How To Help Reps Help You – Part 1

Posted on August 22, 2011 by Eryn Willard

This is Part 1 of a four-part series on this topic about how manufacturers can create a win-win situation between themselves and their reps by providing them with helpful tools. We would love to hear your thoughts, feedback or stories in the comments below.

Small- and medium-sized manufacturers in the outdoor and snow industries are challenged when it comes to providing their reps effective tools. Additionally the sales force probably has limited yearly touches with retailers and clinics aren’t likely conducted with floor staff for smaller brands.

More than just having workbooks and catalogs to leave behind on retailer visits, reps should be able to speak about the brand’s story knowledgeably and (hopefully) passionately to get retailers on-board and excited to stock the products.

HELPFUL ITEM 1: Brand Story Training

Smaller manufacturers are working on limited resources to get the job done. Without annual live sales meetings, brands can turn to alternatives like sharing short videos showing the manufacturing process, home office culture, trade show shenanigans…anything that supports your brand story. You can pull them all together into one video to share during your presentation. Or keep them short, embed them on your site or send Vimeo or YouTube links out at regular intervals so that reps can learn in short bursts.

A picture is worth 1,000 words.

If reps don’t know what makes you YOU, they won’t be able to convince retailers to support you.

The bottom line? Make it easy on your reps. No one ever complained about having too many tools that make their job easier!

2 Space-Saving Solutions that Support Your Brand at Retail

Posted on July 18, 2011 by Eryn Willard

We all know that space is at a premium in the retail environment. Most shops don’t have extra room to hang bulky POP or store stacks of dealer materials.

Wouldn’t it make your life easier if you could supply your retailers with solutions that saved space for them, and allowed your brand to maintain impact?

Thought so! Enter two very cool products I came across this past weekend that will help you do just that.

Pegboard Skinz

image courtesy panel.com

Panel has released Pegboard Skinz, which can be printed in full-color and applied to existing pegboard panels. They’re ordered as fully or partially “holed” sheets, and can be easily removed and replaced.

When I saw these, my mind ran away with ideas for their use. Imagine being able to cover a portion of a wall with your brand’s campaign theme, while taking up no extra space. Much better than sending free-hanging/-standing signage, hoping the retailer uses it.

Z-Cards

image courtesy zcardna.com

Z-Card North America prints pieces with a map-like fold that have a hard cover on each end. They’re durable enough to be mailed on their own and can withstand more abuse than the average printed matter. You can probably guess that these set me off, too.

What if, instead of creating heavy, sizable dealer workbooks and catalogs, Z-Cards were used? The unique way they unfold presents a perfect solution for dividing information into categories – there are 46 “panels” to use. I can picture a very portable (think trade shows) and manageable (think behind the retail counter) workbook solution coming in this format. Not to mention, this is a memorable way to present your brand that will save you a ton on mailing costs.

For our clients’ brands, I am all about space-saving, cost-cutting ways that are long on impact. Making life easier for your retailers in the process ain’t going to hurt you, either!

Do you think these are solutions your brand would implement? Tell me in the comments below!

POP Signage with QR Codes & Mobile – Done Right

Posted on June 29, 2011 by Eryn Willard

Recently, Sue and I were out on what we call Retail Reconnaissance at Bass Pro, and spent some time studying the Columbia display. Nerdy? Yes. Waste of time? Definitely not – it helps us help you!

What we found really impressed me because it was executed so well. It also inspired me to imagine the strategic thinking that went into planning such a seamless consumer experience.

I first saw the main piece of POP atop a rack of clothing, which serves to explain the many fabrics the manufacturer uses. Instead of relying on hang-tags on individual garments, this sign (with well-designed infographics, I might add) accomplishes three things:

Draws attention to the fixture from a distance.
Shows the diverse selection to the shopper at a glance.
Familiarizes the shopper with the unique icons assigned to each fabric (which also appear on hang-tags).

As I walked to the front of another fixture, a sign specific to a single fabric caught my eye. It wasn’t incredibly detailed – because it contained a QR code.

I scanned it with my smart phone, of course (because I’m curious like that), and was delighted to see that they had used the code perfectly. In my experience, brands fall short with QR code use 80% of the time. If a consumer scans your code, take them somewhere useful, unexpected, or rewarding – don’t send them to your home page.

Columbia’s code sent me to a mobile-optimized landing page containing a list of the icons for the fabrics, each linking to their own descriptive pages with video demos.

Some important end-user take aways:

Columbia gave an exemplary brand experience, even though I was shopping in a box retailer.
I was inspired to purchase their apparel because it’s obvious that they want to connect with their users.
The brand took care to educate me on their products, instead of relying on the retailer’s sales staff.

So tell me in the comments below:

How can/does your brand uplevel the in-store experience for customers?

Live Action Branding

Posted on May 2, 2011 by Eryn Willard

Words and imagery are the backbone of brand communication pieces – we preach that non-stop here at Studio 22, as you know. When the tone of your writing and the mood of your images come together, they convey the essence of your brand. (Well, they should. If your don’t, you should call us.)

Consider taking this concept a step further with a brand short – part movie, part commercial. For example, we collaborated with Ryan Smith Photography on one for our client, Naukabout.

click the link below to view the short

Naukabout on Vimeo

Being an aprés sports apparel line, parts of their brand “essence” were combined to create a story their target audience can identify with. In 30 seconds viewers get a solid idea of what the Naukabout brand is.

The client can then use the video for sales presentations, as a tool for sales reps, as a promotional piece to end-users, or on screens in its tradeshow booth.

Lululemon and Horny Toad are two other brands that nail the brand short. Not only are they fun to watch, but the audience gets to hear what the brand sounds like. Music adds the extra dimension to draw consumers into the brand story. Check these out for more inspiration: Lululemon‘s 2011 Summer Sneak Peak and Horny Toad‘s Prelude to a Dinner Party.

What’s Your Brand Archetype?

Posted on April 27, 2011 by Eryn Willard

Is your brand the Everyperson, the Explorer, the Hero, the Outlaw? Have you even thought of your brand in terms of its archetype?

Brand archetypes are the embedded stories your company is guided by and moved to live out. You can create a more engaging brand by employing your archetype.

You might think options for companies in the outdoor and snowsports industries are limited to the Everyperson or Explorer. Not so. Your brand could be the Sage, the Creator or the Jester.

Archetype, Individual, Organization
Innocent, Dolly Parton, Disney
Everyperson, Jimmy Carter, Gap
Hero, Lone Ranger, Nike
Caregiver, Mother Teresa, Campbell’s Soup
Explorer, Amelia Earhart, Starbucks
Lover, Rudolph Valentino, Victoria’s Secret
Revolutionary, Che Guevara, Apple
Creator, Martha Stewart, Crayola
Magician, Wolfgang Puck, Olay
Ruler, Alan Greenspan, Microsoft
Sage, Carl Jung, Discovery
Jester, Tina Fey, Ben & Jerry’s

Chart courtesy The Pearson Archetypal System

Take Nike, for (a very overused) example. Nike’s archetype is the Hero. Their branding includes images of sports stars, who are constantly pushing themselves to achieve, and text that speaks of overcoming challenges and having courage.

This works because customers want to identify with this archetype by using Nike’s products. They feel inspired and empowered by their “Just do it” messaging. It also works because this messaging is true to the company’s core.

Using your archetype to shape your communications strategy creates a compelling story with which your audience will want to identify. It separates your brand from competitors, and can be incredibly persuasive.

Appealing to Emotion – A Winning Strategy

Posted on April 23, 2011 by Eryn Willard

Think about the last time you donated money to a charitable cause. Why did you do it? You believe in the organization’s goals. You’re passionate about the subject. You relate to those the organization strives to help. It’s all about emotions.

Whether someone is donating money or buying products (which is kind of like donating, if you think about it), they’re parting with their hard-earned cash because they’re identifying with a purpose.

Appealing to your audience’s emotions isn’t tricking them. It just reminds them why they should buy from you instead of your competition.

Does your product allow them to escape their life among the cubicle maze for the weekend? Can they make fond memories with friends while using your stuff? Do they remember that trip every time they wear your garment?

Creating that bridge between brand and customer is key. Pick one idea (like the examples above) and expand on it to build a campaign that really speaks to your users.

Your Brand Isn’t What You Think It Is

Posted on April 19, 2011 by Eryn Willard

It’s what everyone else thinks it is.

Sit with that for a minute. That can be a scary thought for some. Your marketing department (which might be you) painstakingly crafted a platform for your brand and everyone’s on board. Internally.

When we’re too close to the action, we can quickly get attached to creative concepts we believe clearly represent the brand. The problem is, the internal team is living your brand story on a daily basis. Retailers are not. Your end-users are not.

We want these two audiences to “get it” when they’re exposed to your messages so you can build brand equity. If they don’t, they’ll make up their own narrative.

For example, say the key characteristics of your brand include heritage, the Everyman archetype and trust. You must be sure that these are conveyed in everything from imagery to written content, from color palette to fonts, from ad placement to how reps present to their buyers.

Your brand story has to be obvious to generate recognition.

If you’re unsure on how your brand will be perceived by your targets, a soft launch to a select group or simple web-based survey can do wonders to reassure you – or send you back to the drawing board.

Studio 22 Helps OIWC “Ramp It Up”

Posted on January 2, 2011 by Eryn Willard

What’s better than a winter sports fashion show? One that raises funds for educational programs designed to help women in the outdoor industries reach their professional goals. Ramp It Up – SIA, an Outdoor Industries Womens Coalition event, provides a unique way to call attention to brands that are putting energy behind making high-quality women’s-specific products. Studio 22 is participating as a sponsor for this upcoming event at SIA’s Snow Show in Denver. Burton and SIA have also signed on as two of the event’s sponsors.

We’re super excited to contribute to OIWC’s continued success through the Ramp It Up fundraiser. Recognizing companies that are creating outstanding women’s gear and clothing in a lighthearted setting will be a great wrap-up to the first day of the show. Ramp It Up begins immediately following the SIA Fashion & Trends Show on January 27, 2011.

This is an OIWC event, but we want to give Ramp It Up its own look, capitalizing on the stylistic freedom that exists in the snow industry. Studio 22 is creating all of the visual touchpoints for the Ramp It Up event, from the custom logo design, to show hand-outs and email blasts, advertisements and event signage.

For more information on modeling in Ramp It Up or to donate to OIWC, log on to www.oiwc.org.

Another Logo Design “Contest” – Round 2

Posted on December 14, 2010 by Eryn Willard

The latest culprit is another shoe company, albeit an online retailer rather than a manufacturer, as I wrote about last time.

Hey designers, HikingBoots.com loves you! At least, that’s what their CEO says. He says that the company has a “deep admiration for great designers and sophisticated design.” In this love note, he implores us to “get involved because you love design, too.” Your payment for creating this sophisticated design? A chance to win a 13″ MacBook Air, Photoshop CS5 and your choice of boots. Oh, and the visibility you’ll get if you make it to the final round. But be aware, “the most technical, the most sophisticated or the most creative design may very well not win.”

I won’t rehash all of the reasons design contests bug many of us creative professionals. You can read about that in the last post on this subject. But, I don’t think it’s a coincidence that HikingBoots.com decided to host a contest for their new logo design. After all, if a well-known and respected company such as Simple just launched one… Seems to me that HikingBoots.com is trying to emulate the big guys with this contest. Perhaps they’re hoping visitors to their site will be impressed that designers would compete on spec to create the “winning” logo?

I think this is a lazy marketing ploy to get traffic on the HIkingBoots.com site. When people read the news release about the contest they’re likely to visit the site to see what the current logo looks like, then click through the site to look at the products. Designers entering the contest are instructed to review the site to gain an understanding of the company and its products, and will undoubtedly return many times while developing their work. Entrants will tell others about the contest, driving more traffic. Et cetera…

Lastly (and I promise to stop here), unlike the Simple contest, there is no clear outline about the selection process for this contest. The rules state that the company’s judges will choose a winner by 2/15/11 – nothing further. Designers, if you elect to spend time creating work for contests such as these, at least be sure that those judging your work are qualified to do so.

It seems as though logo contests are becoming more prevalent lately. (I’m afraid to Google the topic.) My hope is that companies considering this route for their new identities instead apply their energy to finding a design firm that is a proper match for them, and who will become a trusted partner to their brand.

Simple Shoes’ Community-Driven Design “Showdown”

Posted on November 8, 2010 by Eryn Willard

Okay, when I first read the title of this article on Market Watch about Simple Shoes launching a design competition with Behance, my first response was: OH NO, ANOTHER CROWD SOURCING PLOY FOR FREE WORK.

You see, designers and design firms sell ideas. Our intellectual capital is how we earn a paycheck, so we’re very sensitive to spec work situations and companies requesting free ideas to be thrown at them under the guise of a “design contest.”

I read a little further into the first paragraph and saw: THE COMPETITION CHALLENGES THE DESIGN COMMUNITY-AT-LARGE TO TAKE ON A FULL-SERVICE CREATIVE AGENCY IN THE CREATION OF A NEW BRAND IDENTITY FOR SIMPLE. Hmmm…So the agency they’ve been using will have their work devalued by having to compete with people willing to work on spec? If your client trusts your judgment and creative expertise enough to hire you as their agency of record in the first place, a prospect such as this would surely rattle your bones. How do you compete with free, even if your solutions may be creatively superior?

Then, I read a little further.

It seems that Simple is running this thing the right way (according to us design-folk). They are conducting the competition in the paid brief style. Designers on the Behance network submitted their best identity work to the branding team for review. Five “winners” were chosen to compete based on their merit, meaning that they are being paid to present their ideas to Simple. Applause for this.

These five freelance designers’ solutions are pitted against Simple’s existing agency’s solution, where one of the six designs emerges as the new logo for the shoe company. Apparently, the agency is gung-ho about competing against these other creatives, saying the competition style is a “perfect fit” for them. This strikes me as PR speak, with the agency not wanting to appear as sour grapes.

While it’s commendable that Simple is respecting the firm and freelancers by compensating them for their work, if Studio 22 were asked to be part of a competition like this, we would decline. The title of the competition unsettles me – “You Vs. Our Agency”. It focuses on the business model of those creating the work, rather than the ideas. I feel there are other issues at play:

If a client feels they need to seek other solution providers, there is likely an underlying disconnect between the original parties anyway.
Good creative is good creative. Whether it comes from an agency, small firm (like us!), or freelancer, shouldn’t influence clients’ buying decisions.
Creating an identity for a brand is serious work, and any good designer will develop the mark with future brand strategy in mind (i.e. advertising campaigns, point-of-purchase, marketing collateral, etc.). To have one designer create the identity, then hand over their work to another to execute subsequent work is counterproductive for the client.

I’m looking forward to seeing the results of this showdown. Will the agency win and keep the client’s account? Will a freelancer win and hand over the new logo – or become Simple’s new designer?

Studio 22

a boutique branding firm for active lifestyle brands

Tag Archives: branding