As recently as 2012, catalogues formed the backbone of outdoor equipment retailer Mountain Equipment Co-op’s marketing strategy, augmented by what chief marketing officer Anne Donohoe described as a “very limited” paid media budget.
Four years and a major rebrand later (the company is now known simply as MEC), the Vancouver-based company has overhauled its marketing approach, its new strategy best embodied by a major integrated sponsorship with The Amazing Race Canada.
Participants in CTV’s popular summer reality show had already been using MEC supplies and apparel since the show’s 2013 debut, so formalizing the relationship seemed like a no-brainer, said Donohoe.
She described the outdoor equipment retailer as a “gateway to adventure,” a trait that aligned perfectly with The Amazing Race Canada’s summer-long jaunt around the world.
“Our products [about 40% of which are MEC-branded] are designed for adventure and experiences, whether it’s locally or around the world, so it seemed like a natural fit and a great platform to increase awareness of our brand and reinforce what makes us special,” said Donohoe.
Brokered by Wasserman + Partners Advertising, MEC’s deal with CTV parent Bell Media is aimed at a core demo of adults 23-40. The program includes in-show integration, a co-branded contest with the network offering viewers the chance to win a $5,000 MEC gift card, as well as themed content being pumped out through the retailer’s social channels.
While Donohoe said it’s too early to determine the impact of the sponsorship on MEC’s sales, anecdotal evidence – in the form of both in-store and online consumer feedback – suggested the partnership provided MEC with “great visibility,” she said.
“I think it’s a really great way to represent our brand,” she said. “It’s a wonderful way to showcase the activities we support and the versatility of our products.”
As part of its sponsorship of The Amazing Race Canada, MEC outfitted all of the show’s two-person teams with jackets, backpacks and running tights, etc. Earlier this month, the company was also featured in a branded cycling, kayaking and climbing challenge that featured both its equipment and its staff members.
With $366 million in revenue from the sale of 12 million products last year, and four new stores slated to open in 2016, MEC is at a “really important period” in its history, said Donohoe, who arrived at the company in 2013 after spending five years with Interbrand.
Her arrival coincided with MEC’s rebrand from Mountain Equipment Co-op and a major marketing push built around the theme “We are all outsiders.”
The rebrand was aimed at broadening the company’s appeal from the hard-core outdoor enthusiasts to an increasingly urban population whose recreational activities – such as cycling and running – tend to take place closer to home and be shorter in duration.
“We want to support people in terms of just getting them outside and being active, whether it’s in the city or the back-country,” said Donohoe.
MEC has approximately 4.5 million members across Canada (each member pays $5 for a lifetime membership) and boasted a satisfaction rate of 90% in 2015, based on in-store and online surveys.
Its members also tend to be highly loyal, with 37.7% of members who have made a purchase at one of its stores in the past 10 years making a purchase in 2015 – a mark the company is hoping to push to 38.1% this year.
For Donohoe, however, the focus remains on pushing MEC’s awareness to greater heights, which is something The Amazing Race Canada sponsorship has enabled.
“We’re an iconic brand in Canada, but we have to shift,” said Donohoe. “It’s a very competitive market out there, and customers have a ton of choice, so it really is about embracing the authenticity of our brand and being able to connect and inspire Canadians.”
