Nationwide campaign – success from the word go

The response was excellent before the Let the feet demonstrate campaign had even started and the interest has grown ever since.The Jalas brand will become better known to the general public especially among those who could benefit from using excellent work and protective footwear in their job. “This was an explosive start to our campaign, which means that the future looks extremely promising,”says Samuel Enqvist,Deputy CEO.

The campaign is concerned with marketing on a broad front where Ejendals can reach significantly more users than before, getting the message across through advertising on TV4, Rix FM and a large number of other marketing activities. The product or, rather, weapon is M-Sport, the new Jalas collection: a light, cool and ergonomic range of footwear with an attractive design. “With the campaign, we aim to increase the degree of recognition for Jalas among our primary target group which is anyone who could benefit from using excellent work and protective footwear. And that’s a really big group,” says Samuel Enqvist. “Our market share, today, is greater than the proportion of the target group who recognise the brand. The campaign also represents a stage in the transformation of Ejendals into a more consumeroriented company and, according to Enqvist, showing more people that we are offering some incredibly good shoes designed specifically for working environments; shoes which, even from the design point of view, are extremely attractive.

Effective method

With music from James Hollingworth’s wellknown tune Älgarna demonstrerar, the Jalas and Ejendals brand was launched to a wider public, to a huge response. Samuel Enqvist stresses that TV advertising is an effective method, which can have a major impact and where the contact costs are relatively small. The aim of the TV advertising was to reach 60 per cent of the target group with a minimum of five hits, success being measured in a subsequent assessment. In terms of interest, however, the prospects are extremely good.

A raft of measures

The TV advertisement shown for three weeks in April has been backed up with local radio campaigns in large areas of Sweden. An accompanying store campaign was also arranged at Ejendals retail outlets with specially-designed shelving for the footwear, signs, shelf-talkers and other information material. A whole raft of measures, as Enqvist puts it. Lennart Carlsson, Ejendals salesman in Stockholm, has noticed the campaign having a marked effect. “It’s a well-prepared marketing campaign, which has created a great deal of interest in Jalas as well as our own protective footwear,” he says.

Only 475 grams

Jalas new M-Sport is an upgrading of the earlier M series. The biggest change is in the weight. Jalas 3460 Light Sport weighs only 475 grams in size 42. All footwear in the new range features aluminium toe-caps. This not only makes the shoe lighter but also centres the shoe’s centre of gravity, providing better balance and reduced impact on the wearer’s shins. “The shoes have also been designed with new soles that provide better grip and two of the designs have Kevlar nail protection covering the whole of the sole that can cope with 1400 Newton, which is better than the EN standard.

Sporty appearance

Lennart Carlsson points out that the design has been given an additional lift with new colours and improved details which give the shoes a sporty appearance. The price is pretty much the same as before. “No doubt about it, the new M-Sport series meets requirements for cool, light and ergonomic footwear with an attractive appearance. These are features that our customers really appreciate,” he says.

Launch of Ejendals shoes

In conjunction with the campaign, Ejendals is launching its latest range of shoes. This includes protective footwear for users who demand the highest standards and are designed for use in tough environments.