Drumming up European success
Strategic research and subsequent creative repositioning of iconic percussion instrument brand to change perception and increase sales in Europe.
Challenge
Increase sales of an iconic drum kit brand.
Gretsch Drums is an iconic, 130-year-old American premium drum brand and the kit of choice for many famous musicians including Taylor Hawkins and Phil Collins. Their distributors Fender came to us in 2010 to refresh the brand and help improve sales in Europe.
We undertook qualitative research with drummers across Europe and uncovered some key insights. Advertising to date had made the kits feel too exclusive; they felt the current marketing made the drums almost ’too precious to touch‘. Also, as they often played in different bands at the same time, their primary requirement from a drum kit was flexibility to handle different styles of music .
We repositioned Gretsch Drums as the ‘real drummers drum kit’, abandoning famous drummers for session artists who‘s work meant they had to be able different styles of music. We injected a more approachable style of photography and promoted the famous flexible ‘great Gretsch sound’.
Campaign included print advertising, product catalogues, film, photography and European website.
Results
0
Percent increase
in European sales
0
Integrated campaign
Gibraltar G-Class Pedal film with YMAS
Gibraltar drum hardware film for new G-Class pedal with You Me At Six drummer Dan Flint
CAMPAIGN
Strategy-led approach
pays off
Our work resonated with the audience and for the first time ever in the brand’s history, Gretsch Drums’ Europe outsold the USA.
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We make brand campaigns go further with unique ideas crafted by an agile team of integrated creatives and producers.