OBJECTIVE: Most modern Chinese have yet to adopt an outdoor lifestyle. In order to grow the category and position The North Face as the pioneering outdoor expert, we had to actively engage them in taking the first step.
INSIGHT: Since before the 1980’s in China, ‘outdoors’ has meant baking in the sun and working the fields for the community. For most urban Chinese, it’s not about running marathons or conquering mountains.
ACTION: The solution was not to sell the gear, but rather to sell the experience of exploration. We gave people a taste of what it is like to explore a new place by adopting the iconic action of planting a flag on a summit. Using their mobile phones consumers were able to plant virtual red flags at any place they wanted to stake a claim to.
REACTION: At the conclusion of the 18-day fully integrated campaign 651,000 red flags had been planted. Overall The North Face sales increased 106% (vs. 2008 figures) and had an overall ROI of 306%. The website received over 2 million unique visitors. During the six-day, on-ground events in Beijing and Shanghai, 2.2 million people were reached. The campaign won silver at Cannes in 2010.