Columbia Sportswear started a new advertising campaign in 1984 that used humor. It is a strategy that I would like to emulate. For years Columbia Sportswear’s advertising tagline was the rational, “We don’t just design it. We engineer it.” But in 1984 Agency Borders Perrin & Norrander presented Gert Boyle, the company’s chairman as Ma Boyle. The ads played up the relationship between Ms. Boyle and her son, Tim. Ms. Boyle extolled the virtues of a coat, demonstrating its attributes by prodding Mr. Boyle through a carwash. “I voted against that,” he deadpanned in the ad. “’To be really frank, how many ways can you make a coat? There’s a front, back and two sleeves. So, you have to do something that sets you apart from the rest of the world,’ Ms. Boyle said. ‘The growth of the company has been partially because we’re innovative, but the thing that brought the company to mind was our good advertising’” (Zamuda, 2012). I selected this case study because I would like to use humor in my brand.

Since month four, my project has evolved in substance. I was primarily focused on telling MNii’s story in terms of its historic origin. Now the focus is much broader. I still want to tell the story but I also want to communicate on a more personal level. I want the brand to be fun, inspirational, interactive, and socially significant. I am much more aware of how social media comes into play today.

Website The MNii website is the hub of the brand’s transmedia storytelling. It is fun, interactive, and constantly growing and changing. A free Mobile App helps folks keep track of the events, and find locations.

Social Media The MNii website has connections to such socialnetwork site as Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Each of these sites will have an interactive MNii page. Promotional coupons will be presented on Groupon and LivingSocial.

Print Ads in local daily newspapers, weekly readers, and industry magazines such as Surfer.

Stickers are a mainstay of the surf culture. They allow for spontaneous guerilla advertising.

Social Events - Palapa styled booths will be MNii’s physical presence at surf contests, farmer’s markets and beach cleanups, which tie the brand with the Surfrider Foundation. Offering MNii items for sale, with a portion of all proceeds going to the Foundation. Information on environmental causes, and stickers are distributed, with an invitation to join the Foundation and get involved.

Billboards promote the brand. The message on the billboards will be funny.

Posters and Flyers promote events that MNii participates in.

TV Advertisements will run on select local and cable channels promoting the events. Product placement will be in TV shows and movies that are filmed at beach locations.

Email Newsletters provide news, promotions, and event information.

This rebranding differentiates M.Nii by establishing it as a historic brand that has fresh new life making it relevant to today’s target audience. It also establishes MNii as a socially conscious brand that is known to be connected to the Surfrider Foundation and is actively promoting a healthy lifestyle and clean beaches.

References:

Bing Ads. (2014). Fashion retailer Just Keep Livin gets more sales at a low cost per click with Bing Ads. Retrieved July 9, 2014 from http://advertise.bingads.microsoft.com/en-us/cl/6176/just-keep-livin-success-story

Blogspot. (June 5, 2008). Mother Boyle Campaign. Retrieved from http://marketing-case-studies.blogspot.com/search/…

Neumeier, M. (2013). ZAG: The #1 Strategy of High-Performance Brands. Pearson Learning Solutions. VitalBook file.

Wheeler, Alina. (2013). Designing Brand Identity: An Essential Guide for the Whole Branding Team, 4th Edition. John Wiley & Sons P&T, 10/22/12. VitalBook file.

Zamuda, N. (September 24, 2012) How Mother Boyle Saved Columbia Sportswear. Adage.com. Retrieved July 9, 2014 from http://adage.com/article/special-report-100-most-influential-women-in-advertising/mother-boyle-saved-columbia-sportswear/237285/

Columbia ad images retrieved July 9, 2014 from Goggle Images. Columbia Ads.

JKL Images retrieved July 9, 2014 from http://justkeeplivin.com/features/inspiration/