The sportswear brand Columbia is rolling out a series of five commercials for the promotion of its Columbia Omni-Heat Electric collection, a line of heated clothing that includes jackets that can stay warm up to six hours.
The new -- and quite funny -- commercials, created by Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners, center on a person named Wim Hof, a 52-year-old Dutch man who has apparently trained himself to withstand extreme cold temperatures. Hof has what he calls a "mental thermostat," which allows him, via concentration and focused breathing, to do things like climb Mount Kilimanjaro in only a pair of shorts. Thus, Hof acts like an "antispokesman," describes Popsop, and Columbia hopes to promote its garments through the fact that most people are not (and don't want to be) like the impervious Wim Hof in any way, shape or form.
The Columbia Omni-Heat Electric collection commercials feature chargeable, heated jackets ($750 to $1,200) and gloves ($400), along with heated shoes that Columbia released in 2009.
Cold-Defying Spokesmen
Columbia Omni-Heat Electric Campaign Presents the Impervious Wim Hof
Trend Themes
1. Heated Clothing - The trend of heated clothing presents opportunities for innovative designs and technologies to provide enhanced warmth and comfort in extreme cold temperatures.
2. Anti-spokesman Marketing - The rise of anti-spokesman marketing allows brands to leverage unconventional and humorous approaches to promote their products by showcasing relatable contrasts.
3. Chargeable Wearables - The emergence of chargeable wearables opens up possibilities for creating versatile and sustainable clothing options that can be powered for extended periods.
Industry Implications
1. Sportswear - The sportswear industry can capitalize on the trend of heated clothing by developing innovative and high-performance garments that provide superior insulation in harsh weather conditions.
2. Marketing & Advertising - The marketing and advertising industry can explore the concept of anti-spokesman marketing to create engaging and memorable campaigns that resonate with consumers.
3. Technology - The technology industry can foster the development of chargeable wearables by integrating power-efficient technologies and sustainable energy sources into clothing and accessories.