Omnichannel Marketing Part 9: A Powerful Human Narrative
Garmin’s Women of Adventure campaign has been a bastion of the company’s sports, fitness and outdoor recreation division since it launched over 5 years ago. Recognizing the growing trend of predominantly male customers in their outdoor segment, Garmin launched an initiative focused on engaging the female community, proving that Garmin GPS and wearable tech can support and enhance their outdoor experiences.
They started telling stories. Sharing photographs. Documenting adventures. All while inviting the fearless, persistent, and resilient women who live out their passions daily to engage with them across their platforms. By working with everyone from professional athletes to outdoor hobbyists, Garmin has created a space for women to engage with other women, whether they run, ride, sail, or anything in between.
It’s a hook built on invitation, inclusivity, and a shared place to explore wide open spaces… together.
Landing Page
At the core of this omnichannel advertising campaign is a central landing page dedicated to sharing the stories of the “Women of Adventure.” Photographers, ultra-marathon runners, deep-sea scuba divers, snowboarders, and base jumpers are just a few of the ever-changing athletes sharing their passions with the world. Every entry features an editorial narrative written by the adventurer herself, typically involving overcoming great odds to accomplish their goals. They are concise yet riveting. Specific yet universal. Each is tailored to instill a sense of hope and passion in the reader. You can see a few of their recent examples below or by visiting https://discover.garmin.com/en-US/women-of-adventure/wright/:
Within each story, readers can find moments of humanity and inspiration. Alongside the article and an associated documentary/short film, Garmin asks the reader if they are ready to start their own adventure. If the article follows a deep-sea photographer, Garmin will help you find the nearest location to take diving classes. If it chronicled a motocross champion, it would direct you to your nearest motocross track, etc. Only after an evocative story, a short film, and a direct way to help you get moving outdoors does Garmin offer the reader a product. At the end of every page, they add a non-invasive call to action. Linking the merchandise you might need to pursue your passion, whether you just discovered it or have been immersed in it all your life.
Video
While the landing page acts as a central hub for the written and visual storytelling of the campaign, each element gets drawn out in other mediums to have a life of its own. At J.Schmid, we have long sung the praises of human marketing. Modern consumers make purchases that align with their morals and emotions, not just their wallets. Garmin understands this at a fundamental level. Part commercial, part documentary short film, their video series captures the emotional resonance of the lives and passions of the Women of Adventure.
Posted on social media, available on YouTube, and shared at global advertising contests, these videos never mention a product by name – they don’t even push online via text in the credits. They simply tell a story. A story that, at some point, will feature a brief on-screen shot of a Garmin product helping the wearer accomplish their (often stupendous) goals.
There are no cheap ploys, just a powerful, human narrative driven by women and the Garmin products that help them.
Social
As with any successful omnichannel advertising campaign, content needs to do more than live online – it needs to drive user engagement. While you can find excerpts of the articles, shortened video reels, and other narrative pieces across all social media platforms, Garmin invited everyday consumers to continue the story with a trending hashtag: #womenofadventure.
It’s a digital call to action inviting women worldwide to engage with the Garmin campaign, connecting the stories on the landing page to the individual passions of their consumers. From mountain peaks to simple walks on the beach, featuring Garmin products or not, these user-generated posts continue the emotional narrative of the campaign photography and provide a way for them to share their stories with a larger community of like-minded outdoor enthusiasts.
Children’s Book
An online home, moving visual and written content, and consistent, authentic invitations to engage with the brand across social channels. The Garmin Women of Adventure campaign is doing it all – and a little extra. When a campaign is already doing all the right things, it can present a perfect time to add something extra to delight consumers. With this in mind Garmin published an illustrated children’s book based on their Women of Adventure campaign. It features the stories of six bold females who have overcome great obstacles and accomplished terrific feats on land, sea, and air. The proceeds from all the book sales go towards women chosen charities supporting causes that clean coastlines, empower women and girls to get outside, and promote STEM education.
Garmin’s Women of Adventure campaign has authenticity, a powerful hook that entices consumers, and a strong presence across various channels. It’s a refreshing take on using advertising to tell stories, a way to create shared spaces and a way to drive product sales. They started from a place of truth, working to correct a market growing inequitably. They developed emotional narratives around real women working to overcome obstacles to pursue their passion. They spread this message through an omnichannel approach inviting consumers to engage with the brand, and the campaign, on a personal level.