Dive Brief:
- Rokkan is creating Tough Mudder’s first global ad campaign with a theme based on the fearlessness and fun of childhood.
- Brian Carley, Rokkan’s chief creative officer, took part in several Tough Mudder events prior to pitching the brand for its business and the entire team’s experiences helped shape the campaign.
- The result was the "It’s All Been Training" campaign made up of a 60-second spot and three 30-second spots all based on childhood nostalgia and how friends can help you get through difficult situations.
Dive Insight:
"There's a feeling of accomplishment and there's a childlike giddiness. There was a moment when I rounded the corner, and you could hear people screaming because they were getting electrocuted in a mud pit. It was fear and excitement at the same time," Carley told Adweek about his Tough Mudder experience that helped shape the campaign's theme.
Jesse Bull, svp of creative, Tough Mudder, added, "This campaign is meant to reach out to a broader audience, people who have heard of Tough Mudder but aren't sure if they can take the plunge. It's a tough, challenging event and we don't try to hide that. It does beat you up a little bit, but our DNA has always been about teamwork."
The creative around Tough Mudder’s first global campaign reflects a trend toward experiential marketing, a tactic that is seen as an effective way to reach millennials, a demographic viewed as more likely to spend money on experiences rather than objects.
The key to reaching this demographic is authenticity.