The Athlete's Foot Gives Its Brand a Kick

Hoping to add a little spring to its step, The Athlete's Foot began a rebranding effort earlier this year. The venerable athletic shoe and sportswear retailer has opted to move away from its name (which is also an itchy fungus) and toward the acronym, "TAF." To help consumers become familiar with its altered name and new logo, the company offered a free drawstring backpack as a gift-with-purchase during the back-to-school shopping season. Consumers who spent more than $75 received one of 11,000 free backpacks. "If the branded item makes sense to the overall strategy, then it can help build a brand," says Darius Billings, director of retail brand marketing and merchandising for NexCen Franchise Management, parent company to The Athlete's Foot. "For TAF, we have committed to a strategy of serving the everyday athletes of the world – the student athletes, the before-breakfast athletes, the after-work athletes and the weekend athletes. To do this, we need the TAF brand to speak their language and live in their world. A TAF coffee mug isn't necessarily going to do this, but the drawstring bag can, because it is an important element of the everyday athlete." It was a perfect fit because it jives with TAF customers' athletic routines, says Billings. "For the student athlete, it's their second bag, the first being their book bag," he says. "The drawstring bag is something that travels with them to practice, to competitions and to games. For after-work athletes, it replaces the briefcases at 5 p.m. And so the brand, which aims to serve the everyday athlete, is also a part of the everyday athlete's life." The bag helps the brand raise awareness in an organic way. A simple gift-with-purchase "may not seem like much, but next time you're near a weekend soccer tournament, a 10K run, or a pickup basketball game, look around." Billings says. "The drawstring bag is everywhere. It only makes sense that TAF should be a part of that space."

Chiquita's Fresh Idea

We all know it's good to eat our fruits and vegetables. Now, Chiquita Brands is trying to make it even better. Consumers who purchase Chiquita and Fresh Express fruits and vegetables can earn "Fresh Funds." This "Healthy Rewards for Healthy Living" consumer loyalty program, launched in September, presents consumers with points redeemable for a host of prizes.

Fresh Funds participants can redeem their points for a branded tote bag or free Chiquita or Fresh Express products. They can also use their points to participate in auctions, for items like a Cannondale bicycle, as well as make donations to charities.

Chiquita hopes the program, will help its products stand out in the produce aisle. It also expects Fresh Funds to increase frequency of purchases as well as promote awareness. "This program fits the direction we're headed as a consumer-focused company," says Bryan Brown, corporate communications director for Chiquita Fresh Express. "It connects with our Chiquita and Fresh Express brands, and just as important, it attracts consumers to the produce aisle and encourages a healthy lifestyle habit of eating fresh fruits and vegetables."

Chiquita Brands, a $4 billion company, is using direct mailers and in-store displays as well as an online push to get the word out. Leading up to the launch of Freshfunds.com, the company launched an online teaser campaign. Six viral videos drew 400,000 views of the site. It also leveraged Facebook and MySpace to get social with consumers.