Product category:
Point of purchase, retail design
News Release from: Live and Breathe
Edited by the Marketingservicestalk Editorial
Team on 01 August 2007
Lightweight shoes become heavyweight
contender
Creative retail marketing agency Live and Breathe has developed a brand communications strategy for Hi-Tec, the leading sports shoe brand, a privately owned and managed UK company.
The agency's strategy has been translated into a global consumer and trade campaign, worth $12 million and running in 29 markets worldwide The agency secured the business via a three-way pitch in 2006
This article was originally published on Marketingservicestalk on 10 Dec 2007 at 8.00am (UK)
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The agency has placed the brand's heritage - "instant, lightweight comfort" - at the heart of its positioning strategy.
A "less is more" philosophy informs all aspects of the global integrated campaign and creative executions.
These showcase the brand's unique V-Lite technology (based on a five level vertical build system) and "pinnacle" shoe - each a new launch - across a range of categories.
It creates stand-out for the brand, allowing it to take ownership of an area of the market so far unclaimed by the competition.
The agency has delivered a media strategy comprising global press and TV ads, outdoor, online, trade communications and POS complemented by product packaging and collateral, retail displays and guerrilla marketing.
The largest element of the campaign, the consumer push, breaks now across 29 markets and will run until October.
The creative clearly demonstrates the brand's "less is more" philosophy while communicating product benefits and making specific shoes the "hero" of each execution.
A suite of four master artworks has been developed with the tagline "less weight, more performance" designed to work through the line.
The new V-Lite Quik Zip is an outdoor shoe with a zip making them easy to get on and off - a pair are shown tethered to a tent guy rope to prevent them from floating away - set against a typical fell walking landscape.
The new V-Lite True is the lightest ever Hi-Tec performance golf shoe - a pair are shown floating up against an open car boot carrying a set of golf clubs - parked alongside a golf course.
The new V-Lite Radar Event is an ultra lightweight shoe designed for outdoor adventure use - a pair are shown tethered to a wooden balcony set against a rugged pine forest landscape.
The new V-Lite Vento is a serious performance running shoe, designed to deliver one of the fastest running gaits available - a pair are shown floating up against a house porch.
In the UK, press ads appear in a range of golfing, outdoor, country walking and travel media throughout the summer months.
Thirty second TV ads will also air on The Golf Channel throughout the summer.
Each ad also translates into online banner executions with Flash bringing to life the lightweight "floating" concept.
The same Flash execution also appears on the Hi-Tec website home page.
Launch mailers targeting trade and consumers live the "less is more" philosophy both from a creative and production perspective.
These are mono printed on cardboard to complement the creative executions.
Nick Gray, Live and Breathe MD commented: "Our approach pays homage to Hi-Tec's heritage: instant, lightweight comfort.
"Although many brands trade on comfort or technology, none owns the lightweight territory, and this forms the bedrock of our creative and strategic thinking.
"It also works on many levels ranging from product build benefits to the brand's viewpoint on marketing spend.
"Hi-Tec spends less on marketing and more on product development to ensure it delivers performance to its consumers".
Tony Linford, Group Director of the Hi-Tec Product and Brand, added: "Live and Breathe has pulled off a strategic masterstroke; Hi-Tec is present across 29 markets and holds different positions in many of these.
"To develop a global campaign which delivers and resonates across so many territories is no mean feat.
"I'm pleased to say that the product and campaign story is going down a storm across our markets".
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