SITUATION
Eddie Bauer has been an internationally recognized brand for over 100 years. While rooted in the Pacific Northwest, it had evolved into more of a lifestyle retailer than an outdoor outfitter.We needed to clarify the brand to reduce customer confusion and differentiate it from other mall-based retailers (e.g., L.L. Bean, Land’s End).
TASK
As Creative Director, Copy, I led brand strategy and voice development to reposition Eddie Bauer from a lifestyle brand to an adventure brand—shifting perceptions from pleated khakis and floral dresses to gear, guides, outerwear, and flannel.
To achieve this, I led a 3-day workshop with the broader creative and merchandising teams. We used exercises such as, “If Eddie Bauer were a car, what kind of car?” and “Eddie Bauer Is/Is Not…”
Through these sessions, I established “adventure” as our North Star.
And wrote the brand promise:
To be the best global, multichannel outdoor lifestyle brand—the outfitter of choice for life’s adventures.
I also wrote the entire page brand book, the tagline (Live Your Adventure), bullseyes, and overarching brand strategy.
ACTION
• Infuse all touchpoints with a unique, ownable brand voice to increase brand relevance.
• Maintain a staccato, energetic narrative to reiterate feature/benefits and active ethos. Don’t rely on filler or fluff. We have real things to say so get to the point. Today’s written world (Twitter, Reddit) uses this same technique.
• Communicate the right features(s) for the right product and the right audience.
• Use superlatives when
• Highlighting “what it is”—technical features (lightest)
• Describing ‘what it does”—performance features (warmest)
• Reinforce a technical/performance voice to speak the same language as active, outdoor enthusiasts.
KEY VOICE ATTRIBUTES
TECHNICAL
• Communicate we build performance apparel and gear comprised of technical features.
• Emphasize our active, outdoor, inspirational ethos.
Guides
• Function as experts for customers and lead them to the right products for their activities.
• Use the GNW to authentically communicate our outdoor adventure expertise.
Merchants
• Successfully persuade customers to purchase our products.
• Authentically communicate how our products help enable their adventures.
Conversational
• Speak to our customers like a friend with inclusive storytelling.
• Communicate information with an authoritative, staccato tone.
• Determine which attribute(s) are best for each product and audience, and apply accordingly.
BE
• Emphasize a Merchant POV
• Technical when authentic and appropriate—ComfortCloth, StayShape, et al.
DO and GO
• Will always emphasize Technical, Guides, Merchant
FINAL KEYWORDS
IS: Technical, Adventurous, Authoritative, Conversational, Persuasive, Great, Northwest, Charming, Friendly, Knowledgeable, Guides, Confident, Passionate, Trusted
IS: Technical, Adventurous, Authoritative, Conversational, Persuasive, Great, Northwest, Charming, Friendly, Knowledgeable, Guides, Confident, Passionate, Trusted
ISN'T: Whimsy, Puns, Vague, Clever, Generic, Condescending, Boring, Intellectual, Cocky, Slick, Pushy, Cheesy, Folksy
RESULTS: The brand book contributed to an $825M valuation (+188% increase over 4 years) and acquisition interest.
