Our client – a global brand and leader in athletic products, experiences, and services – spent years researching, experimenting, and testing new methods and technologies for a shoe that would make running feel easy. That work led to an innovative cushioning system, the centerpiece of a new line of running shoes that the company hoped would appeal to buyers beyond its main audience of hardcore runners. By expanding its reach to the relatively untapped segment of casual, even skeptical runners – who see the exercise as more of a chore than a chance to attain the “runner’s high” – our client was counting on this new product line to drive significant market and revenue growth.

Given these stakes, the launch campaign had to be nothing short of smart, stellar, and completely successful. Filter – working alongside other world-class agencies and the client’s own accomplished team – was there to help.

Filter was already tightly integrated with the client, with over a hundred consultants embedded within category teams and marketing groups to support more than a dozen different digital marketing stakeholders across the organization.

This particular project required our consultant team within the client’s running division to translate several brand marketing briefs into event, channel, and digital marketing programs, juggling anywhere from 15 to 20 projects at a time. To tackle this workload, our consultants stepped outside their traditional roles to ensure the campaign would be fully executed on time and on budget.

Our teams worked alongside the client’s full-time employees as well as several specialized agencies, in some cases acting as the client to hire additional creative vendors to work on the projects. Though many key players were crucial to rolling out this creative behemoth, the team worked together seamlessly, regardless of their native employer.

Filter’s work impacted many aspects of the product launch – from brand conception to digital execution. Our experienced Filterati explored new and inventive ways to showcase the breakthrough shoe technology to prospective buyers – pushing the boundaries of editorial campaigns where FTE employees had not gone before. Although many moving pieces challenged this complex campaign, Filter’s expertise enabled our client to launch their new product line within their planned budget and timeline.

In the first fiscal quarter since the product launch, our client reported results that handily topped consensus expectations. Analysts reported that “highly anticipated new product launches and solid results for continuing lines” were key to driving their positive financial results. According to the company’s CEO, “strong product innovation, combined with our industry-leading digital experiences, continue to deepen our consumer relationships around the world.”