Advertiser: FOOT LOCKER
Agency: PHD
Category: Retail and E-Commerce, including Restaurants
Advertising campaign: BACK TO SCHOOL
Strategist: Beth Kahn (Phd)
Art Director: Alex Martineau (BBDO)
Account Director: Andrea Montano (Phd)
Assistant Broadcast Negotiator: James Brechlin (Phd)
Strategy Director: Ji Kim (Phd)
Director Of Brand Connections: Matthew Schade (Foot Locker)
Group Director Broadcast: Seth Glosman (Phd)
Digital Supervisor: Shannon Wilcox (Phd)
Manager/Digital Marketing/New Media: Matt Mcnichol (Foot Locker)
Broadcast Negotiator: Matthew Pares (Phd)
Manager/Brand Connections/New Media: Bobby Krauss (Foot Locker)
Integrated Brand Marketing: Francine Feder (Foot Locker)
Account Director: Janelle Van Wonderen (BBDO)
Vice President Brand Marketing: Jed Berge (Foot Locker)
Associate Director Broadcast: Thuy Nguyen (Phd)
Assistant Strategist: Ben Gold (Phd)
Creative Director: Chris Beresford-Hill (BBDO)
Account Executive: Nick Robbins (BBDO)
Digital Strategist: Rohit Thawani (BBDO)
Copywriter: Tom Mandel (BBDO)
Effectiveness
Our “Approved” content became the centerpiece of the campaign and true inspiration.Sales exploded 27% during the last week of August driving double digit comp gains for the third quarter. Dick’s Sporting Goods, with 3x the media budget, only had +3.9% quarterly comp growth.PR impressions (252 million) doubled the paid media impressions. The number of new Foot Locker Facebook fans grew by over 10% (335,842). The day after the TV spots first aired, Foot Locker was trending #1 on Twitter.Best of all, Young Adults were proud of where they bought their kicks and walked the halls with confidence.
Strategy
Killer first impressions mean everything to Young Adults. Retailers clutter the marketplace with discounted messaging during “Back To School” season.For Foot Locker, an apparel and footwear retailer, we refused to believe this messaging approach was relevant.We talked to 18 to 24 year olds who said “the right pair of kicks (sneakers) means everything”. Price isn’t the issue. They crave validation that their sneaker choice allows them to stand out, while fitting in.To solve this anxiety, we helped establish Foot Locker as purveyors who painstakingly select the freshest and most desirable sneakers and apparel. If it’s at Foot Locker, it’s approved. With only an “approved” tagline in place, the media plan had to inspire Sneakheads (sneaker-obsessed young adults) to stand with confidence. The idea was to create custom content with media partners who CURATE exclusive content, offer FRESH points of connection, emulate celebrity STATUS, and plug into INSIDER sneaker culture.
Execution
The Agency created content across TV, Digital and Social channels whereby influential style muses share their “freshest kid on the block” approved looks for Back to School.•On ESPN, “minimericals” featured a sportscaster from the network, and his friend shopping in a Foot Locker store to check out the approved merchandise. •A music host from BET (Black Entertainment Network) took three audience members backstage for a makeover then revealed them on TV as having the “approved” look to go back to school. •Vibe created a webisode series narrated by a former NBA player and current sports analyst. Filmed in-store, a Foot Locker employee talks about the brand’s approved products of today.•Complex editors featured “Approved” kicks and gear in a custom video seeded across lifestyle websites and sneaker blogs. •Facebook fans were invited to post their best look and Kevin Love (famed NBA player) picked his “K Loved Approved” favorite.