Marketing Plays: Merrell Recruits Its First Dog Ambassador + More News
March 25, 2019: Man’s best friend has a new role with Merrell. The outdoor brand has selected its first dog ambassador: Meadow, a border collie from Atlanta who was voted into the top 10 in an online contest before being selected as the grand prize winner on National Puppy Day (March 23). Meadow’s owners, Autumn and Stephen Ruhl, said the 2-year-old pup enjoys being in the outdoors and is training to be a therapy dog to young people. As the winner, the family received $5,000 for a nonprofit of their choice, plus prizes from BarkBox and other pet brands. Merrell marketing manager Adam Koepfer explained, “Merrell exists to inspire people to discover the power of the trail, and we know our canine friends are often the catalyst to getting us out the door.”
March 15, 2019: After appearing in a Stuart Weitzman ad in January alongside Kendall Jenner and Willow Smith, brand ambassador Yang Mi is now starring in her own series of ads, touting her special collection with the luxury label. The Stuart Weitzman for Yang Mi Collection is meant to reflect the Chinese superstar’s elegant red-carpet style and consists of evening sandals and pumps featuring crystal and pearl embellishments; they are available now on the brand’s website. The ads mark the fourth and final installment of Stuart Weitzman’s spring ’19 campaign series, shot by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, with video direction by Gordon von Steiner. Of late, Stuart Weitzman parent Tapestry Inc. has made the Chinese market a major focus. In January, for instance, it opened seven new Stuart Weitzman locations in mainland China, and the collaboration with Mi has been a boon: Her first post for the brand garnered 48 million views and 700,000 reposts.
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March 11, 2019: Fans of Jordan Peele’s horror-humor productions will find something to enjoy in Reebok‘s new commercial, “Storm the Court” — a creepy video in which a mysterious girl appears on a busy nighttime basketball court and incites a dance craze (while wearing the brand’s Aztrek Double retro update). The ad is part of a new campaign called “Sport the Unexpected,” which marks an edgier direction for Reebok and is the first to be spearheaded by Melanie Boulden, its global head of marketing and brand management. “Reebok has been its most successful when we’ve been bold and provocative — when we’ve had a strong perspective on culture and embraced being daring and different,” Boulden said in a statement. Following “Storm the Court,” Reebok will release two more videos: the time-traveling “Back Where We Started,” featuring the Club-C sneaker, and another that will debut later in the year. The campaign was created in partnership with Venables Bell & Partners.
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March 4, 2019: Aerosoles and lifestyle guru Martha Stewart have unveiled their second footwear collection, hitting stores now for spring ’19. The duo soft-launched the line last fall with a series of riding-inspired rain boots. For this season, though, they have expanded with 11 styles priced from $79 to $120, including a pair of platform wedges that Stewart told FN are a favorite. “I like being tall and can walk in [them],” she said recently. To promote the launch, the TV star is appearing in a series of ad images alongside a pair of young models, dressed entirely in neutrally colored outfits that help highlight the new footwear.
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Marketing Plays: February 2019
Marketing Plays: January 2019
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