Brand Name: First Down
Product/Service Type or Description: Sportswear Merchandiser

Overview:
MZI Global Creates Attention Grabbing Ad by “Flippin’ the Script”

Sportswear merchandiser First Down, already an established brand name, hired MZI Global to introduce them to the hip-hop market.  They wanted to cross-market their product across age and cultural demographics, thus increasing avenues for their clothing line.  Hip-Hop industry bible, The Source Magazine, was our obvious venue of choice to place an ad; the challenge was how to distinguish First Down in a publication crowded with clothing ads, while still achieving First Down’s goals.

Situation Analysis:

• First Down was undergoing a new growth strategy of market development
• Need to differentiate itself from other sportswear brands in order to gain a competitive advantage

Marketing Challenge:

• Introduce an established brand name into a new segment
• Distinguish the First Down brand name in a saturated market
• Increase customer retention

Solution:

• Ad placement in The Source Magazine
  • Established associations between the hip-hop market and First Down
• Creative ad development that would attract attention to the First Down ad against all of the clutter:
  • Different images of an older Caucasian man caught the readers’ attention, and gave the ad the edge it needed

Results:

• Through the use of our trademarked Ethnosynergism® MZI Global was able to make the hip-hop market identify with the First Down brand
• As a result of our ad campaign, First Down is now widely accepted among the hip-hop market