Merrell TV To Sponsor Globe Trekker Television Series

Merrell Footwear has signed on as co-sponsor for Globe Trekker television series as part of its push behind its new "Let's Get Outside" television advertising campaign.

Formerly known as the Lonely Planet, Globe Trekker is an adventure series seen on PBS stations. In the series, travel guides Ian Wright, Justine Shapiro, and Megan McCormick venture off the beaten path to mingle with local people, soak up their culture, sample traditional cuisine and enjoy breath-taking scenery. Global Trekker has a global audience of 30 million.

The sponsorship, which is estimated to be in the six figures, entitles Merrell to a total of 78 fifteen-second television spots from April 3 through December, or two per episode. In addition, Merrell will have brand visibility on the Globe Trekker Web site with a link to www.merrell.com.

"Globe Trekker is consistent with our brand positioning - encouraging people to get outside and explore," said Keith Anderson, director of marketing for Merrell. "As the Merrell brand grows, it is important to remain dedicated to our outdoor roots and facilitate ways to easily connect people to the outside. Globe Trekker is an engaging platform for reaching our consumers, while also bringing new consumers into the Merrell family."

The sponsorship follows the launch of Merrell's first television commercial, which ran January 23rd prior to the American Football Conference championship on CBS.

Anderson says Merrell's push into TV advertising doesn't represent a bigger advertising push, but rather a change in media and message.

"We have spent several months putting together a consumer "connections" plan which includes print, outdoor, event sponsorships and this TV opportunity," says Anderson. "While evaluating TV, we felt that we had the chance to reach our market in a way that we hadn't before. TV gives you an entirely different, broader landscape to work with creatively. Motion, sound and multiple images allow you to say more than a static print ad does. As we look to Q3 and 4, we might add some of the other elements into the plan."

The first commercial will air on April 3. The Merrell spots present six different messages urging viewers to examine their personal balance between inside and outside living.

Merrell's first commercial opens with a visual tagline, "Little Known Fact: Human Beings are Solar Powered." The television spot then goes to an animated character that appears to be solar powered, with the sun behind his head. The commercial continues with an actual film clip of people running on trails. It concludes with the "Let's Get Outside" tagline appearing on the screen.

Anderson also says Merrell is running a limited print campaign in the outdoor and lifestyle publications, which may be expanded this fall. These ads contain upbeat, outdoor themes such as, "The grass is greener on the outside"; "Better to be lost in the woods than in a maze of cubicles"; and "That crack in the pavement is the earth smiling."

At POS, changeable graphics and posters at POS will incorporate the "Let's Get Outside" message. Merrell is also in the developmental phase with stickers, hats and shirts.

Finally, Merrell's marketing efforts for 2005 include outdoor event sponsorship at more than 60 events this year.

"The events are great opportunities to interact with our consumers and potential consumers, face-to-face," says Anderson. "It's rewarding because we can also hear feedback from the attendees on why they love our shoes."

The TV effort marks a shift for Merrell, which had traditionally put a major emphasis in marketing behind innovative POP programs and more recently, an extensive shop-in-shop program. However, Anderson says the main change with the campaign is the message itself.

"We are expanding our presentation to go beyond a specific new shoe or technology," says Anderson. "Our goal presently is to show that Merrell represents a point of view... not just great footwear."

He adds, "Lifestyle trends are embracing the outside now more than ever, which is a perfect fit for this brand. As a result, we want to champion the idea of getting outside, at whatever performance level suits you. We recognize that "outside" can mean different things to different people depending on whether they are city or wilderness based. The reward for being outside is the same for everyone."

Anderson adds that that brand's new positioning, "Let's Get Outside" is meant to be an "invitation," rather than a command.

"We urge people to experience and enjoy being outside; not necessarily competing against their companion or the elements," says Anderson. "We are not promoting a soft outdoor experience, we are simply inviting people to get outside at whatever level is appropriate for them. Some of those mountain biking and rock climbing images can be intimidating to many people. Each TV spot or print ad presents a brief, thought-provoking message that we believe most people can identify with. In a way, we're showing everyone the personality and perspective of the Merrell Brand."