Plan B™
The Agency Alternative
Silver Back
Situation
Illinois Glove®, a 90 year-old, commodity work glove manufacturer (with national distribution through DIY retailers) invited four agencies to compete in a winner-take-all shootout for the brand and marketing strategy development for a yet-unnamed new product concept: A magnetic-backed leather work glove designed to hold small metal parts and tools on the back of the glove/hand.
Quantitative and qualitative testing of strategy and creative execution were independently conducted to aid in determining agency of record status for the new product concept.
Challenge
Develop a complete identity and brand strategy platform as well as marketing and promotional support to maximize the test market launch impact of a new DIY'er targeted work glove product concept.
Strategy
Launch in select test markets having: a year-round building season, high housing starts and a heavy concentrations of DIY retailers ( N. Carolina). Generate dramatic grass-roots consumer pull to peak interest of Mass-Merch DIY retail buyers who rarely take on single-product brands. Develop a strong, ownable, target-relevant brand identity to thwart potential knock-offs. Position the new brand as a break-through time-saving tool, rather than slotting it into the crowded, less-dynamic and more expected apparel/glove category - making it more likely to reach an early adapter ‘gadget-minded’ consumer who would help generate viral ‘buzz’. Jaded DIY retailer buyers would then take notice of the demand momentum behind this ‘upstart’ and commit to national roll-outs.
Insights
• Develop a high-impact brand identity for the unnamed product that telegraphed the ruggedness and power of this new 'magnet-glove'- optimizing consumer and trade consideration, while securing ownership of a new product category by emphasizing
proprietary technology.
• Invite trial among mass merchants in the DIY sector by delivering hi-impact POP displays, packaging and sales/’democational’ materials.
• Stimulate consumer trial by delivering 'demo-event-in-a-box' promotions to retailers for simple, turn-key, on-site, mini-seminar product demonstrations.
• Seed all local DIY-focused editorial media opportunities (local news station DIY'er segments with onsite co-op product educational demo events, involving compatible
brands (i.e. Stanley).
• Get on the DIY retailer radar by running in markets where DIY Corporate headquarters were located (our test market).
Media Tactics
• Test market Direct Response-format cable buy against male outdoors, sports and technology programming. Front-weighted to support launch period/test-market retail buy-in objectives.
• Local editorial media support via 'demo-event-in-a-box', turn-key 'edutainment' kit to news station DIY segment producers.
• Mobile, job-site focused field marketing/ sampling tour in high 'housing-starts' areas and at NASCAR events.
• Edgy print ad campaign appearing in grass-roots autosports publications - featuring a loud, bold, target-relevant voice and style.
• Secondary sponsorship of NASCAR Craftsmen Truck Series racing. QVC and ShopNBC programming features launched.
Results
• First of all, We won the business. Then we created a winning brand (name, look and positioning) that has generated trade buy-in, test market consumer sales and industry buzz:
• Plan B’s creative campaign (DR/TV) consistently outperformed industry standard direct response rate averages
• According to the research firm Saxton Dradley; Plan B’s packaging and P.O.P. campaign delivered high recall scores that "really struck a chord with consumers" and "had the definitive edge on brand imagery impact"
• DIY and Automotive retailer buy-in exceeded projections and growing.
• Test market sales projections exceeded by 22%
• Three major DIY retailers will roll-out SilverBack™ product nationally in Q3 ’05.
• New brand has created industry ‘buzz’ that has spawned multiple product feature editorial coverage of the SilverBack product in DIY industry, ‘thought-leadership’ publications.
• Secured initial professional building trade trial and adoption (and orders) via job-site field sampling tour.
• ShopNBC programming features scheduled for Q4.