The Client:
Sportsman’s Guide
The Project:
Create Valentine’s-Day-themed social posts for February 14
The Challenge:
The Sportsman’s Guide customer base is predominantly male. And they’re hunters and fishermen, which is more burly man. Warm-and-fuzzy guy? Not so much. Yet, Valentine’s Day has more feminine connotations with its themes of romantic love and emotional expression. So how do I bridge the gap between these dichotomies?
Furthermore, are we creating these posts to say we love our customers? I tried that approach, but it seemed disingenuous—and a little creepy. Is our message that we are celebrating this day of love—and the love a customer might have for his girlfriend or wife? I went down that path for a little bit. What I found was a “dead end” sign.
I played around with this “love” messaging for a while, but it seemed off base. And finally it occurred to me. The only true thing I know about our customer is that they love the outdoors! They love hunting. They love to fish. And they love to shoot. So that was my hook.
So I created truisms around our customer’s love of hunting, fishing, and shooting. And instead of using a sentimental tone that wouldn’t resonate, I used humor to keep it light.
The Outcome:
