case studies

Woolrich: When Moving Your Product Means Changing Your Image.

Woolrich® is legendary for the rugged style and exceptional quality of clothing and textiles they have produced since 1830. Originally known for wool products, the company has expanded into cotton sportswear, outerwear, home products and more. Their position as the “original outdoor clothing company” was relevant, but in need of a facelift. Informal research indicated that Woolrich clothing seemed outdated to a “younger-thinking” market—which was opting for brands like Columbia and North Face, rather than Woolrich.

Not Your Grandmother’s Sweater

Swanson Russell was asked to come up with a new brand campaign for Woolrich. The campaign would reposition Woolrich with outdoor enthusiasts, as well as establish a position with those new to outdoor activities. It would also show a range of products of which consumers were unaware.

To build brand awareness, ramp up sales and grow the customer base, Swanson Russell needed to make consumers aware of Woolrich’s actual product offering. In order to let people know that contemporary, active clothes were available, we decided to showcase individual products.

What Story Does Your Clothing Tell?

The ad campaign was called the “I Am” campaign. Clever headlines revealed a new Woolrich attitude. Each ad showcased a single Woolrich item, telling a story from the product’s point of view and showing through action how Woolrich is part of an active life. The ads created demand for Woolrich clothing by featuring relevant, functional apparel.

The :60 video challenges you to discover your outdoor personality.

Most importantly, the ads substantiated the claim that Woolrich had changed by featuring apparel that was attractive to a “younger-thinking” target market. The campaign showed the breadth of the Woolrich product line by highlighting items within each product category, from men’s and women’s sportswear to outerwear and products for the home. It also changed the perception that Woolrich’s product offering was mostly wool by highlighting up-to-date fabrics and technology.

Bringing the Story to Life

Making consumers aware of an updated product line was only one part of the plan. Woolrich also needed to convince retailers that things had changed. To accomplish this, a media plan was implemented that covered both trade and consumer markets. Print ads hit trade publications such as Outdoor Retailer and consumer outdoor magazines including Shape, SI Women, Outside, Paddler, Outdoor Photographer and National Geographic Adventure. Postcards reflecting the ad campaign also went out to key retailers as thank-you cards, reinforcing the product message.

Woolrich also needed a way to educate its sales force about the updated brand message. Swanson Russell created a brand presentation kit, a beautifully-bound flip chart of graphics and key selling points, to help salespeople understand and explain the new brand direction to existing and prospective retail accounts.

It was critical for the sales force to understand Woolrich’s change in direction, both mentally and emotionally. In order to communicate the new brand personality in a visceral, emotional way, we produced a brand video that conveyed Woolrich’s young, outdoor-driven personality through music and movement. It brought the ad campaign to life for the sales force and kicked off the biannual sales meeting with a bang.

The comprehensive ad campaign showed a variety of items for every lifestyle—emphasizing Woolrich's breadth of line.

How Much Is That Jacket In the Window?

The sales force became excited about the new selling season and geared up to place product. Retailers commented on the clothing featured in magazines they had seen. They were pleased that the items they were carrying were being advertised in national media. Even better, sales of those items began to rise. But best of all, Woolrich gained the updated image it deserved. By the end of the year, Woolrich reported that in the magazines in which they advertised, requests for more information had tripled from the previous year. Consumers were once again ready to buy.