Zombie Max Product Introduction
Hornady Manufacturing | Grand Island, NE
Hornady Manufacturing is a serious player in the hunting and shooting industries. Their high-quality, cutting-edge ammunition, bullets and reloading products are used and loved by customers around the globe. So, we were a bit taken aback when then asked us to help them launch their line of zombie ammunition.
Replacing their signature 'red tip' with a neon green one, the team at Hornady hoped to position these Zombie Max loads as the go-to product in the event of the 'Zombie Apocalypse.' Launching just before Halloween 2011, Zombie Max aimed to appeal to the passionate and ever-growing group of 'zombie enthusiasts,' while also offering something fun for current ammo buyers.
Our challenge was threefold:
- Attract 'zombie enthusiasts' and create excitement among current customers.
- Create packaging with a commanding shelf-presence and "collector" appeal.
- Generate an energetic response with an online campaign, resulting in product sales.
Logo/Identity
The logo development set the tone for the product. We needed something that was fun, without being too lighthearted or toy-like – this is live ammunition, after all. We think the logo you see here fit those criteria.
Packaging Design
Our final packaging design made an impression on store shelves, with the purple and green standing apart from other ammo boxes. It also has enough panache to make Zombie Max a sought-after 'collectable.'
Online Launch
Email Marketing
We sent a teaser email and a launch email (left) featuring video and product information. Open rates for these messages reached 40%.
Website Updates
The new products were added to a special landing page on Hornady.com. Daily site traffic doubled, from 14,000 to 28,000 visitors.
Social Media
The announcement on Hornady's Facebook page was re-shared by 248 fans. The YouTube video racked-up 125,000 views in the week after launch.
The Results
$400k
first-month sales
10%
of total 2011 sales
