When it comes to developing a brand, the work doesn’t end when the new identity is inked into a guidelines document. The hard part is consistently extending the voice and identity across every medium it touches. Sometimes this is out of our control, but fortunately CRKT understands the importance of maintaining and protecting the brand.
For Columbia River Knife & Tool, some of the most critical brand extensions are their trade marketing tools. January brings the SHOT Show in Las Vegas, CRKT’s opportunity to stand up against the big guys and prove that they are coming on strong. The brief was simple: Be bold, showcase the new designs, and improve product interactivity. From there, we were granted autonomy in our concepts.
The process starts with an open collaboration with our client, CRKT’s Marketing Manager, Joel Bornzin. Understanding the hard requirements is a critical step before developing a concept. We take careful stock in creating a model that adheres to the project specifications.
In order to create an experience that was more inviting than years past, we tore down the barriers to booth entry. We also designed product displays that used magnets to hold product so guests could handle the product without the need for assistance. These simple improvements created an inclusive environment that put more product in more hands. – Tom Lehmann, Creative Director
No detail is overlooked. With dealers clambering to see the new products, our showcase needed to be elegant, functional & in-your-face.
We brought an ambitious plan to the Blue Collar team to redefine the relationship between the brand and the audience this year at the SHOT Show. We redesigned the new product stations to an interactive model and got our products into customers’ hands (not behind glass). We punched up the graphics, featured our custom designers, and built in a media station to accommodate PR and media content generation opportunities – Joel Bornzin.
The devil is in the details and Patrick Gottsch and the team at Marketcraft aren’t afraid of a little custom fabrication that leverages the laws of physics for a perfect execution to the design, keeping each product neatly in its place.
When the booth is finally assembled, the carpet is laid down and the lights turned on, we get to see the fruits of our labor. Though at the end of the day, the product is the real hero.
Finally, the annual dealer catalog is arguably CRKT’s most important promotional tool. This year’s catalog shares the same theme that created the ambience in the booth. The craftsmen that stand behind the great products they create are the focus.
Rod Bremer, President & Founder of CRKT is proud of the 20 years of innovation and the new identity that perfectly communicates who they are and what they stand for.
Big props to the marketing team at CRKT for a seamless collaboration!
The Blue Collar team’s passion and authentic creativity shown through the entire project and helped take CRKT to the next level at the highest profile trade show in the industry. On the backside of our successful 20th Anniversary year, Blue Collar turned it up a notch and CRKT experienced the most successful SHOT Show in the history of the brand. – Joel Bornzin