Rockport Blazers a new image

Rockport Canada is using Chevrolet trucks as a vehicle for changing its image from the maker of footwear for stodgy middle-agers to a brand that appeals to all adventurous adults.

The limited edition Rockport Chevrolet Blazer is available only in Ontario, but if the promotion is successful, it may roll out to other parts of the country in the new year.

The promotion was arranged between Rockport, the Chevrolet Central Ontario Dealer Marketing Association, and the MacLaren McCann agency in Toronto. (General Motors, which makes the Chevrolet Blazer was not directly involved.)

The promotion means that purchasers of the Rockport Blazer get extras such as running boards and custom bug deflector along with a package of Rockport products including footwear, a sweatshirt and a cap.

The value of the entire package is worth upwards of $1,000 dollars.

The special edition trucks sell for $31,777.

The campaign is supported by point of sale, direct mail, newspaper, and television advertising throughout Ontario, that runs until the end of October, but will likely be revived next year.

For Rockport, the benefit of the co-operative campaign comes from associating the brand with a well-established, outdoors-oriented product that is well-known by the public.

‘One of the biggest challenges with Rockport is building awareness that Rockport is out there,’ says Ron Kerr, director of marketing for Rockport/Reebok Canada.

Rockport has long held a certain cache with older, upscale users who were appreciative of the orthopedic benefits and practical styling of the product, but whose lifestyle has not inspired emulation in other age groups.

The challenge of late has been to turn younger consumers on to the Rockport family of shoes, which also includes hiking boots, high-end boat shoes, and stylish dress shoes.

Instead of a demographic target in the 50s, Rockport is trying to target consumers with an average age of about 37.

The target market for the Blazer truck is an upwardly mobile, upscale married couple with young children.

‘By partnering with this vehicle, we feel we can push the demographic downward and build an awareness in that market,’ Kerr says.

‘In the marketing world, that might be seen as a bit of a ‘fluffy’ objective, but it’s really needed for Rockport,’ he says.

Partnering with Chevrolet also allowed Rockport to keep the expense of the promotion down while still getting good exposure.

‘The feedback that we’ve got from retailers and customers has been very positive, so people have noticed it,’ Kerr says.

‘It is our hope it will be extended nationally next year,’ he says.

According to Michael Croxon, president of the Chevrolet Central Ontario Dealer Marketing Association, the primary benefit of the program was simply having something extra to offer potential purchasers.

‘The incremental sales that come from that hook, and it’s quite a credible hook, are the advantage for us,’ Croxon says.

He says it is still too early to comment on the success of the promotion, but adds feedback from dealers has been good.

Croxon also commented on the close demographic fit of the two products, but says the Rockport name had the added, and on the not inconsiderable benefit of complimenting the three-year old Chevrolet tagline of dependability, ‘Like a rock.’

‘We looked around at other potential suppliers, and the deals were similar, but the name was sort of the deciding factor,’ he says.

Chevrolet has had special editions before, but has never brought in a partner as it has with Rockport.

Croxon says a similar arrangement Ford has had with Eddie Bauer on a national level, ‘was an example of the impact this sort of program can ultimately have.’

Rockport has had a presence in Canada for about 10 years, half of that time as a wholly owned subsidiary of Reebok.

The shoe models, for men and women, have changed dramatically over that time to be stylish and contemporary and yet still high performance.

Kerr puts the price point of the shoes between $280 for the xcs top-of-the-line performance boots, down to less than $100 for some women’s shoes.

He says the women’s line of shoes has tended to sell better.

Rockport distributes through The Bay, Calderones, Ingledoos in b.c., and others.

Advertising for the Rockport shoes has hinged on real life product tests.

In a number of marathons in the past, runners were entered who wore Rockport ‘Marathon’ brogues for the duration of the race.

At the annual Leadville (Colorado) Race, participants wear Rockport hiking boots for a gruelling 100-mile race through the Rockies.

Rockport advertises in major consumer magazines such as Maclean’s, Canadian Living, Time, L’actualite, Cottage Life, Toronto Life and Vancouver.

At the moment, the company is running a ‘Proof’ campaign, which invites product users to submit true stories in which Rockport products have withstood various ordeals or tests.

The best story will win ‘A Great Walk of the World,’ which could be an adventure such as a hike on the Cabot Trail in the Maritimes, or in the Middle East, or a tour of the Great Wall of China.

Rockport has also been giving its footwear to try to a number of demanding users, such as people on the floor of the stock exchange, and restaurant maitre ds, who will be used in testimonial advertising as early as next spring, but possibly next fall.

Rockport Canada’s agency is Leo Burnett, Toronto, which also handles the Reebok account.