MindComet

Brooks Running Fearlessly Hits The Wall

I’ve been a fan of the Sklar Brothers ever since I saw their failed MTV sitcom “Apartment 2F”.  You’ve probably seen them around on various TV shows, most noteably cameo appearances in Entourage and Curb Your Enthusiasm.  Their comedic collaborations aren’t just limited to TV.  They’re now the new spokesmen for Brooks Running. 

I received this email from Brooks last week…

After seeing that familiar, seemingly tormented face, I couldn’t help myself but clickthrough. The landing page is an immersive flash site with the Sklar Bros. as the Underwood brothers Karl & Carl, also known as the “running superfans”. The site is chock-full of funny clips, lists, and a scrapbook that kept me on the site for a good 20-30 minutes.

The email was a perfect example of one thing I’ve noticed lacking in the email marketing world: INTRIGUE.  I think it was even more effective since I was familiar with the spokesmen, but even with my familiarity this email looks nothing like what they’ve sent in the past.  Their previous emails have been your standard BtoC marketing messages filled with shiny, attractive models sporting their gear:

And I can honestly say, I’ve never clicked on any previous email I’ve received from Brooks.  I hope they continue to change their designs and messaging strategies.  Maybe they’ll convert more subscribers like myself who really notice things out of the norm.  This is a online promotion that I really hope takes off for Brooks and the Sklar Brothers.

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Posted by Bryan Quilty on May. 19, 2009