www.milwaukeetools.com/redzone
The Challenge
As a long respected brand in the professional tool industry, Milwaukee Electric Tool has a rich and deep relationship with its valued consumers. However, the brand had recently been losing ground to more commercial tool products that were throwing heavy marketing dollars into the “Do It Yourself” channels and promotions. A strategic initiative was developed to extend the Milwaukee Electric Tool brand and harness the unique relationship that it maintained with its almost “fanatic” consumer following.
The Haverstick Approach
The Red Zone was conceived to branch out of the Milwaukee brand as a seasonal promotional event. This sponsored contest included a sweepstakes with co-branding visibility with other major corporations. The sweepstakes included a Ford Truck F100, tickets to the Super Bowl, and a Milwaukee Tool Give Away. Tied heavily to the National Football League, the Red Zone was promoted through Monday Night Football radio advertisements, point-of-sale displays, and distributor marketing.
The Web site for the Red Zone was designed to be the central mechanism for online registration and sweepstakes information. It allowed this popular tool company to experiment with a consumer sweepstakes offering, radio advertising, and online promotions. Equally as important, the site pushed the Milwaukee brand image toward a refined and unique identity that it had been seeking in the marketplace. It also allowed for some initial user testing and market research to be conducted gaining valuable information going into a major Web site redesign—due in late 2003.
The Result
The Red Zone was widely received and planning has already begun for next year’s successful multi-channel campaign, but not without some fundamental knowledge. One example, the project demonstrated the importance of e-mail marketing throughout any sweepstakes event—weekly participation increased 600% when promotional e-mails were sent out.
The Red Zone concept also formed such a cohesive identity in the minds of Milwaukee consumers that it has now been extended into a complete distributor model for the company. Now the Red Zone will not only be a seasonal sweepstakes contest, but a way to market, group, and distribute Milwaukee Electric Tool products within its distributor model. Look for a Red Zone near you. | 
