Supergirl Case Study
Challenge
• Warner Bros Consumer Products was searching for a way to leverage their female-focused Supergirl brand to support its traditional licensing business with an idea that would generate national media coverage
• WARNER BROS WANTED TO EXTEND THE SUPERGIRL BRAND BEYOND JUST A DC COMIC BOOKS TRADEMARK, AND TRANSFORM IT INTO A SYMBOL UNDER WHICH YOUNG FEMALES (AGES 12 – 24) FELT EMPOWERED.

 

Execution
• ASA CREATED A FEMALE ACTION SPORTS SERIES CALLED THE S3 SUPERGIRL JAM THAT FEATURED THE TOP FEMALE PROS IN SKATEBOARDING, SURFING AND SNOWBOARDING COMPETING AT SEVERAL VENUES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
• Several women-only competitions were created and held annually in Southern California
• THE EVENTS FILLED THE VOID IN ACTION SPORTS FOR TOP-LEVEL FEMALE COMPETITION AND ALSO SHOWCASED WARNER BROS’ SUPERGIRL BRAND TO A NEW GENERATION OF YOUNG, ACTIVE CONSUMERS
• IN ADDITION TO THE WORLD’S BEST FEMALE ACTION SPORTS ATHLETES, THE THREE-DAY FESTIVAL-STYLE EVENTS ALSO FEATURED LIVE CONCERTS FROM FEMALE ARTISTS, FEMALE DJ’S, DANCE, ART, FITNESS, YOGA, AND A VARIETY OF “GIRL-POWER” ACTIVITIES.
• A UNIQUE SNOWBOARDING COMPETITION ON THE BEACH WAS DEVELOPED AS THE CENTERPIECE OF THE EVENT STRATEGY TO HELP BREAK THROUGH CLUTTER IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. A 40’ MAN-MADE MOUNTAIN AND MORE THAN 100,000 POUNDS OF SNOW WERE BROUGHT IN TO CONSTRUCT THE SNOWBOARD COURSE ON BEACHES IN SAN DIEGO, HUNTINGTON BEACH, AND VENICE BEACH
• CAUSE ASSOCIATIONS WERE DEVELOPED WITH GIRLS INC., THE SURFRIDE FOUNDATION, AND BOARDING 4 BREAST CANCER
• EACH OF THE EVENTS WAS NATIONALLY TELEVISED ON FOX SPORTS TO EXPAND THE REACH OF THE “SUPER EMPOWERMENT” MESSAGE

 

Results
• 100,000+ CONSUMERS ATTEND THE SUPERGIRL JAM EVENTS EACH YEAR
• THE SUPERGIRL BRAND WAS REINFORCED AS A UNIVERSAL SYMBOL FOR FEMINE STRENGTH AND EMPOWERMENT AND RECEIVED TREMENDOUS GOODWILL FROM THE ENDEMIC COMMUNITY IN HELPING TO ELEVATE THE STATUS OF FEMALES IN ACTION SPORTS
• RETAIL PARTNERS SUCH AS JC PENNEY’S DEVELOPED A NATIONAL IN-STORE MERCHANDISING PROGRAM IN SUPPORT OF THE EVENTS
• MORE THAN 500 HOURS OF SUPERGIRL-BRANDED NATIONAL AND REGIONAL TV COVERAGE HAS BEEN DEVELOPED AND AIRED ON FOX SPORTS
• THE EVENT GARNERED NATIONAL MEDIA COVERAGE AND MORE THAN $2 MILLION OF MEDIA VALUE IN ITS FIRST YEAR FROM USA TODAY, COSMO, ESPN, CBS SPORTS, LOS ANGELES TIMES, AND HUNDREDS OF ADDITIONAL OUTLETS. SINCE ITS INCEPTION, THE SERIES HAS GENERATED MORE THAN $50 MILLION IN MEDIA VALUE FOR THE SUPERGIRL BRAND
• THE EVENT SERIES HAS CONTINUED AND GROWN EXPONENTIALLY SINCE 2007, AND IS TODAY SEEN AS A FORWARD-THINKING LEADER IN THE CRITICAL FEMALE EMPOWERMENT PLATFORM