● Case Study
HORSEWARE IRELAND
FUTURE-PROOFING THE WORLD’S LEADING EQUESTRIAN BRAND
THE BACKGROUND
Horseware is the global market-leading producer of branded equestrian and pet products. When we met the brand in early 2021, they had just welcomed a new majority investor which ignited a renewed ambition within the company. However it wasn't going to be smooth sailing.
Faced with growing competition in this space, they needed to separate themselves from the crowd in order to maintain and grow their market share. In order to reinforce their position as the premium choice for equestrians, Horseware needed to elevate their brand position by driving deeper meaningful connections and brand loyalty. They needed to become more modern, more progressive, become THE choice for diehard equestrians.
Immersing ourselves in their world we looked deeply at the brand message and most importantly what it truly means to be an equestrian. At the heart of the story we found a simple truth that joins all riders. An unspoken promise of unwavering commitment to their horses, through the good days and bad, rain or shine - and so, ‘Through It All’ was born.
Watch the film.
Through it all
It's the unbreakable bond and unconditional love we have for our horses that carries us through the good days and the bad, it is a commitment unlike any other. We are all held to this unspoken promise that transcends geography, demographics, distance, and age. 'Through it All' embodies our founding story and legacy, and most critically, portrays the enduring sense of adventure and passion that anchors the ‘why’ of our brand and our community.
THE EXECUTION
This new chapter began with the launch of the #ThroughItAll campaign, a global trade and consumer focused activation that encapsulated all the highs and lows of everyday riders and brought the tagline to life. Using real and emotive storytelling our strategy leveraged social, display, print and media partnerships.
THE RESULT
With this new insight and tagline to guide us, we developed a digital-first approach that would help the brand to connect with a global community of equestrians. We led a 360 transformation across every touchpoint of the brand from strategy, creative and production through to campaigns and e-commerce growth.
BUILDING ON THE PLATFORM
From there we could begin to build on the creative platform by shining a light on the 'Through it All' stories of our community, ambassadors and beginning to bring it through in our product storytelling.
THROUGH IT ALL: NO GIFT GREATER
Horseware followed this success with the launch of their first-ever Christmas campaign. It told the story of a chance meeting between a beautiful Connemara pony and an inquisitive schoolgirl, following the ups and downs of their blossoming friendship - through it all. Surpassing all expectations, the hero film quickly went viral online through the global equestrian community.
THE RESULT
Through multiple stories and evolutions, the campaign platform tugged on heartstrings and truly resonated with riders. We had captured the bond that only equestrians will know and appreciate - putting Horseware back at the heart of the community and reminding audiences that Horseware understands you and your horse’s needs better than anyone else. We had created a central breakthrough idea that speaks to the soul of the brand and community and remains the brand's north star today.