BEARPAW Footwear

What began as a catalogue shoot for BEARPAW led to the creation of a YouTube channel for the brand, attracting guests like reality competition stars Rachel Reilly (The Amazing Race, Big Brother) and Karina Smirnoff (DWTS). The idea was to personalize the brand, injecting humor into the content, while highlighting the BEARPAW USP.

On our watch as Creative Marketing Agency of Record for BEARPAW Footwear, the company evolved from a $40M/year challenger to a $100M/year player. Our impact is attributable to a combination of brand strategy and positioning, and an innovative approach to brand image.

At the time, boot brands leaned toward formal, classic spreads, perhaps taking themselves a bit seriously. With BEARPAW, we saw an opportunity to develop a fun, irreverent personality consistent with the team behind the brand. While we did execute traditional photographic and written content when appropriate, we also parlayed every viable opportunity into a win – and a connection with the consumer.

The Propeller5 team owes much to its early iteration as SLAM, a creative marketing division of top indie retailer Sportie LA. SLAM (Sportie LA Media) was successful at marketing its retail operation that the group was hired directly by footwear brands and trade organizations. Founded in 1985, Sportie LA remains an iconic sneaker haven – and a Propeller 5 client. Synonymous with Los Angeles street culture, the store is known for its heavily trafficked Instagrammable #FameYard, red carpet events, spawning organic branded content across YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. The retailer’s long and storied history with stars such as Kanye West continues to make news.