How ads can educate and build branding

Lacrosse. If you’ve played it (or even watched it), you know it’s a high adrenaline, intense sport. As with all sports, the right equipment makes a difference in performance.

That’s where Talon Lacrosse comes in to play. This high impact sport requires a stick that is strong, flexible and light-weight. Talon Lacrosse makes high-quality lacrosse sticks with a composite core and wood exterior. Their business has been growing since it established, especially with the increasing popularity of lacrosse. The sport has enjoyed a 400 percent increase in lacrosse players in the last 12 years. Now about 500,000 are playing in the second- to eighth-grade level (Hochswender).

The hitch? Their advertising campaign was not capturing the essence of their brand.

Situation and Challenge

The central challenge that Talon Lacrosse faced related to price and the perception of the product. The stick has a composite core that makes the stick strong and flexible. The exterior wood makes it nicer to handle, more durable and more attractive. Yet all people saw was the wood, and they wondered—why pay more than one hundred dollars for simply a wood shaft? The ads needed to educate and prove Talon’s value.

In addition, the current ad campaign had run its course. Improvements could be made; the old campaign had little visual charisma and did not portray the product benefits clearly. The update needed to better reflect the brand tone.

Idea

Adsoka worked to overcome the cost-benefit ambiguity by including a diagram on the advertisements that describes the Talon Lacrosse shafts as “More than just wood.” The diagram educates and makes the price of the product align well with a critical benefit.

Adsoka brought their design to the next level. Lacrosse has a rich history that dates back to the time when Native Americans would play as preparation for war. The design is derived from this rich history, the current brand tone and the natural finish of the product. The earthy tone mixes illustration, texture and a cool green color—none of which competitors use, which made the ad campaign stand out in lacrosse publications.

The call to action also added a strong element to the advertisements. The ads encourage consumers to search “Talon Lacrosse” on YouTube.com to see Talon in action. This video contains amazing footage of the Talon Lacrosse shafts put to the test.

Results

Design upgrades, a strong call to action and other improvements led to strong results. YouTube views jumped 75 percent in the two weeks following the campaign launch, and sales are up over last year. Learn more about Talon Lacrosse at www.TalonLacrosse.com.

For more information on this topic or to order multiple reports, contact Adsoka.

info@adsoka.com | 612.279.2379

6x is the marketing newsletter published by Adsoka. 6x has six editorial sections—SMART, CREATIVE, CRAFT, TRENDS, PRAISE and RESULTS. Each section covers a different sphere of marketing, design and communications. The name “6x” references how often it is published and it mimics the sound of “success.” To sign up visit http://www.adsoka.com/login.aspx.