Le Coq Sportif
Members-Only Limited Editions Campaign
"My Love Story" Print ad campaign
Photographer: Ekaterina Pokrovsky
Challenge
Le Coq Sportif was interested in developing the market presence of its classic running shoe collection, which is neither endorsed by high profile athletes, nor seen by the buying public as high-performance apparel.
Le Coq Sportif was interested in developing the market presence of its classic running shoe collection, which is neither endorsed by high profile athletes, nor seen by the buying public as high-performance apparel.
Creative Insight
Instead of the expected national print ad campaign spotlighting sports celebrities or athletic performance, a strategic and creative decision was made to pursue a micro-targeted audience - young women 14-24 - that often purchased their boyfriend's running shoes as gifts for birthdays or anniversaries, as well as for themselves (unisex models). The classical and intrinsically timeless nature of the original Coq Sportif running shoes led to this unique approach.
Execution
The creative direction was designed to generate a romantic and poetic atmosphere, and reach out to the targetted young women through a sentimental and literary lens. A young woman lost in her thoughts, thinking about her boyfriend running around the park, or the hope of catching the eye of a love interest at a friend's gathering. The tone of the copy was deliberately Stendhalian in nature, reinforced by a picturesque slice of life of an attractive 20-something Parisian girl.
Why It Works
The ads take an unexpected direction, instantly setting them apart from competing campaigns featuring action shots of sweaty, muscular athletes. By focusing on real young people, the shoes become not only desirable, but real, implying not only success in sports, but success in love and relationships as well. By reaching this subtle balancing point between emotional and physical achievement, the shoes take on extra dimensions of desirability, thereby increasing their market cache.