Sport Chek works out a new strategy

When Canadian sports retailer Sport Chek launched a new tagline "Your Better Starts Here" in late 2012, PHD looked to deliver this message where the consumer's journey toward a "better self" typically begins: at the start of their workout routine.

The agency introduced the retailer in 500 different sport-related locations. In some cases, new media channels were created in places that previously did not exist. Ads were placed on lockers, in spinning rooms, weight rooms, dance studios and on the running tracks in hundreds of gyms and university sports centres.

Research also showed that sport enthusiasts are avid tech users, so the brand used smartphones, iPads, computers and smart TVs to deliver sport-specific videos that inspired the viewer before they began their workout activity. Also, an Xbox Live branded content page was created for users to view all of the videos with a free downloadable digital poster offered to players to use as their Xbox wallpaper.

In just 70 days, the videos reached millions of viewers, and in less than five months, Sport Chek's Facebook following doubled to 625,000 from 300,000. In addition, campaign awareness was double among sports enthusiasts compared to the general population.