The North Face today as part of its strategy to shift "from an outdoor apparel retailer to an active and lifestyle brand" launched a new campaign called "I Train For," according to Ashley Rodriguez of AD AGE. The goal is to reach "the growing number of consumers who lead active lifestyles and spend more time training throughout the year," and to "promote The North Face's activewear line, Mountain Athletics." The timing of the push, created by Mekanism, N.Y., is a "departure for a retailer that typically only runs big pushes during the fall and winter seasons" but now is "stepping up its year-round marketing efforts." The effort "carries on the emotional messaging introduced" in the brand's "Your Land" campaign by "urging consumers to train and explore the lands around them." The campaign "includes a 30-second TV spot that will run on ABC, ESPN, Comedy Central and TBS, as well as print, social and digital elements such as a sponsorship of Xbox's fitness app and a Spotify playlist generator" (ADAGE.com, 4/15). ADWEEK's Lauren Johnson reported the campaign represents a 50% increase in The North Face's "ad spending" from '14. The North Face Marketing Dir Courtney Blacker "declined to say how much the campaign costs." But she said that it "cements The North Face as 'a four-season, year-round brand.'" Johnson noted the idea of "I Train For" is to make the brand a "one-stop shop for athletes to buy gear, exercise with like-minded people and track their progress." Gaining that level of credibility "could be a tough sell, however, with big names like Nike, Reebok and Adidas already making inroads in the space, particularly in mobile and digital." The North Face is "trying to stand out by appealing to a wide group of athletes, not just the hard-core sports fans its competitors focus on" (ADWEEK.com, 4/15).
