In 2016, the archery industry was becoming stale and sales were in decline. Enter Ravin Crossbows. Utilizing groundbreaking engineering and innovation, Ravin introduced technology unlike any other and quickly went from startup to the unanimous market leader. Competitors scrambled to catch up.
In the years following Ravin’s emergence, competing brands did their best to imitate the crossbow technology that had taken the industry by storm. Product design and features that once revolutionized the category were now the expectation.
It was time to refresh Ravin’s brand campaign, and remind consumers that their crossbows were still the most accurate, powerful, and innovative products on the planet.
Our challenge was to create a new campaign for Ravin that reinvigorated its brand promise and showcased product capabilities. We needed to find a way to leverage the unmatched accuracy of Ravin Crossbows to re-establish their position as the true, undeniable leader in the industry.
Ravin’s previous campaigns had spent years successfully speaking directly to rifle hunters, demonstrating how Ravin Crossbows were an easy transition for gun hunters. If you could comfortably shoot a rifle, then you could comfortably shoot a Ravin Crossbow.
Coming off the heels of this market-shifting “Meet Your Next Rifle” campaign, it was crucial that we created something that continued preaching Ravin’s message towards those who would listen.
Ravin’s entire catalog of crossbows can consistently produce 3 inch groupings on a target up to 100 yards away even for an average shooter– a feat Ravin’s team was confident no other brand could achieve.
And the “3 Inches. 100 Yards. No Rivals.” campaign was born. They say seeing is believing, and we were going to make everyone a believer. Telling consumers that Ravin Crossbows are accurate from 100 yards is one thing, but we were going to show them.
We brought this idea to life in a :30s video spot by dramatically proving out these accuracy claims and capabilities on a 100-yard football field – a visual all viewers can understand. Shooting multiple arrows from one endzone to the other, we were able to demonstrate the extreme accuracy of Ravin Crossbows in a visually stimulating – and culturally familiar – way.
How do you capture an arrow flying 100 yards while speeding well over 400 FPS? A high-speed drone, and a lot of camera takes. The plan was to launch the high-speed drone down the football field seconds before firing the shot – then allowing the arrow to catch up and eventually pass the drone milliseconds before hitting the target. After numerous attempts, we nailed the shot. And then again. And again. Once the timing was locked in, witnessing the accuracy of the Ravin Crossbow shot after shot was a true sight to behold.
All this occurred while the main camera maintained framing and focus on the shooter as well as the target 100 yards down field. This gave us the opportunity to show that these arrows are real shots, taken by a human being 100 yards away. Like we said, you have to see it to believe it.
This spot was widely shared on digital and social platforms, reaching new and core audiences alike.
To create our holistic marketing campaign across print, digital, and social channels, we used unique headlines and body copy to highlight the innovative and impressive capabilities of Ravin Crossbows. Our campaign messaging was used cohesively in curated paid media placements to reach our target hunting audiences.
The 3 Inches. 100 Yards. No Rivals. campaign was developed and executed to deliver a powerful statement: the Ravin team up in Superior, Wisconsin continues to push crossbow innovation forward. Improved accuracy has been – and always will be – the company’s core promise and cornerstone.
Through innovative camera work and stunning visual execution, this campaign successfully reinforced the idea that Ravin Crossbows are the undeniable leaders of the industry.
