Results and Effectiveness

We utilized a fully integrated plan that covered advertising, online and mobile marketing, in-store retail promotions, field marketing and live events at Beijing and Shanghai for over 18 days. People kept score on the event website and outdoor electronic board, where a live counter tracked the total number of flags planted across China, by individuals and by location. There were over two million unique visitors to the campaign website, and nearly 1.2 million people saw the live on-ground event in Beijing and Shanghai. Dealer store sales climbed 106% during these 18 days. Event coupon redemption was 150% above average.

Creative Execution

We had to give people a taste of how great it is to have explored a new place, and claim credit for being there first. In the world of outdoor adventure, an explorer would lay claim on a summit by planting a flag. And he would continue to do so on every other summit he has managed to conquer. We adopted this iconic action of planting flags as the idea for an integrated campaign. It became a fun and simple excuse to get people out of their comfort zone. All they needed was a mobile phone to plant “virtual red flags” at any location they want to stake a claim to. Only one person can claim one location, and the location claimed will be named by the conqueror. The race was on to see who would be the one to conquer China.

Insights, Strategy and the Idea

Never Stop Exploring is the line behind the brand The North Face. The North Face believes everyone can be an adventurer, and that we should never stop to explore the natural world around us. For the brand, China is a great challenge, as most modern Chinese have yet to adopt such a lifestyle. So how do we make these urban dwellers and Internet explorers take the first step?