Arlensiu M. Garcia NovelliCOMSTRAT 701: Capstone Prompt #5: PR Campaign

1. Summary of the #OptOutside Campaign:

a. Background of the REI

REI (Recreational Equipment, Inc.) started out in 1938 as a cooperative with 23 mountain climbers who had a passion for outdoors and they express that to all customers. REI is an outdoors’ equipment store that promotes adventurous travel and outdoor activities for individuals, couples, friends and entire families. They believe that “an outdoor life is a life well lived.” They do not only sell the equipment you need, but also plan your travel and make sure that your trip is as adventurous as you could not imagine. REI not only advertises to skilled adventure travelers, but also to brand new individuals who would like to try it out. They have created their own brand for outdoor gear, but also the appropriate clothing for the adventure. REI has also maintained a co-op unique business idea and clients can become members for $20 for a lifetime and receive a portion of profits based on their purchases, as well as, many more membership benefits.

REI also strives to be environmental friendly and responsible and they want to make sure the same goes to customers. The operate under the following core practices:

Green building: All of REI offices, headquarters and retail stores are built environmentally friendly, energy efficient and with reduced operating costs and environmental impact. REI has become a leader in the green building movement in the entire country. They worked on it hand by hand with the community and their customers. There are 7 LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified facilities.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Climate Change: By 2020, REI expects to operate climate-neutral; they do not want to do anything that will have a negative impact in climate change. They also built a partnership with Climate Counts Industry Innovators to work against global climate change and would like consumers and the marketplace to be involved as a way to improve the environment at retail stores. REI has electric vehicle fast-charging stations at their stores to promote cleaner transportation.

Energy: There is solar technology installed at stores. They also go green power contracts that consist on long-term power contracts from renewable power sources. A partnership with the Pacific Northwest to use renewable power resources. The same goes to lighting, heating, cooling and ventilating of all facilities where REI is replacing all units for more efficient units that will save up energy and be environmental friendly.

Waste: REI desires to become a zero waste organization by 2020 by recycling and avoiding excess packaging.

Paper and Sustainable Forestry: As an outdoor retails store, REI’s main goal is to keep nature safe and attractive to everyone. They will act responsible as they use forest products like wood and paper, know the origins of these products, use only legally

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harvested wood and paper materials, use supply partners that also working towards keeping a healthier environment and respectful of nature,

b. Background of the #OptOutside campaign

In October of 2015, Recreational Equipment, Inc., came out with a brave idea to close its doors on the most famous shopping day in the world, Black Friday. REI’s idea was to change things up on Black Friday and instead of releasing crazy sales on their products, they took a different route and decided to be closed that day, but encourage people to spend the day outside and do an outdoor activity like fishing, hiking, biking, camping, paddling, traveling, climbing, anything outside. This message was not only given to customers and the general public, but also to their 12,000 employees. All REI employees were finally off on a Black Friday, however, they still got paid and were encouraged to #OptOutside.

REI consumers are the type of people who would rather be outside. Instead of creating a big sale, they decided to give their customers more reasons to spend the day outside. We know that Black Friday is the day when everyone spends the day out of their homes to go into stores or shopping malls for an entire day to shop the best deals. REI did not create any deals; their deal was to get people to spend time outside. Their 149 stores were closed and all online shopping was suspended for the day.

Since the #OptOutside camping launched in 2015, they came back on 2016 with a more established idea that would become a “Thanksgiving Tradition.” Ben Steele, REI’s Chief Creative Office said, "We really want people thinking about the Friday after Thanksgiving differently." (Diaz, 2016). The hashtag itself was a big hit on REI’s customer who joined in the campaign by getting outside and using the hashtag to show support. The campaign was only a internal email sent to all employees letting them know of their paid day off along with a print ad on the New York Times.

The #OptOutside hashtag and campaign did not only appeal to customers, but also to other related retail companies as well as other who were not very similar, but liked the idea of getting people to enjoy nature and be outside rather than going shopping for long hours in the middle of the night, standing out in the cold in a long line, fighting against each other to get the last DVD player on sale and spend more money than ever before. State and national parks became partners of the #OptOutside movement, as well as, schools and companies like Subaru, Google, Meetup, Upworthy, Burton, Keen, Yeti and Prana. (Diaz, 2016). In 2016, they chose their partners to make sure that all embraced the same idea of the importance of inviting people to get outside. More than 275 companies and organizations, joined the #OptOutside campaign initially led by REI.

Another interesting component of the campaign was an activity search tool that REI created in order to help people find an activity to do on Black Friday. No one had a excuse of not finding something better to do than getting outside. The #OptOutsiders had the chance to select from a diverse list of things-to-do near them. They also were called to use the hashtag #WillYouGoOutWithMe? as a way to motivate more people to engage in the movement and increase participation.

c. Target Audience

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The main audience or group of people taking the most advantage out of this campaign, were people who love outdoors. In 2016, Jerry Stritzke, REI CEO, said, “The moment we announced our decision last year, people who build their lives around the outdoors really embraced the idea of reclaiming Black Friday.” (Diaz, 2016). Outdoor people will take this chance to be outside. The first year about 1.4 million people participated and in 2016, the campaign was marketed to 6 million people who love the outdoors and are co-op members and they each were also encouraged to invite a friend to participate and go out with them. I suspect that the intended audience was also people who understood social media and hashtags as this is a main connection between people and the campaign. In addition, there were also print ads on magazines and newspapers that will also be reaching out to more traditional shoppers who still read paper news products.

I would assume that REI employees love the outdoors and also a paid day off, so they will certainly be the ones to take the most advantage of this campaign. REI does not know how many other will rather be outside than shopping on Black Friday, but they do know that their employees and, the employees’ family and friends, would be the ones to spend the day out.

REI’s customers are also targeted in this campaign as they will be constantly encouraged to get outside and do an activity rather than shop. The entire campaign goes out to the general public and the one group that will be most aware is surely REI’s customers. In addition, REI’s partners, like we saw in 2015 and 2016, were really engaged and influenced by the campaign that decided to join in and also be closed on Black Friday and promote the same theme “Opt Outside.”

Finally, this also represents a call to the entire nation to get outside. Black Friday is a major shopping day in the United States. People from all over want to come to the US to also take advantage of sales. REI has stores throughout the country which makes the campaign’s impact to reach a broader area and a larger number of individuals and groups can become part of this initiative to be outside, enjoy nature and do a sports activity rather than just going out to a store and buying. More than a one day campaign pertaining to one particular company, this was also a call for related retailers and organizations across the country to make Black Friday a different day and make a tradition out of a day to #OptOutside.

d. Communication Theory and Appeals Used

After analyzing the #OptOutside campaign from a theoretic perspective, I see a few theories playing major roles in the way the REI wanted to approach its target audience. I can tell there is an emotional appeal because Black Friday could also be considered a holiday or tradition, but it also falls on a major family gathering: Thanksgiving. Many families travel across the country to sit at their relatives table for a moment of thanksgiving and family reunion. The campaign calls people to grab a friend or relative and go outside for fun. This call plays with the emotions of many in a positive way as it invites people to do a group activity. The music in the background of the ads also sounds so emotional and exciting accompanied by images of happy people at beautiful scenarios having a blast at the different activities that people have done in the past. There is nothing wrong with calling people to spend the say outside. REI’s promotional video also makes reference on how they have also given the day off to their employees to do an outdoor activity. One employee said “I have not been off on Black Friday in 27 years.”

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The #OptOutside campaign also expressed a call to belong to the group of #OutSiders on Black Friday which is a characteristic of the Bandwagon appeal. “A bandwagon appeal makes consumers believe they are missing out by addressing the consumer’s need to belong.” (Wimbush). This applies to when they say that 1.4 million people were touched last year. Others who did not participate will almost feel like they are missing out. This could also be linked to the Social appeal since social media is involved and people are called to get others to join as well. This is a social activity and is also a national call for action.

The campaign features a call to adventure and enjoy the outdoors, so a Adventure Appeal also plays a role in the campaign. The fact that they are calling people to get outside rather than go shopping on a Black Friday persuades customers and employees to be adventurous.

e. #OptOutside Campaign Overview:

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The above pictures are some of my favorites for the campaign. The first picture shows the search tool that people can use to find something to do near them or they can narrow down the search to the specific activity type they would like to do. The third one is very persuasive and is a call to action to join the movement instead. Finally, the last picture sys that REI’s people will not be standing in line but rather enjoying the multiple landscapes shown in each picture. I think these are really effective in persuading people to see that it is better to be outside. Through the hashtag and the blog there are a lot of other images that reflects the campaign’s primary message of being happy outside which is better and more fun than shopping.

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2. #OptOutside Messages Critique:

From the beginning of the campaign I could notice that REI’s campaign goals were to raise awareness of their mission as a retailer to support outdoor activities. This great campaign was brave enough to show that they care so much about having people outdoors, that they would rather be closed on such major shopping day. My first thought was that even when they will be closed, they are inviting people to engage in an outdoor activity and what do they sell? Outdoor gear. I could not find information on this, but I will be very interested in seeing their sales revenue just the week prior to Thanksgiving. I could almost presume that they will be looking good as people get ready for a major day outside with friends and family.

Most of the campaign messages are very persuasive. The audience is influenced to join in the movement and stay outside doing any of the outdoor activities that REI promotes. Messages are very repetitive and they all include the hashtag which is a major element that all messages have to both label them as part of the campaign and remind people to use it. This is the main thing they want people to remember: #OptOutside.

As explained before they use an emotional appeal, so all messages and pictures communicate happiness. They are reaching out to their employees whom they know are passionate about outdoors and their customers who also practice outdoor sports and they know will be interested in participating. Pictures of “what they will be doing on Black Friday” directly appeals to those who think that hiking is what they would rather be doing or campaign on the top of the hill. They understand what the target audience wants to see and how they can be emotionally persuaded to buy in.

3. Campaign Review:

In 2017 REI’s campaign comes stronger than ever, besides the new activity search tool, they have also added the “Will you go out with me” hashtag to incentive people to invite friends to their outdoor activity to increase popularity. REI also has already set company partners as well as a long list of other non-for-profit organization who have become part of the campaign and will also close on Black Friday and repeat the same message to be outside. Everyone is still reminded to use the hashtag and tag the campaign on whatever activity they decide to do wherever they decide to go. In addition, this year, in partnership with Subaru, they are inviting people to get

The campaign is already very successful. They have millions involved and also been able to create partners who also will be closed on Black Friday and even offer free admission like many parks across the US.

Even though, this is a national company, I will take it to the international level. Black Friday is known globally, in fact, some countries copy this idea and also do their own version of Black Friday. For 2018, I will like to see more outdoor activity anywhere in the world. Many of our partners already have branches all over the world, so why not going international? Perhaps people do not have access to the store, but can also purchase on the online shopping store to get ready for the big outdoor day after Thanksgiving.

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The campaign will keep the same messages and hashtags, just will add the place they are in after the #OptOutside and #WillYouGoOutWithMe hashtags. Examples could be #OptOutsideinCostaRica or #WillYouGoOutWithMeToMexico. This campaign will be advertised along with the adventurous trips that REI also prepares for their customers. Further messaging will be translated to other languages as appropriate for the specific place. Please see the below mockups for Instagram and Facebook examples:

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4. Market Test Plan:

Anyone who has been involved in the campaign can be part of the market test via surveys. We would want to reach out to our employees first to get their feedback in regards to their thoughts of going global. With the increasing diverse populations just in the US, we can almost be certain of REI’s multicultural group of employees. We will use their thoughts and language expertise to promote the global approach for such campaign. An online survey will be sent out to all employees followed by an invitation to a focus group session once they have reviewed the survey and we have created the mockups to market test.

After conducting the first session of focus groups with employees, we will reach out the rest of the community that has followed the campaign since 2015.

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References

Austin, E. W., & Pinkleton, B. E. (2006). Strategic public relations management: Planning and

managing effective communication programs. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum

Associates.

Coffee, Patrick. How One Brave Idea Drove REI's Award-Winning #OptOutside Campaign.

Retrieved from http://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/how-one-brave-idea-drove-

reis-award-winning-optoutside-campaign-172273/

Diaz, A. (2016, October 24). REI's '#OptOutside' Returns for 2016 With Aims to Become a New

American Tradition. Retrieved from http://adage.com/article/advertising/rei-s-optoutside-

2016-american-tradition/306431/

R. (n.d.). REI Stewardship Core Practices. Retrieved from

https://www.rei.com/stewardship/core-practices#operations

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