Ad Agency To Timberland: Environmental Causes Distracting From Products

August 20, 2008

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Timberland’s new ad agency, Leagas Delaney, has told the company that its promotion of environmental causes is distracting from its products, the Wall Street Journal reports. After seeing revenues decline six percent to $210 million on lower sales in the U.S. compared with last year, Timberland is ready to listen, looking to boost revenues by piggybacking a new campaign on the Olympics.

Timberland has never run a TV ad during such a high-profile event and is spending $30 million on air time for its new ad campaign “Podium,” and two follow-up ads.

“Podium,” shows a man clad in Timberland attire running, jumping, then hurdling through a forest to a mountain peak, as though on a winners’ podium. A new slogan follows: “Take it All On,” replacing the previous slogan: “Make it Better.”

But if WSJ is correct and Timberland is really ready to pull the plug on environmental causes, it’s doing a good job of hiding it. The company is branding itself as being socially conscious on YouTube as part of a new marketing campaign, Earthkeeper, with a goal of recruiting one million people to become part of an online network designed to inspire environmental change.

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Reader Comments

Why should Timberland give a damn about what one marketing company thinks? It’s already doing the right thing. Couldn’t this be about the product, or cost structure, or the economy, etc., etc. and not their values?

Daniel | August 21st, 2008

I agree with Daniel. Tell Leagas Delaney to go pound sand, or if they’re so smart then come up with a marketing strategy that can do both. “Take it On” can also be a challenge to “take on” saving our planet for future generations as well. Come on Leagas you can always come up with reasons for a drop in sales, but don’t tell a company like Timberland that carring for the planet and the people is the cause. I work for a product manufacture and I can offer many case studies that show a positive ROI for supporting the sustainable movement. Timberland please don’t listen to these guys. I’m sure they are very good at what they do, but it is obvious to me that they know squat about sustainability and how to generate profit from green marketing.

Tim Cole | August 22nd, 2008

Here, here Daniel and Tim,
Societal Business is how well you align the two. By the way the planet doesn’t needing saving. Humanity and the eco-system do. I think in our haste for oversimplification a tiny more bit of detail can make stronger connections which does include socio- economic benefits.

Sophie | August 27th, 2008

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