Cherish the past. the future.
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color code and table of contents situational analysis
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pages 3-11
creative brief pages 17-20
objectives & target pages 12-16
tactics pages 21-26
has been here since 1919. We’ve survived through it all, and we did side by side through generations of new consumers. We were here, and we still are. We want consumers to know that they can count on us. To count on us for the old reliable hoodie they’ve been wearing in family photos for years. To count on us for boldly being ourselves so they can too. We want our consumers to learn from the past, and feel courageous enough to champion the future.
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The problem? Young consumers want to be comfortable and athletic while still being themselves. They don’t want to be overly branded or complicated. They don’t want any bells and whistles.
So what’s our story? Champion is one of the original creators of athletic wear and was founded in 1919 and recently acquired in 2013 by Hanes. We’re one of the most innovative clothing companies around thanks to our cotton football jerseys, fleece sweatshirts, sports bras, and the iconic fleece hoodie. Champion was a popular, mainstream brand in the 1980s and 90s thanks to their partnerships with the NBA and the NFL, but had gotten lost in the crowd of new sports companies in the 2000s. However, in 2017, what was old is new again, and recently Champion has been making a comeback in street style and vintage fashion around the world through designer collaborations and social media influencers.
state of the industry Champion has a worldwide distribution in several countries. The products are shown in both less expensive general stores and niche fashion stores. This makes the product easy for the consumer to find, all that’s left is the sale. The global sports industry has shifted into the global comfort industry. Sportswear saw a 5% growth driven by athleisure, wellness trends, and comfort.
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who we know
Observing the MRI+ and PRIZM data for 2016, the data indicates very strongly that the main purchaser of Champion brand clothing are white males, ages 35-54 (index score of 152 ages 35-44 and 156 for ages 45-54). These men are well educated, completing college with bachelor’s and even higher degrees like Masters and doctorate degrees. They are considered middle to upper class commanding primarily 6 figure salaries of $100,000-150,000+. They work primarily professional office and management type jobs, as well as other white collar jobs. This customer is more likely a product of brand loyalty as Champion’s most recent popularity surge was in the 80 and 90s, which would put this customer at around his teen years or very early young adult years where brand loyalty is usually established. Because this customer is physically active, they look for what they know and are loyal to, which is Champion. This consumer base is buying Champion for practical needs such as physical activity, yard work, or comfort clothes for relaxing at home. Walmart and Target are the preferred shopping destination for the Champion products these consumers seek.
who we’re meeting
The current MRI+ data for 2017 or 2018 is still unavailable, but since 2016, Champion has seen a major resurgence of popularity, especially among Generation Z. This base, primarily high school and college aged (specially out target of 13-21 years olds), are tech savvy and brand dependant. They want an authentic connection with their brand and to feel creative, but prefer brand name products that make them happy (CNBC). According to Forbes, they represent $143 billion dollars in buying power and will be the largest generation of consumers by the year 2020 (Forbes).
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what are we up against? Champion lacks in performance wear in comparison to Nike, and other performance-based activewear. This is another opportunity for Champion to grow in other areas.
what do we want to know? What can Champion do to make its brand seem renewed and fresh while maintaining its vintage, classic reputation? How can Champion redefine its brand and disassociate itself from strictly a sportswear company? How is Champion viewed as a brand in 2018 as opposed to 10 years ago? 2
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strengths
weakness
High quality cotton products.
Not enough variety in athletic wear/lack of high technology clothes.
People currently view Champion as a hot fashion trend.
No presence in the athletic shoe market.
Owned by a top brand in Hanes.
No athlete endorsements for your sporting goods brand.
100-years of strong brand awareness.
Not enough market presence among major sports retailers.
Wide distribution in wide variety of retailers.
Seen by some as a weak brand for Wal-Mart association.
opportunity
threats
Current fashion fad with the coveted younger demographic. Spotlight is on Champion.
Current success comes from a fashion fad: Is it a blip or a trend, will it last?
Currently attractive for sponsorship and endorsement opportunities.
Not enough market presence in the athletic wear market among major sports retailers.
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what we found out,
The responses deriving from the open response section in the quantitative survey revealed that the most consistent consumer problem with Champion was that consumers have no real brand association with it. If a brand consistently advertises with a specific lifestyle or culture, that particular brand will begin to develop brand association. In addition,
consumers found Champion to be comfortable and high quality.
Throughout the research during this campaign, it has become a consensus, amongst the Creative Differences group members, that a broad demographic and psychographic of consumers purchase Champion products for different purposes. As of late, Champion has targeted gen z, in a “trendy� campaign but its primary demographic was middle aged caucasians no longer than 14 months ago.
& what we plan to do
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our objectives,
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Improve brand image (communication objective) Our first and foremost objective is to build on and improve our image with our current target demographic of young people. Champion in 2018 is without a real definable personality or brand image. We want to rebrand Champion so when consumers think of our brand or see our logo they think of comfort, quality and trendy. Our survey results showed that Champion is still viewed by many as cheap. We want to change that perspective and create a new narrative for the Champion brand. *
*Champion will be distributing surveys in 2020 after the 2019 “Cherish the past. Champion the future.� campaign ends to track performance ^Tracking of the use of hashtags and mentions will also be evaluated.
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Build brand awareness (marketing objective): Although, our brand is recognizable and known, Champion needs to have a larger presence in the athletic wear and apparel market. More advertising through print and television media as well as cultivating relationships with athletes and celebrities for endorsements and sponsorships. *
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Revamp and expand social media (advertising objective): With Champion’s recent change in direction of targeting younger demographics, Champion needs to expand its online presence and engage social media with more online content. Using videos, online promotions/contests, hashtags, and social interactions, Champion wants to reach out to the social media world and reach a further audience online via Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat. ^
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who are we targetting? Generation Z, but more specifically ages 13-23. These consumers like creativity, originality, and to be expressive, but also love vintage nostalgia. This consumer prefers a cool product over an experience.
Meet Mya
This is Mya. She’s a 20 year old film student in Brooklyn, NY. She’s almost never home and always on the go. She enjoys listening to old music, riding her bike, and being unique, but doesn’t want to look like a try-hard. She’s drawn to Champion because of its simplicity, warmth, comfort, and old school style. She can wear her hoodie from class, to set, and back at her studio apartment.
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To
the new era of youth, champion is the brand of fashionable, but quality sports apparel that expresses independence and creativity because it can speak to the current generation.
Current thoughts and behaviors
Brand products are no longer purchased primarily for sportswear purposes. Products are reliable, durable- while staying basic and true to roots. Trendy on social media through influencers and celebrities. It showed that Champion is still viewed by many as cheap. We want to change that perspective and create a new narrative for the Champion brand.
What’s the big idea
Champion as not only a sports performance brand, but also a fashion brand. Champion means different things to different people and has stood for creativity, innovation and quality for 100 years.
Brand personality
Champion’s brand personality is that of reliability in its quality and comfort. It has a hundred year track record of success and is an industry leader in innovation and high quality cotton and fleece wear in sports apparel.
Campaign tone
Simple, but bold. Champion has always been one of simplistic design and this will be no different. It will describe what being a champion means to the consumer, which for everybody, will mean something uniquely different. It will encompass the new spirit of Champion while transitioning old sportswear into a new era.
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Cherish the past. the future.
it’s about doing what we’re known for, while embracing new innovation. 2
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this is how we Champion PR Box A way to create owned media into earned media. Influencers will be required to make a certain amount of posts on social media using the hashtag “#centuryofchampion� as well as mentioning the campaign headline.
do it,
Television and streaming 30 second ad “Celebrating a century of champion. But what makes a champion? Creativity. Expression. Innovation. The legends of the past paved the way for the future. A champion evolves with the times. The past may be over, but the future is now. Cherish the past. Champion the future.� The ads on television will be used for big events like X games, E-Sports, and MTV music awards. On streaming sites it will play before well known sitcoms as well as streaming exclusive new releases.
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Instagram re-vamp Our target market loves a good aesthetic. Although it’s not required for their values, they sure do appriciate it. By following a color scheme and post order, Champion posts will stand out and make a clean impression.
before
after
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Can I get a retweet? Champion is going to begin posting frequent content on all media outlets (twitter, instagram, and facebook). These will all include the hashtag #centuryofchampion
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Mail out/In store pamphlet Gen Z’s biggest catch: they aren’t quite as independent as they think they are. That’s where the print advertising comes in. The pampphlet catches our target markets eye, while the promotional coupon on the inside catches the parent’s eye and persuades their purchase.
anything else? follow up Champion will be distributing surveys in 2020 after the 2019 “Cherish the past. Champion the future.” campaign ends. Social media work will hopefull result in a 10% increase of followers. Tracking of the use of hashtags and mentions will also be evaluated.
Spotify/Podcast ad “Champion clothing is celebrating a century of innovating fashion and performance. Help usher in the future of Champion with the hashtag ‘Century of Champion’ for your chance to win a shopping spree of the new Champion apparel line. Go to @Champion on Twitter or Instagram or go to Champion.com for more details. Cherish the past. Champion the future. Champion Clothing.” Radio? Gen Z hasn’t heard of it. They know what they want, and they know how to hear it instantly. That’s why we’re approaching streaming and podcasts to spread the hashtag, while hooking up a lucky winner with free gear.
Murals Hire famous local artists within big cities to express their creativity and create murals promoting the Champion brand. Each artist would have full creative control over what the mural would look like as long as it captures the Champion ideals and style. This is a perfect instagram opportunity that Gen Z would love to take advantage of. It also shows Champion’s connection to expression and community.
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how do we know? Handley, Lucy. “There’s a Generation below Millennials and Here’s What They Want from Brands.” CNBC, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2018, www.cnbc.com/2018/04/09/ generation-z-what-they-want-from-brands-andbusinesses.html. Fromm, Jeff. “How Much Financial Influence Does Gen Z Have?” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 10 Jan. 2018, www.forbes.com/sites/jefffromm/2018/01/10/whatyou-need-to-know-about-the-financial-impact-of-genz-influence/#4c8712a756fc. Salpini, Cara. “The State of Sports Retail: How Athleisure Keeps Changing the Game.” Latest News, 14 Mar. 2018, www.retaildive.com/news/the-stateof-sports-retail-how-athleisure-keeps-changing-thegame/518126/ Katie. “Generation Z: Everything Social Marketers Need to Know.” Hootsuite Social Media Management, 20 Apr. 2018, https://blog.hootsuite.com/generation-zstatistics-social-marketers/ Kleinschmit, M. (2016, November 19). Generation Z characteristics: 5 infographics on the Gen Z lifestyle. Retrieved from https://www.visioncritical.com/ generation-z-infographics/ Kinski, N. (2018, September 28). Why influencer marketing is so effective in the sports industry. Retrieved from https://upfluence.com/influencermarketing/influencer-marketing-sports-industry Survey Reveals Generation Z is Driven by Digital Touchpoints to Identify Products, but Prefers In-store Experience. (2017, March 8). Retrieved from http:// www.marketwired.com/press-release/survey-revealsgeneration-z-is-driven-digital-touchpoints-identifyproducts-but-prefers-2201477.htm
who we are agency
Sabrina Sommer
Jesse Esquivel
Emma Smith
Joe Budd
Sabrina is a sophomore graphic design and ADPR major. Her favorite brand for inspo is Glossier. She looks forward to taking more classes in cojmc about art direction while utilizing what she’s learned from the art school. When she’s not making art she can be found searching for the best thin crust pizza in Lincoln, or singing Fleetwood Mac lyrics too loud in public.
Jesse is a junior at the University of Nebraska who is major is ADPR because advertising and creative are his passion. He loves to collaborate and build something creative that can speak to a wide audience. Jesse’s passions are movies and sports. In fact, it is his dream to work for a sports franchise someday as an advertising executive.
Emma is an ADPR major with a minor in fashion merchandising. she’s from Chicago and has been studying journalism and video production since high school. She’s intreasted in all versions of digital creation. In the future, she hopes to find a job working in the business side of the fashion industry and doing something she’s truly passionate about.
Joe is a junior ADPR major with a minor in communications. He’s from Omaha and has a passion for telling stories through writing. Joe desires a career in the PR industry, particulary media relations, community relations, or public affairs. Joe hopes to further his learning in strategic writing and the ADPR field in general.
Art direction
Account planner
Media planner
Brand strategist
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