Why is this work relevant for Media?

We took advantage of a strong creative proposition to create a cross-channel media campaign which introduced the Kathmandu brand to a new younger audience by connecting to the emotional benefits of getting out and into nature, building a three-pillar media strategy that came to life in a range of exciting digital and traditional media executions.

Background

Kathmandu is perceived by older audiences as a brand delivering on both form and function, while also being well-known for their impressive sales. But for their winter campaign Kathmandu faced two challenges: the need to move away from reliance on sales periods and an ambition to drive brand re-appraisal with a younger audience. They had identified an opportunity to future-proof their business by actively increasing their brand consideration with 25-39's, but this millennial audience crave a level of authenticity that they weren’t currently getting from Kathmandu, perceived as just another outerwear brand that lacked purpose and versatility. This audience was also highly sought-after, with a range of brands from the outerwear, lifestyle and activewear sub-categories all vying for attention. This meant our challenge was multi-faceted, requiring a media strategy that drove consideration in a younger audience, avoided alienating our current audience, and precisely balanced brand vs sales.

Describe the creative idea / insights (30% of vote)

A purpose driven audience of digital natives, a creative idea based in feeling, and a cultural shift towards balancing indoor and outdoor activities were all factors we needed to address. ‘We’re Out There,’ was a powerful, unique brand platform that talked to Kathmandu’s internal drive to innovate and excite, and relates well to the community of outdoor enthusiasts. The creative portrayed a clear and defined home in the outdoors for Kathmandu and spoke to the spirit and freedom that nature provides us. Our Insight – While We’re Out There was a strong creative platform, we wanted to go deeper, and knew and a successful reappraisal of the brand would be dependent on relating to the millennial audience on multiple levels.

Describe the strategy (20% of vote)

The role of the media strategy was therefore to celebrate our audience getting Out There, bringing the joy they feel from the Outdoors, and using media to transport consumers into this collective escapism, in order to increase consideration of the Kathmandu brand in the 25-34 audience. The media strategy had three roles, which became pillars our media behaviors adhered to: Inspire, Connect and Act. Inspire’s role was to re-create the feeling of being outdoors within city environments, merging Kathmandu's brand purpose with its often urban retail presence. Connect centered Kathmandu within the cultural zeitgeist, and focused on creating content which drove a deeper audience conversation. Our final pillar Act ensured Kathmandu was constantly available and shoppable, with formats driving audiences to relevant landing pages.

Describe the execution (20% of vote)

This campaign was brought to life using a cross-platform approach in key markets of Melbourne, Sydney and New Zealand, ensuring we reached the right audience at the right time and transported them Out There. The Inspire pillar kicked off with a large-scale TV buy, supported by video across YouTube, Catch-Up TV, and Facebook. Our OOH schedule was planned for impact and spanned across large format, street furniture, transit and retail, and was enhanced through immersive 3D murals and a custom tram wrap in Melbourne. We Connected with audiences through radio partnerships, partnering with talent to show audiences how they got Out There in integrated style, which were strengthened by a spot schedule that drove cost effective reach. Act was driven through targeted digital and social activity, pushing our audience down the funnel, as well as high-impact display and in-feed placements across Pinterest that delivered over 22 million impressions.

List the results (30% of vote)

This campaign was an overall success for Kathmandu, driving key KPIs of brand affinity and reach within new audiences. Within Australia our media delivered a projected cross-channel reach of 95% against Kathmandu’s strategic audience, 93% against P25-39 and 92% against the broadcast audience. In NZ, 99% reach was delivered against both audiences. We also drove measurable brand results in a Kantar study. In Australia, 50% of our target said they were more likely to consider Kathmandu, 73% said the campaign communicated that you feel better outdoors, and we drove brand affinity scores of 56/100. In New Zealand, 43% said they were more likely to consider Kathmandu, 69% believed the campaign communicated that being outdoors can improve wellbeing, and we drove brand affinity scores of 63/100. Overall, this campaign kickstarted the brand re-appraisal journey for Kathmandu, demonstrated the power of strategy at scale, and delivered tangible uplifts for the brand.