Campaigning with a difference. Danielle Long investigates why combining nudity, beer and vomit is not always such a bad thing. There arenÕt many brands that could get away with vomiting on public footpaths. But bag brand Crumpler knows its target market of 18 to 34-year-olds so well that it knew its marketing campaign, which involved stickers of vomit on footpaths in Sydney and Melbourne, would hit the mark Ð so to speak. Created by Sputnik Agency, the sticker campaign was part of a large and hugely successful annual promotion for the brand called ÒBeers for bagsÓ, which, as the name suggests, invites customers to barter with Crumpler staff to pay for their purchases with beer. ÒThe guys at Crumpler just love beer,Ó says Sputnik Agency creative director Nick Cummins. ÒThey just thought letÕs have a sale and letÕs do it with beer.Ó The approach fits with the brandÕs quirky sense of humour, which has seen Crumpler put small stickers on apples in fruit shops and sponsor the annual nude run at the Meredith Music Festival in Victoria. Cummins also claims Crumpler was the first to stencil the brand name on public footpaths. Cummins believes a great deal of CrumplerÕs success with the 18 to 34-year-old demographic comes from this sort of activity and the brandÕs ability to remain irreverent and ÒcoolÓ without picking up a big brand corporate image. ÒCrumpler does very few ads Ð it has a sort of anti-advertising and anti-marketing approach that appeals to the target market. This is definitely part of the success. A lot of Victorians buy Crumpler bags and still feel like itÕs niche and original even though there are stores in Europe, Asia and even New York. It still has a small niche brand feel and thatÕs probably because they donÕt overdo the marketing,Ó Cummins says. Cummins believes the brandÕs best marketing comes from people wearing the bags. ÒThey are like walking billboards and people identify with the people wearing the bags and identify with the brand.Ó According to Cummins, Crumpler doesnÕt try to be something that itÕs not, which is very important when targeting 18 to 34-year-olds. ÒBrands suffer when they are trying to be something they are not. If you tell someone you are something, then you are probably not that at all. Crumpler is Crumpler, itÕs not chasing a personality. ItÕs just people out on the streets being themselves.Ó
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