What do you do when the brand manager hates the brand?

At the end of our immersion into the UK, Central Europe and Japan, we had a wickedly clear view of the Red Wing brand. I mean HUGELY clear! However, the challenge we faced was a Brand Manager on the client side who...well...frankly, he hated the Red Wing brand (a long story I can share with you). Anyway, everything we tried to describe or extoll the brand was shot down.

"We suck."

"We're no good at that."

"How can you say that, who cares?"

"Nope...I don't think we can stand on that, either."

At the end of a two day offsite planing session we had nothing. Nada. Zip. Frustrated at simply being cannon fodder for the Brand Manager, the team was about to give up.

Then I changed the conversation.

I figured the ascerbic Brand Manager could absolutely be the authority on what the brand could say about itself. What he couldn't argue with - in large part because he hadn't been in the field and also because top management had already bought into our findings - was how consumers across the globe felt about the Red Wing brand. Stealing David Ogilvy's "Hathaway Man" idea, I decided that we wouldn't frame the brand on what we wanted to say about the boots, but instead we would frame it around the way our consumers saw themselves.

Who is this man who wears Red Wing?

I mean, who's going to say, "Bah...those people don't know anything about themselves," right? Okay...yes, the Brand Manager did respond that way. Fortunately, the key players at Red Wing found this document the one central idea that would propel the brand forward and it became the bedrock of all our international creative briefs moving forward. These days I have female former co-workers at C+M who claim to still be looking for their Red Wing Man.

I included this because...well...I was even surprised at the impact of what I wrote!

The Red Wing Man is a man of distinction and decisiveness.

He knows where he stands and what he stands for. He looks you in the eye. Says what he means and means what he says. At the same time, he doesn’t validate himself based on being heard, being agreed with or even being understood.

If you don’t understand him, that’s your problem. He won’t lose sleep over it.

He sees himself as intelligent, calculated, and thoughtful. He has a direction. A purpose.

Confronted with a new problem or an obstacle, he’ll think through the right course of action and then take it. The Red Wing Man may or may not have a dangerous occupation, but The Red Wing Man is not “safe.” He sees himself as having an edge. A little mystery.

The Red Wing Man has a multi-dimensional personality.

Somewhat enigmatic, he is not constantly gruff, aloof, or mysterious, although he does possess these traits at times. He’s also got a sense of humor that usually comes out around those closest to him, typically as endearment rather than his seeking acceptance through being the “funny guy.”

He is not one to simply lash out against the status quo or revolt for the sake of revolting. He is a rebel, but in a very deliberate way. He rebels not against some political foe or institution. Instead, he rebels against the idea that we live in some homogenized culture where we seek out permission or social acceptance before we think, act or dress.

The Red Wing Man is knowledgeable and a man of substance.

When it comes to the boots, he understands leather and the quality cues to look for. Grain. Oil. Stitching. Assembly. The introduction to the brand most likely came from a friend, his own investigation, or the retailer who always seeks to educate his or her customers. When The Red Wing Man knows something and believes in it…he’s proud and not easily swayed.

The Red Wing Man is enduring.

He doesn’t jump onto gimmicks and fads. He likes making a statement without actually looking as if he's making a statement. In his early 30's he's beginning to mature and now seeks to separate himself from the casual and frivolous brands of his youth.

He's generally not rough or crude, but he's also not polished or driven towards etiquette. This is by design. He's above worrying about the influence of others. He's cracked the social code: Men who follow their own road – despite the questions or even criticism of others – usually end up as leaders, respected and admired in the end.

The Red Wing Man has worked hard to get where he is. Today, while he’s now capitalizing on all that hard work, he sees himself as having always maintained these core values. Just as the boot is indestructible, just as the boot becomes his companion worn all the time when it “really counts…”

…The Red Wing Man, himself, is durable.

“Stand for what’s right, even if you’re standing alone." - Anon.

The Red Wing Man is often alone.

Again, this is by design. He's above the petty BS or codependent needy friendships. He can leave it behind. He has the confidence and courage to stand alone in his choices, values, and opinions. At the same time, he's not lonely, usually surrounded by a small and tight group of VERY close, high-quality friends. Just like those friends he chooses, The Red Wing Man has a value for high quality, somewhat understated brands that are timeless and have depth of character.

Yes, overseas consumers seem to have an understanding that Red Wing has been around a long time, however this understanding isn't really rooted in geography (Minnesota) or experience (1905). Arizona or Montana were far more likely to be brought up (wide open spaces, freedom, rough and tough men). Of course, that doesn't mean that there's no future for Red Wing, Minnesota as a geographic connection to the brand, just as long as we understand: The brand is much bigger than that.

In his more fanciful state, The Red Wing Man also borrows equity from Hollywood (by far, the most common answer to “hobbies” among our overseas consumers was “cinema”). A bear. A wolf. An eagle, as our consumers have described. The age old iconic, lone, and confident male.

The guy all the girls want…

…and all the guys want to be.

Why The Red Wing Man Seeks Out Red Wing...and why others don't.

For all those traits mentioned: Borrowed equity from Hollywood. Making a statement-without-making-a-statement. Something that sets The Red Wing Man apart from all those other boot-wearers – in fact, and conveniently, Red Wing has several built-in barriers.

Barrier #1 = Price.

Not everyone can afford Red Wings.

In fact, even with no gadgets or high-speed technology, Red Wings are usually among the highest priced boots in their class. Thus, only someone with means…or someone truly dedicated to the brand…will part with a wad of cash to own these boots.

For the older customer, he knows that Red Wings are a premium purchase reserved for those like him, who have achieved and earned the financial means to wear the brand. The price of Red Wings prevents them from being open to the masses.

Red Wings are never a casual choice.

Barrier #2 = Like the boots themselves, the Red Wing Man is unique and unmistakable.

The white crepe sole. The tell-tale split-seam moc toe (while many lower price competitors continually offer the round toe). The sheer look of this boot on a foot, partially hidden by a pair of rugged denim jeans, is unique. And while competitors do offer cheaper knock-offs, The Red Wing Man is not concerned. Either you’re wearing Red Wings or you're not.

Anything else is something less.

An unusual visual choice, The Red Wing man is confident in his choice:

Better construction.
A 100-year history.
The right tool for the job.
The right boot for the look.

Besides, what can the other guy really say about HIS brand of boots?

Rappers wear them?
Young unaccomplished kids wear them?
They come in pink?

Barrier #3: Breaking in the boots.

Call it, “trial by fire.” A rite of passage. These boots are uncomfortable as hell breaking in! Often painful. Stiff leather. Vicious blisters. Wicked hot spots. However, to a man, The Red Wing Man knows that – once these boots are broken in – they will feel like silk.

“Not everyone is man enough to wear my Red Wings!”

It's common to hear stories about The Red Wing Man paying nearly the cost of a new pair of boots to get his old pair repaired. The Red Wing Man wears his boots nearly all the time. One Red Wing Man even claimed to play tennis in them. This may or may not be true, but The Red Wing Man shows his quiet pride for the brand consistently, time and time again.

The Red Wing Man is timeless.

With character traits, such as:

Leadership
Inner-strength
Independence
Self-confidence
Decisiveness
Individuality

These traits, too, are all timeless.

The Red Wing Man doesn’t structure who he is based on others, still he takes some pride in the fact that he is what everyone else wants to be.

Of course, not everyone can be this. Not everyone can be him.

He knows it.

And they know it, too.

E.O. WHITAKER

What do you do when the brand manager hates the brand?

The Red Wing Man is a man of distinction and decisiveness.

He knows where he stands and what he stands for. He looks you in the eye. Says what he means and means what he says. At the same time, he doesn’t validate himself based on being heard, being agreed with or even being understood.

GOING LOCAL