The Client

When Land Rover made the strategic decision to enter the smartphone market, they chose to collaborate with Bullitt Group; a leading British tech company with an unparalleled reputation for designing and developing cutting-edge rugged smartphones that stand up to the world’s toughest elements.

As a brand, Land Rover is a British icon. Globally renowned for quality, innovation and style in the automotive market. This made them a natural partner for Bullitt Group to collaborate with to bring a new smartphone to life, right from conceptual design to final product refinement.

The Challenge

Working collaboratively alongside the Land Rover design team, Bullitt developed the groundbreaking Land Rover Explore: The Outdoor Phone. Influenced by an aligned vision to help people go further and achieve more, the Explore is a world first that has redefined the meaning of a rugged smartphone. Designed specifically with the unique requirements of the outdoor market in mind and for those who embrace the outdoors as a way of life, but also appreciate refined design.

With a unique collection of functionality and benefits, the creation of this multi award- winning device has not only ushered in the dawn of a new type of smartphone, it has also created a whole new product category – the ‘Outdoor Phone’.

As the appointed Global lead agency, Bullitt challenged Brandwave to help them build the new Explore brand from the ground-up. A key objective of the brief was to create a suite of strategic framework pieces that would set the brand up for global expansion with clarity and consistency across all channels and all territories. Bullitt also tasked us with developing a high-impact fully integrated creative campaign that stayed true to the Land Rover brand while also helping the Explore phone standout in the crowded smartphone market.

Main Product Edit

The Result

With the primary phase-one target markets being the UK and Germany, we utilised our experience, strategic teams and presence in both countries to develop a detailed European Retail strategy, focusing on premium outdoor retailers such as Cotswold Outdoor and Sport Schuster. Working with some of the outdoor industry’s leading minds, we then went on to develop full PR, Brand, Messaging, Ambassador and Digital plans which additionally included comprehensive competitor analysis’ as well as target audience persona profiles. Subsequently, all were integrated and aligned to create a global go-to-market strategy ahead of the official trade announcement at ISPO 2018. ­

After the strategic foundations were finalised, the Brandwave Creative team developed the eye catching Explore More campaign. Focusing on the Explore phones’ unique capabilities in the outdoors, all creative was tailored towards the target audience’s inherent desire to go further, for longer, with a smartphone that can withstand their lifestyle and the many varied challenges of the outdoor environment.

For the product launch, key creative deliverables included:

  • Brand Guidelines and Tone of Voice

  • On-location photo and video shoot in the Brecon Beacons, UK to capture key imagery and video content

  • Studio product photography

  • Product video series including behind the scenes edit

  • Print and digital advertisements

  • How-To and Tips & Tricks video series

  • Full suite of social media assets and video edits

  • UX and website front-end design

  • Exhibition stand graphics

  • Reviewer Guide Brochure and POS material

Behind-the-Scenes Edit

“As a new brand, entering into a new market, we needed an agency that truly understood the Outdoor industry and our target audience. We needed an agency that excelled in delivering solid strategic foundations, had a proven ability to shape a brand from the ground-up and create standout creative to bring the launch to life. Out of all the other agencies in Europe, this is why we chose Brandwave.”

Linda Summers

CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER – BULLITT GROUP