Global print technology specialist Brother UK will next week launch a major UK-wide consumer marketing campaign. The campaign, an investment of £1.5m, follows the ‘ultimate road-test’ of Brother’s P-touch labelling machines on a 10 day road-trip along the length of America’s Route 66.
The campaign was produced by Grey UK and is built on the tagline ‘labels are powerful – what does yours say?’ Route 66, an iconic global label itself, provided a unique way to amplify the theme of labelling and explore the versatility of the product range. Filmed in just 10 days, across 10 locations and covering 3,000 miles, the 19-strong team identified, interviewed and observed 12 people living and working along Route 66. School teachers, pupils, cowboys, and even exotic dancers discussed the meaning behind the label of Route 66 and how they would label themselves.
The campaign, directed by British Director and infamous road-tripper James Gooding, will first be aired as a 30 second TV ad during ITV’s Coronation Street on Monday 22nd August and will run on primetime TV slots for four weeks. Complementary print ads will appear in the Daily Telegraph, Telegraph Magazine, Sunday Times Magazine, Daily Mail Weekend and BBC Gardeners World between August and October, in order to reach the product’s target audiences such as gardeners, home improvement enthusiasts and hobbyists.
Online advertising will be focused on targeted networks such as Specific Media, along with Facebook and Youtube (live from 22/8/11) social media executions supported by the campaign website. Subsequent POS activity will be rolled out in national retail stores such as Staples, Ryman and Maplin.
Dave Peters, Head of Business Development, Brother UK, said: “We wanted to challenge ourselves and the perceptions of labelling with a campaign that would also encompass our key brand values of ‘At Your Side’, as well as ambition, which is at the centre of our communication strategy. Route 66 is a fantastic backdrop against which to explore and communicate the unexpected self-expression, versatility, and practicality that our products offer. The people we met, their stories and the epic, panoramic visual settings have allowed us to create highly impactful material that supports our business partner channels. We also plan to adopt the campaign as a pan-European asset. But the generosity of the people interviewed and their stories, which are at once compelling, uplifting, heartbreaking and inspiring have become the soul of the journey.
“As a brand, consistent re-evaluation of our business within our target audience is key, hence the imperative to make bold, brave and unexpected campaigns. We believe in our products and our business and we are happy that this campaign communicates our passion to deliver more and to demonstrate the relevance of labelling in its purest form.
“This is the first time in broadcast media that we have had the opportunity to fully showcase our ‘At Your Side’ positioning through real people in the real world. This human quality is a truth that lies at the heart of the business and we are delighted that it shines through in this campaign.”
Anna Vogt, Senior Planner, Grey London, said: “We were briefed to get the nation labelling and put Brother on the map. We needed to reach people by inspiring – as well as challenging – their idea of labelling. Taking Brother along Route 66 took labels – and as a result, the brand – out of offices and homes, away from gardeners and hobbyists, and into people’s hearts and minds.