Regatta doubles marketing spend to broaden appeal

Regatta is launching its biggest brand campaign with the aim of broadening its appeal beyond adventurers by focusing on everyday events that all the family can experience.

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The ‘For Every Adventure’ campaign kicks off in print, outdoor and social media before heading to TV in the autumn. Speaking to Marketing Week, Regatta’s marketing director Jo Hawkins says the ads will speak about the emotional connection people have with the brand, rather than the practical reasons for buying its products, for the first time.

She says many outdoor clothing companies speak about their ranges as being for adrenaline junkies or “men being daring” but it wants to get across a message of inclusivity.

“The definition of adventure is something exciting. For kids that can be jumping in puddles, for families it can be going on a camping holiday. We want to reown adventure for everyone,” she adds.

Hawkins says this is the “biggest pot” Regatta has invested in a marketing campaign, double what it has previously spent. Much of that has gone into TV, but “every part of the jigsaw” has seen its funds boosted, including PR, print and social media.

The key objective of the campaign is to change how people talk about the Regatta brand. Hawkins says people at the moment describe Regatta as “good value”, “reliable” and “trustworthy” but tend to think of it less in terms of style and emotion.

Regatta hopes to change that through the campaign, as well as through a social media push aimed at growing a brand community that talks to each other and Regatta. It is already active on Facebook and Twitter but has just launched on Instagram.

The marketing push comes as Regatta unveils a new brand logo that aims to portray a “more confident” Regatta. Hawkins admits the old logo was something the company wasn’t proud of but says the new version shows off a more modern Regatta that is proud of its heritage and what it stands for.

The logo is slowly being introduced to new products over the summer, with a big hit on the new lines in September and October in time for the TV campaign. Its shops and wholesale locations are also being updated, while Regatta is launching a new website to show off the rebrand that will be “cleaner and more dynamic” and include more content, including video.

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