- The North Face.  They have been killing it for years.  I remember in high school in the 90's when someone had a TNF backpack, they were cool.  Interestingly enough TNF still remains an enigma on purpose.  At the base of the whole essence is a brand that doesn't care what anyone thinks because they basically created the role of an outdoors outfitter.  The simple logo has a ton of equity, the products are always quality and the imagery is solitude with accomplishment much like the brand itself.  As TNF continues to branch into new industries they keep the same essence and branding.  I really enjoy the brand and what has been done with it.  As of now they hold my top spot.

Bear Luke Outfitters and 3DMI Team up for a 3D Pheasant Hunt

On February 27 Bear Luke Outfitters and 3DMI out of South Jordan, Utah teamed up to film a Pheasant Hunt in 3D.  This is one of the first hunting events filmed in 3D at professional grade and the footage will be used for both stock and promotional purposes.  The 3D film industry is growing rapidly and 3D hunts are the next logical progression for the industry. The overall project was a joint effort with Bear Luke Outfitters, 3DMI, Browning Firearms, and Basin Family Pharmacy to offer a different and unique experience to the 3D world.  The most common 3D stock footage is usually aerial shots of city scape or mountain and beach scenes.  With this particular type of shoot the viewer now gets a first hand look at what a pheasant hunt looks and feels like up close and personal.

The shoot took place at the Pleasant Valley Hunting Preserve outside of Myton, Utah.  Peter Fuszuard the owner and founder of 3DMI called it "one of the most difficult shoots he's ever done, but one of the most gratifying".  Peter manned the camera and three hunters Ryan Luke, Brandon Luke and Cory Christensen who also had one dog and the guide George Dean  were the participants in the hunt.  The guides brought three Springer Spaniel dogs and the terrain was "rugged and perfect" according to Peter.  He also commented on how well the dogs worked for filming and how amazing it will be to to get the depth with the dogs that 3D offers.

The hunt lasted close to five hours with 15 birds being taken.  The hunt was threatened by a potential storm that was foretasted to hit which would have made the filming in 3D difficult due to snow flakes appearing directly in front of the camera and having scenery in the distance.  The hunt was treated to blue skies and great weather which all contributed to a very successful hunt.  The most important part of 3D is offering depth, the shoot allowed for birds to be seen flying away and the hunters to be in the foreground.  Overall the idea is to show viewers how the hunt happens but have it be incredibly realistic. Peter thinks that there will be enough footage to put together a spectacular short clip to show to vendors, potential investors, and other outdoor companies who may be looking to film other hunts in 3D.

3DMI focuses on 3D filming and is quickly becoming one of the leading 3D stock footage libraries.  Peter Fuszard has 20 years in the film industry and recently relocated from California to grow his company in Utah while being surrounded by the incredible scenery that Utah has to offer.  Bear Luke Outfitters out of Salt Lake City, Utah is a Outdoors Marketing company that focuses on the outdoors and hunting.  Bear Luke Outfitters organized the hunt and brought in the sponsorships for the hunt.  Browning Firearms out of Morgan, Utah provided the guns and apparel for the hunt and Basin Family Pharmacy in Roosevelt, Utah provided the birds.  This joint effort shows the optimism and growth of the 3D market and overall film market for Utah.

3DMI and Bear Luke Outfitters are hoping to take advantage of the outdoors around Roosevelt to film other outdoor activities in 3D.  Peter commented that Roosevelt is an "untapped market" for outdoor sports and filming.  Peter was impressed by the natural habitat and the very different landscape the Uintah Basin offers.  Many film makers and commercial producers are searching for something unique in terms of scenery and background.  "They are looking for something different, Moab, Canyonlands, the Wasatch Mountains have been numerous times but this, this is truly unique and could offer some great shots" Peter Said.  As the industry grows in Utah, the Uintah Basin is sure to garner some attention for its raw and rugged landscape.

Would be fun Co-Brand! Nissan Xterra Storm Trooper Edition

The other day I was driving around and I saw the "Nissan Xterra Storm Trooper Edition" and couldn't believe my eyes.  It was too good to be true.  I am a nerd yes, but this was great, two things I love!  A solid 4wd vehicle and Star Wars!  I had to look into it more.  I did some research and just as I thought, there really isn't a Storm Trooper Edition, rather some people took the look of a white Xterra with the black tubing and the predominate features and thought that it looked like a Storm Trooper (and they're right, it really does!).  Someone made up some stickers to sell online that looked like the Nissan font and boom, you have a Storm Trooper Edition. 

After I thought more about it it would be an amazing co-brand.  Think about some of the co-branding that goes on with cars.  I wrote earlier about the Jeep Call of Duty Black Ops Edition (here).  Ford has the Expedition Eddie Bauer package, the Harley Davidson package for the F-150, there is the L.L. Bean Outback.  Anyway, the list goes on and on.  This makes total sense from a brand essence point of view.  The Xterra has prided itself on being a rough and tough do anything SUV that is very capable offroad.  It has developed a great following due to the price point and reliability.  The image and essence that Nissan wanted to put out was to compete with the 4Runner and Cherokee but do it in a more adventurous and sophisticated sort of way.  The imagery for some of the campaigns was great.  There were guys repelling into holes and using the Xterra as an anchor, skiing, outdoors etc... all of it was to establish the car as the all in one outdoor adventure car.

Now a Storm Trooper.  They were/are (depending how you look at it) the all in one soldier.  The empire when they were the republic used them for everything.  They were clones but they were given the best traits of the Fett family.  (I'm totally nerding out but bear with my for a moment).  As diverse soldiers they were sent to fight in all kinds of terrain.  They were well equipped and adaptable.  They had a no nonsense look to them and the only way they distinguished rank was by some coloring (same as the military now days with ribbons medals etc...).  These guys were the Xterras of their day.  They did what they were told, they adapted and they weren't the most expensive but you certainly got your moneys worth out of them.

What a cool idea if Nissan could pull it off with Lucas Arts and the entire franchise.  They might sell a boat load of them and I for one would be the first to buy it.  Much like the Jeep Call of Duty Black Ops Edition it would have to meet the demands of both sides.  Do Star Wars lovers like the outdoors and driving 4wd vehicles?  Is it the same market... well, it's not as good as Jeep's and COD.  It would be a little far fetched.  You would need an eclectic person to appreciate what was being done but hey, I would buy one (What does that say about me?)

Some of the later Xterra campaigns in print:

 

Cross over brands: North Face, Keen, Adidas, Montrail, Salomon

It's no secret that I am intrigued by what Under Armour has done with its branding and where it has branched out, but last night my wife and I went to a running store in Salt Lake City called Wasatch Running.  It is probably the leader in running along the Wasatch Front.  While in there I asked about a couple of brands and what they thought of them there.  I asked about the Five Fingers and they said it was a good brand but would never run on pavement with them.  I asked about Under Armour and the consensus was that their running shoes just hadn't been around long enough.  What intrigued me most were the cross over brands meaning the trail shoes, the outdoors and the running world colliding.

The North Face.  It's an interesting problem to have.  First of all you have to develop a shoe that has the technology to compete with traditional running shoes and second you have to deomonstrate a knowledge of the outdoors.  In the window of the store was a big North Face poster with a trail runner.  It had the typical TNF feel to it, a stoic picture with someone completing something dificult but it was all in the parameters of running.  TNF definitely has the outdoors thing down but the running acumen is still something that they are accomplishing.  By sponsoring athletes and setting up a trail running campaign TNF is hoping to gain some credibility in the market.  Columbia has tried and is still trying but succeeding to a lesser degree.  TNF is crossing over into the athletic world in their apparel also.  It offers technical shirts for quick wicking with images of people training and running suggesting that they know their stuff.  It'll be fun to see how far they go and if they eventually get all the way into road and distance running shoes.

Keen is a bit different.  They claim to be the Hybrid shoe.  They focus their brand more on the outdoors with trail running being a small part of it. Still they are found in the running store and do have a feel of a cross over brand. On a side not Keen also says it's a hybrid brand because it can be used for a water life/ relaxing life/ technical life... I kind of like it.

Montrail was made for trail running.  If they go into road shoes then they'll start to become a cross over brand.  One reason that Columbia hasn't pushed itself too far into the trail business is because it owns Montrail.  An interesting little brand that was consumed by a bigger brand but left independent.  I wish them luck.

Salomon is a crossover from somewhere else.  They make great trail shoes and can often be found on the feet of avid day hikers.  They've been in the biz for a while but they crossed over from the ski industry hoping that the same people that followed them religiously with their ski eqipment are the same people who trail run and love the outdoors (side note, The North Face is banking on that same type of thing too).  They have hit a homerun and their shoes division is one of their fastest growing divisions.  They have done a good job with the branding.  Keeping it separate from the skis but you know that it's Salomon with the logo. 

Adidas Outdoor Imagery

Adidas fighting itself again.

Adidas.  A conglomerate, a jack of all trades and quite frankly a late bloomer.  Adidas has been playing catch up to Nike for years now.  Nike launched its ACG brand in the early 90's and Adidas was still stuck on lifestyle shoes (though it has been a huge seller for them).  In the early 2000's Adidas got into trail running a bit and put out some good shoes but it never took.  They didn't have the brand for it.  Nike separated themselves with the ACG and allowed for a brand to be developed.  Adidas recently launched Adidas Outdoors.  It is run out of a compeltely different division.  For the US it is ran out of Europe and offers a complete line of technical clothing and footwear.  Adidas has always had running shoes but now the brand is crossing over into the true outdoors.  I thought it was a mistake to name it Adidas Outdoor.  I thought they should have separated it and kept a small part of the logo in it.  As is they now still have to overcome the Adidas stigma of being a lifestyle brand.  They make some great stuff as was seen at the Outdoor Retailer Show but they still have the problem of dealing with themselves.  A new logo and name would have done some good for them.  Still they are crossing over.

I could talk about Under Armour but you might get sick of it.  Nike has obviously done a good job crossing over into: golf, football, baseball, basketball, trail, outdoors, skateboard etc... anyway, the point is that some of these other brands are still crossing over.  We'll see how their branding takes them into new realms.

Under Armour and their athletes... watch out.

I'll admit it, I like Under Armour.  I remember seeing a pamplet I had in 2000 that I picked up somewhere and thought "this is going to be huge!"  I didn't even know about branding as a profession/art/science but I knew that they had something going on back then.  What I didn't know about them is that they would grow from a humble former University of Maryland football player to a multi-billion dollar company.  Along the way they have always tried and for the most part been on the cutting edge of athlete endorsements.

The initial endorsed athlete was Eric Ogbogu a teammate of the founder Kevin Plank at U of M.  He was the initial guy to shout "We must protect this house!"... and it stuck.  He played in the NFL for a bit but no one really knows that, in fact he's way more popular for yelling that.  Along the way there have been the endorsements for lesser known athletes such as Heather Mitts, Jeff Samardija, and others... The push has always been on the training and how those athletes train.  The first big pick up for UA came with Ray Lewis.  A Baltimore Raven, it made sense to grab a local guy.  Reebok had nabbed him for their version of UA but when his contract ran out he quickly came over to UA.

UA has tried to pick up and comers before the NFL combine.  They like to use those players to showcase the products as a way for training for the combine.  Ironically they have also struck out a couple of times too.  Jeremy Bloom the two sport star from Colorado who was an Olympic skier and a remarkable returner for Colorado was endorsed by UA... well, it didn't last long, he was drafted by the Eagles, hurt before the season started and was eventually cut before his second season.  Meh, it was a good try.  Then there are the not so fitting but still successful athletes.  Eric Weddle, the mighty might from the University of Utah had a decent combine and has had a solid NFL career leading his team (the Chargers)  in tackles multiple times.  He just didn't fit the mantra... no edge to him, he was a white guy that looked white, acted white, played well, just didn't fit in.  So he was quickly let go.

The second and largest pick up for UA came in the form of Tom Brady.  He signed in November of '10 and basically said "I like being part of something cool, plus I get a piece of the company".  He ditched Nike and moved on.  Nike has to be scratching their heads right now thinking of how they can make their brand of workout clothing "cool".  (Figuratively not litterally).  UA has a pretty good batting average with athletes.  They have some of the top Bow Hunters and Fly Fisherman in the world, they have a couple of the best football players of all time.  They are delving into basketball with the release of the shoes.  Baseball has Jose Reyes leading that group (Side note, UA is big in Japan, really big, check out this commercial, I'll write more about it later )... but the one that I get why they did it but have risked a lot is, wait for it... Cam Newton.

I love Cam's game.  He's a quarterback in a TE's body but moves better than Culpepper.  He has the arm strength, he's a proven runner, he's got a great feel for the pocket (although that will be tested in the NFL because of the speed), he has gotten better at every level he has played... he MIGHT be a good NFL player.  UA has risked it all on this guy... ok not all, but alot.  He has signed a $1MM/year deal with UA.  I don't know how to say it other than this.  He brings baggage.  He brings a certain stigma to your brand and to have Tom Brady and Cam Newton in a commercial together doesn't make sense.  He has a serious image rebuilding job to do and when his Heisman is taken away and the National Championship forfeited it's going to be a black eye on UA.  Then again, they'll probably just cut him loose and stop showing any relationship with him.  It's risky, he's a boom or bust and who knows.  With little experience on the big stage and honestly, you have to wonder about the kids character, it could be a rough go round for UA.  Then again, they probably did their research and saw enough to say that they wanted to take the risk.  Ahhh... the branding and marketing ploys with athletes.  It'll be fun to see what happens.

Hi-Tec & Liquid Mountaineering: The coming together of: Science, Brand, Fun, Sport

The Outdoor Retailer Show is still sticking with me.  I met some great people and some great ideas and one that really stood out to me was the idea of "Liquid Mountaineering".  The name alone is a blast and I could blog about just that for a long long time.  The origins of this is pretty funny.  A group of Euro guys lead by Ulf Gartner got together and started the idea of walking/running on water.  Obviously they were inspired by Some sort of Diety.  Regardless Hi-Tec the British outdoors brand is looking to make a strong rebranding comeback and decided to pick these guys up to promote their water proof outdoor hiking/trail running shoe.  The marriage couldn't have been any better.  The group of guys got some money (it's rumored from Hi-Tec Poland), some gear, had to incorporate the Hi-Tec brand into their "sport" and boom... a legend was born.

These guys were super creative with the making of the video.  They dead panned the humor and held a straight face the whole time.  They really got into it by even saying "you have to run at a curve" and "your feet go up and down like a sewing machine."  I don't know what it is about Americans but if it is exotic and someone is doing it in Europe then it has to be true right?  Well, I guess this has to do with the humor factor.  Lets be honest, our humor here in the states than in Europe and this is actually something we can swallow.  So it made sense that there have been about 5 million hits on Youtube on this video.

As far as the branding efforts that were made with this video... the plug for the lightweight and waterproof Hi -Tec shoe was made with various shots of the Hi-Tec name on jackets and hoodies.  The outdoors was incorporated and and there was even a little subliminal message of Jesus thrown in there with him hanging from the rear view mirror.  This was a great example of everything coming together: Science... slightly plausible and you always kind of wonder, Brand... the shoe fit in perfectly with what they were trying to accomplish, Fun... you can't tell me it doesn't look like a blast, and Sport... there is a feeling of competition to it, so much to the point where Hi-Tec was making a spoof plug to get the sport adopted into the 2012 Olympic games.  What a great idea.  Talking with some of the folks at Frank the creative firm overseeing this rebrand for Hi-Tec they want this to grow and keep growing.  Frank didn't come up with the initial idea but they have run with it creating marketing material to go along with it. I'll be honest when I say that the future is bright with ideas like this.  Well done gents, well done.

Merrell goes barefooting at the Outdoor Retailer Show

Vibram Soles on the Merrell Barefoot

The Outdoor Retailer show recently held in Salt Lake City is a great show.  I love it.  This one is specifically set up for the winter sports but obviously the show is going to take whatever they can get so everyone comes and everyone has all of their products there.  Merrell obviously is a big name in the outdoors industry and showed as much at the show.  Before I go any further I just wanted to brag about my association for a second (it's so pathetic that it doesn't really count).  Merrell was founded in Utah,  that's right, Utah.  It was founded in Vernal, Utah by a man named Randy Merrell.  He initially made custom leather boots for the outdoorsman, i.e. cowboys and hunters.  Some other bigwigs joined up and they moved the company to Vermont and commercialized it.  Randy Merrell sold his part and went back to making custom boots in Vernal, Utah.  That's the short of it.  It happened about 30 years ago so not too many people remember.  My connection?  I'm from Roosevelt Utah which is 30 miles away and we share the same Wal Mart as Vernal (it's actually in Vernal).  Vernal is where my folk goes and shops... rival highschools, people work in the other city, you get the point.  So I feel I'm somewhat connected... barely.

Merrell Barefoot Shoe

Okay on to the OR show and Merrell.  Merrell launched its barefoot line which is no surprise at all.  Everyone is jumping on board with this.  Nike has the Free series (which was basically a pioneer to a certain extent although it has been around for a while), the Vibram Five Fingers is a sweeping sensation, and now Merrell has joined the game.  What is significant about this is the fact that they are using Vibram soles and competing in the same space as Vibram and the Five Fingers.  I found it amusing that the soles of the shoes that are going to be competing with the Five Fingers bare the same logo... go figure.  I talked to the folks at the Vibram booth, tried a pair on and asked if they saw it as a threat or what their thoughts were on it.  The answer was unanimous... "we're not worried at all, they're using our soles... we still make money".

Nike Free 3.0

Five Fingers

So there you have it, Vibram is not worried.  The Merrell Barefoot shoe is a little different anyway.  While claiming barefoot the toes are encapsulated which automatically differentiates the product.  The shoe is more of a minimalist shoe.  It's looking to move into a space that is in between  the Five Fingers and the Nike Free.  The part that separates Merrell Barefoot from Nike is the outdoor aspect of it all.  Outdoors people are generally accepting of "natural", "minimal", "connecting" types of words.  It's tough to tell a 250 lb linebacker that if he uses the shoes he'll strengthen his core and help grow his stabalizer muscles... he doesn't care.  He just wants to throw some weight around and kill some people on the football field.  So the Nike Free idea is sound... I like it, some runners like it but to reach the entire target market that they have... there are some difficulties.  Merrell on the other hand can do it.  They have the following already and the people probably were asking for the product.  Two different target markets and one would be much more accepting of it than the other.

Made to mimic the foot.

Merrell Barefoot is brand new.  It launches this month and will start seeing sales go through the roof due to the launch date.  I know because I'm considering getting a pair for spring running.  Merrell has even pushed the brand to its fullest extent by making them trail focused.  Like all Merrells you can use them wherever but they really shine on trails.  Again, trail runners are the type of people who care about strngthening their stabilizers, less impact on joints, minimalism.

It just makes sense... I applaud Merrell for seeing a market and going after it.  The beauty of it all is that there are less materials needed for it, less engineering (just let the body take over), and more money for marketing.  That's a perfect formula for success and big returns.  Merrell listened to what the market was calling for, good for them.  They deserve this success.  I'll be interested to see how they are doing as they go along.