Fiskars, a leading scissors brand in the back-to-school category and beyond, was looking to maintain its market dominance and increase its affinity and relevance with K–second grade elementary school teachers.
As Fiskars’ long-time partner—and after 10 years of a consistent story and branding around back to school—it was time to reinvigorate the message and remind the world that Fiskars belongs in the classroom.
Knowing the importance that scissors have on kids who are developing fine motor skills, we selected a theme that showcases the benefits for kids who create. After all, kids who are given the tools they need to help them think in creative ways are kids that learn how to thrive.
Fiskars conducted third-party research, which showed that teachers look to other teachers as a source of information and inspiration. We chose to kick off the campaign by creating a testimonial video to solidify Fiskars’ credibility among teachers.
We designed the video to speak to the quality of Fiskars’ scissors and the importance of performance when fine motor skills are being developed among children. The video was placed on the brand’s two platforms with the largest following: YouTube and Facebook.
We also crafted a print ad for two Scholastic insertions to reach teachers during a timeframe when they are typically creating supply lists for the next school year.
In an effort to give back to the teachers who help kids create, Fiskars also coordinated a teacher grant program as part of Fiskars’ Project Orange Thumb campaign. The Project Orange Thumb Teacher Grant Program recognizes teachers who share a passion for fostering creativity through hands-on learning. Fiskars provided 50 teachers a $500 gift card plus Fiskars classroom tools to help set students up for success.
To increase awareness of the grant program and cap the campaign creative, we helped design and distribute direct mail postcards during Teacher Appreciation Week.
To kick off the entire campaign, Fiskars shipped 25 surprise packages of 30+ kids scissors and one Orange-handled Scissor to K–second grade teachers throughout the U.S. during Teacher Appreciation Week.
All these efforts ensured that Fiskars stays in the classroom and continues to help kids thrive. If you’re interested in reinvigorating a campaign of your own, send a note to Ted Jun at tjun@hiebing.com