ePortfolio Part 3 - Event Analysis
The STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Series was created in 1985 by the STIHL outdoor power equipment brand. Now, you’re probably asking yourself why a chainsaw company would invest in a lumberjack sport?
The competition consists of male athletes contending for a win in six different disciplines including the spring board, stock saw, standing block, underhand chop, single buck and the hot saw. These lumberjack sportsmen chop logs of wood with forestry axes, but the hot saw event requires the use of a very large gasoline-powered chainsaw. I can just hear those rpms now…
The STIHL brand has used the combination of powertools and sports to extend their reach into a new target marketing segment consisting of younger audiences. While the outdoor power tool part of their brand has its own consumer profile, the extension of the company through this outdoorsman sport is able to reach a new audience and age group on different advertising platforms.
Needless to say, this type of event attracts a crowd all on its own, but the STIHL brand very wisely selected the German Fest of Milwaukee, WI to hold it’s U.S. Championship event. According to the German Fest of Milwaukee website (germanfest.com), it is one of the largest German celebrations in North America and has an established venue with all the appropriate amenities STIHL could ask for.
Smart placement of product within all of the events to the branding sponsorship of logos on the athlete’s apparel, the STIHL brand does a fantastic job to create awareness and generate interest.
Check out my full analysis of the 2018 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS U.S. Championship event in my video.
References
About STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® Series. (n.d.). Retrieved March 30, 2019, from https://www.stihlusa.com/stihl-timbersports/about-timbersports/
Blair, C. (2018, July 27). The Country's Top Lumberjacks Descend Upon Milwaukee. Retrieved March 28, 2019, from https://www.milwaukeemag.com/stihl-timbersports-us-championship-lumberjacks-descend-upon-milwaukee/
Northouse, Peter G. (2015). Leadership: Theory & Practice. (7th ed). Sage Publications, CA
Wild, M. (2017, June 28). What's the deal with Henry Maier Festival Park? Retrieved March 30, 2019, from https://milwaukeerecord.com/city-life/whats-the-deal-with-henry-maier-festival-par
