MZInc. Creates Attention Grabbing Ad By Flippin’ the Script

Cross Marketing for Profit

Sportswear merchandiser, First Down, already an established brand name, hired MZInc. to bring them to the Hip-Hop market. They wanted to cross-market their product across age and cultural demographics, thus increasing avenues for their clothing. Hip-Hop industry bible, The Source Magazine, was an obvious choice of venue to place the ad; the challenge was how to distinguish First Down in a publication crowded with clothing ads, while still achieving First Down’s goals.

Bringing Something Different

The answer was in the nature of Hip-Hop culture itself. Come with something new, something hot... something universal. While shooting the ads with the usual tattooed, muscled brothers typical to genre, Design Director, Mira Zivkovich had the inspiration to include a distinguished 74 year-old, white, British gentleman. The question was, could he be cool?

Understanding the Audience and the Medium

The reasons the ad worked are both visual and symbolic. Firstly, while there were many tattooed, muscled models of color gracing the magazine’s pages, this is the only ad featuring an older white man. It was different enough to raise readership of the ad. Secondly, including him in the ad speaks to the universal appeal of the third most popular genre of music in the world, and the culture that has grown up around it. The ad is visually and thematically on point with both the audience and goals of the client.

photography by Ike Karnick