The North Face builds on strategic shift towards mobile marketing after campaign success

The move was part of a strategic shift away from more traditional forms of marketing in favour of a more digital approach, with an increasing focus on mobile, according to the brand.

The North Face made use of Millennial Media’s Video PLlus ad unit - a full-screen interactive video appearing between app and publisher content - which resulted in more than 319,000 completed views in Germany and more than 114,000 in Italy. In addition, 29 per cent of viewers watched the video a second time despite an option to skip after 7.5 seconds.

The North Face said the results of the campaign showed the influence mobile marketing can have even in niche markets, and the next stage of the campaign – ‘Longer Days Are Back’ – will launch next month in the UK and Europe.

“’The Mountains are Calling’ campaign was our Fall 14 campaign and the success of it signalled an important shift in our approach to mobile and digital marketing, which is being applied to the UK and other European markets,” said Alessander Argenti, junior digital marketing manager, The North Face. “The North Face has been undergoing a gradual shift in its marketing strategies, moving away from the more traditional channels we have been used to, embracing instead the world of digital and mobile specifically.

“The results from our most recent campaigns have highlighted the benefits that mobile can bring in building even niche communities as The North Face explores more and more tools and platforms that cater to the mobile world.”

Zac Pinkham, managing director, EMEA, Millennial Media, added: “The appetite for rich video content is growing with faster connections via 4G devices and increasingly savvy users looking for evermore interactive experiences, making mobile video a powerful branding tool.”

The campaign was part of The North Face’s global ‘Never Stop Exploring’ campaign, and its work with Millennial Media was targeted towards 18-34-year-old males.