Waubridge Specialty Fabrics

CRT/tanaka provides brand positioning, trade show support, media relations and social media outreach for Waubridge Specialty Fabrics, manufacturer of KOVENEX flame-and-tear-resistant fabrics. The agency has supported the KOVENEX brand by re-positioning its flagship product, a specialty fire blanket, as a high-performance thermal barrier used in personal protective equipment for fire, rescue and industrial market segments. To build credibility for KOVENEX fabric, CRT/tanaka has helped Waubridge develop market-specific strategic partnerships, redesigned and launched the KOVENEX Web site and used social media to engage and inform fire and rescue workers.

REPACKAGING A REVOLUTIONARY BRAND

Challenge

Waubridge Specialty Fabrics engaged CRT/tanaka to assist with raising awareness of, building credibility for and marketing its patented PyroBlanket specialty fire blanket. The blanket, a high-performance blend that is flame-, heat- and tear-resistant, was being marketed and sold to fire and rescue professionals with some success, but the company didn’t have the resources or reach to undertake a large- scale push to market the product.

Strategy

CRT/tanaka quickly identified that the brand name was turning off potential purchasers, and did not support the company’s long term goal of being known as a high performance specialty fabric manufacturer. The agency worked with Waubridge to better position its flagship product, the blanket, as a critical and credible tool for fire and rescue professionals, and to create a brand that allowed the company to grow its product offering beyond a simple blanket.

CRT/tanaka developed a brand platform that supported Waubridge’s long-term goal and positioned the fabric used in the blanket as an ingredient brand, rather than the end product. To that end, the fabric was named KOVENEX, and the blanket and subsequent products were renamed to reflect the KOVENEX brand.

Results

CRT/tanaka has successfully accomplished its goals for increasing awareness of the KOVENEX brand through credibility-building, media relations, trade show participation and building relationships with key influencers within the target market. Waubridge has seen an increase in sales of KOVENEX products, and CRT/tanaka continues to provide support for several key aspects of the campaign. Accomplishments to date include:

• Redesigning and launching the brand’s Web site to reflect new brand positioning and the long term strategic goals of the company.
• Developing a social media and online campaign to engage end-users – firefighters, who typically spend a great deal of time online – in dialogue about the KOVENEX Rapid Response Blanket.
• Monitoring and contributing product mentions and educational information to fire and rescue-focused online forums and chat rooms.
• Designing and implementing a year-long e-mail direct marketing campaign that engaged distributors of products Safeguarded by KOVENEX.
• Developing a partnership with three online, market specific communities, including: firerescue1.com, homelandsecurity1.com and ems1.com. CRT/tanaka, on behalf of KOVENEX, contributes targeted content and videos, and KOVENEX products regularly are featured as highlighted products on these sites.
• Editing existing company/product videos to post on YouTube and other video sharing sites. Within the first week of posting, KOVENEX videos received more than 500 hits, with no effort to create awareness of the presence of videos on the site.