Unique marketing campaign refocuses misled golfers on iron play over driving in ongoing quest for game improvement
Norcross, GA (March 19, 2012) – It’s no secret the golf industry has long been driven by heavy hitting manufacturers that spend millions in advertising to champion the latest and greatest driver. This season, Mizuno Golf is on a mission to preach the truth, effectively lifting the veil for the slew of misled golfers. This massive group of golf loyalists continues to be annually coerced by the industry’s aggressive advertising campaigns to believe a better driver is the answer to their golf woes. Mizuno, well known for engineering the world’s finest irons, today unveiled the “The Iron Truth” – a marketing campaign built around the paramount importance of superior irons and iron play in every golfer’s ongoing quest to improve their game. One element of the campaign is “The Gospel According to Luke”, which plays on the shot-making prowess of the 2011 PGA Tour Player of the Year, Luke Donald.
“We’ve always focused on irons as the most critical element of game improvement for golfers at every level, while other manufacturers continually exploit the sexiness of hitting big drives, to the detriment of the majority of golfers who’d be happier if they finally broke 80, 90, 100, or whatever their personal goal may be,” said Dick Lyons, Vice President and General Manager, Mizuno Golf. “There’s no better example of the superiority of iron play over driving than Luke, who captured the 2011 PGA Tour Player of the Year, despite not being the longest off the tee. We decided it was time to preach the “iron truth.”
“The Gospel According to Luke” is an integrated marketing campaign, developed by Mizuno’s agency-of-record, McKinney Advertising. The innovative plan combines advertising, web, retail promotion, social media and public relations, educating golfers about the myriad of opportunities for game improvement they will find by focusing on iron play. “The Mizuno Iron Truth” adorns stained glass windows in the first of several double-page print ads. The left window is dedicated to “The Gospel According to Luke” and features the golfer in mid-swing; the right window teaches, “The most important club in your bag is eight clubs” and focuses on the Mizuno MP-59 irons that Luke plays. Ads will start appearing in major golf publications, including Golf Digest and Golf Magazine, in March and will continue through June.
“Those wanting to see a traditional golf campaign will quickly see the error of their ways,” said Jonathan Cude, McKinney Chief Creative Officer. “Instead of creating a campaign about drivers giving you that ‘five yards longer’ promise, we wanted to focus on what really matters in a golfer’s bag, the irons. This campaign is different and playful while making full use of Luke Donald, who embodies everything that Mizuno stands for.”
“It’s certainly true that golfers are going to enjoy significantly more improvement focusing on iron play, said Donald. “After all, you only hit your driver 12 to 14 times over the course of an entire round. This campaign brings a unique element of humor to the game, while also being truly educational for golfers who are continuously trying to shoot better scores.”
The campaign features a unique microsite, TheIronTruth.com, showcasing “The Gospel According to Luke” through a series of facts, known as “iron truths.” Visitors are invited “to discover the truth and elevate your game” by exploring The Ten Truths and a manifesto declaring the importance of iron play in improving overall performance. Each truth demonstrates the clear-cut dominance of iron play over driving, on the path to game improvement for golfers at every level. The site also offers in-depth information about each line of Mizuno irons, touching on technologies like its industry leading Grain Flow Forging process and proving that not all irons are created equal. Visitors will also find weekly messages from Luke, information on Mizuno Performance Fitting System and various ways they can join the congregation.
For more information on “The Gospel According to Luke,” Mizuno 2012 product lines and more, visit www.theirontruth.com.
About Mizuno USA
Mizuno USA, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mizuno Corporation, one of the largest specialty sporting goods manufacturers in the world. Mizuno USA, Inc. manufactures and distributes golf, baseball, softball, running, track & field, and volleyball equipment, apparel, and footwear for North America. Mizuno USA, Inc. is based in Norcross, Georgia.
Contact:
Eric Hills
Mizuno USA, Inc.
770-453-7853
eric.hills@mizunousa.com
