Reebok President Matt O’Toole used social media to make a request to the new Academy President John Bailey for a ‘Fitness’ Oscar in a low latency social stunt responding to the news of Bailey’s new appointment.
O’Toole sent a letter to John Bailey, the brand spanking new president of the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, that was less of a congratulatory note from one president to another. And more of a plea to the movie organisation to recognise one hard-working community that remains under-appreciated in Hollywood – fitness trainers.
The letter sees O’Toole ask Bailey to award ‘the craft of physical fitness’.
“These people often hail from outside the glitz of Hollywood,” wrote O’Toole.
“They’ve crafted their expertise on the playing field, in their garage gyms and even defending our country. Their diverse backgrounds mean they are not traditional movie heroes, but ask any motion picture star and they will tell you, these are the people who power the scenes and stories fans love so much … Let’s call attention to this group and reward their hard work with the rigors of other motion picture crafts. No longer will these be the unsung heroes of summer blockbusters but instead role models for fans everywhere.”
Reebok tweeted the letter to Bailey on 10 August,
Mr. Bailey: Let's celebrate the work that takes place BEFORE the cameras roll w/ a new award: Best Fitness Trainer. https://t.co/tYb1fWGpoI https://t.co/iFGIgXDrZn
— Reebok (@Reebok) August 9, 2017
and the entire letter in full can be read on Reebok’s digital blog at http://www.reebok.co.uk/en-GB/Blog/2017-08/An-Open-Letter-to-The-Academy/
The stunt also indirectly leveraged Reebok’s brand-owned ‘CrossFit Games’ event which ran through the first week of August.
Comment:
Simple and effective!
Sensible?
Well, make up your own mind.
After all, if makeup artists and costume designers get to scoop a gold statue on Oscars evening, why not those responsible for making Henry Cavill the Man of Steel, Hugh Jackman the Wolverine, or Natalie Portman the Swan Queen?
To us this seems like a smart little low latency, news and event response social stunt to drive some short term PR around the Reebok brand and link to a brand owned event.
It has the feeling of an April Fool’s style tactically activation.
Following last week’s space shoe stunt (see case study),
and its recent social flow chart response criticising Trump’s misogynistic comments,
In case you were wondering when it IS appropriate to say, "You're in such good shape…beautiful,"… THIS: pic.twitter.com/Z1cnnRD8Ut
— Reebok (@Reebok) July 14, 2017
it seems Reebok is on a bit of a successful PR-focused social stunt run.
Reebok is clearly striving to use low latency, responsive social media marketing to place the brand at the core of the broader cultural conversation.
Links:
Reebok
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/reebok/
