PERSONALIZING AN ICON
Jack Nicklaus won the biggest golf tournaments hitting persimmon woods the size of your pinky over 300 yards. 18 major wins. Second in another 19. 73 top-10 finishes in 164 majors. The undisputed G.O.A.T.
In his prime, Jack was a household name. The Nicklaus name was on some of the world’s iconic golf courses and associated with brands like Rolex, Lincoln, MacGregor, Hart Schaffner & Marx and the Royal Bank of Scotland who issued a 5-pound note commemorating Jack.
After four decades of being in the limelight, the challenge for the brand was transcending the man. A new generation of golf fans were more familiar with Tiger than the Golden Bear. While the Nicklaus name had gravitas amongst sports enthusiasts, the brand and its products needed to stay familiar with a broader audience.
We rebranded focusing on Jack’s signature as a personal stamp of approval. Then we created the content to tell a brand story that was evocative but not a historical retelling. Our focus was on the hallmarks of a champion. Qualities we all aspire to.
Then we set out to give consumers a chance to walk in Jack’s footsteps. We created demand worldwide for Nicklaus products through an annual event where consumers had a chance to experience the feeling of playing for their country. Over 15 years, this promotion averaged a 10% sales lift year-over-year.
