A story with sole
Protege Shoes
A partnership between a young NBA basketball star
and an old-school retailer successfully launched a high-style,
high-performance shoe for the masses. Protege was built
to ball — and to let everyone get into the game for less.
Mission
Build credibility for Kmart's
new, affordable Protege line in
a fragmented, saturated and
mature footwear market.
Vision
Use Protege visionary and New York Knicks star, Al Harrington, as a way to relate with a young, street- smart
target. Harrington offered background and "hoops cred," assuring our target that Protege was for real.
Creation
Create a robust, cross-channel campaign with "swagger" that reached our
audience at all points of their journey.
The 'Meet My Protege' campaign hit consumers at every turn with its stylish
and confident messaging network.
Results
Protege's well orchestrated launch
was a huge slam dunk! Recipient of numerous awards, the 'Meet My Protege' campaign helped Kmart sell over 25,000 pairs of shoes in its first weekend.
Foot ware sales exceeded plan by 60% and Protege apparel exceeded
plan by 30% in the first month.