Elevating the American appeal of a global brand
Contributions
STIHL Made in America Campaign
As a worldwide leader in handheld outdoor power equipment, STIHL is well known for its excellent German engineering. We set out to create a campaign that reminded all consumers — from homeowners to professionals — just how deep their American roots run.
Situation
Many Americans are deeply patriotic and take pride in products that are made here; however, most consumers are unaware that a majority of STIHL products sold in America are built at their facility in Virginia Beach.
Strategy and Solution
With a simple message and dramatic imagery, we set out to create a campaign that highlighted the American-made products, the jobs they created and the places where STIHL is sold. And we distilled it all into Just Three Words.
A simple message
At the heart of this campaign was the desire for simplicity. We wanted to create a message that was comprehensive but communicated a simple truth about where many STIHL tools were made, sold and used.
“Just three words…”
“Made in America” means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. We elevated the message above interpretation by getting to its core.
“Not everyone can say them…”
There is no denying that this message — in terms of a differentiator — is a line in the sand. Instead of sidestepping this truth, we took it head on.
Built for storytelling
From video and radio to print and digital, we knew this campaign needed to have the power to resonate across an array of platforms. With a deep well of unique imagery and a dramatic story, we created a narrative that spoke to a wide range of consumers.