The Fiskateers Movement

For over a year, Brains on Fire has been helping Fiskars, the scissors company, design a brand ambassador program called the Fiskateers. Last weekend I crashed their Fiskateers Roundup in San Antonio and witnessed the movement firsthand. Ladies sporting orange cowboy hats were all over the hotel and every one of these gals was toting a rolling scrapbook treasure chest of Fiskars goodies.

Geno, Spike, Carrie, and Virginia of Brains on Fire worked with Suzanne from Fiskars to put on one helluva weekend full of camaraderie, crafting, and cavorting.

In every session, Fiskateers shared their love for how scrapbooking tells the story of their lives. But more than that, these Fiskars evangelists expressed their love and appreciation for how Fiskars products help them tell better stories. It was amazing to hear how much these people ADORE Fiskars.

This program has not only profoundly impacted Fiskars, it has also profoundly impacted the marketing agency that designed the Fiskateers brand ambassador program.

On the Brains on Fire blog, Virginia Miracle talks about how she was faced with breaking the “fourth wall” of marketing during the Fiskateers Roundup. She writes,

“Breaking this fourth wall is both scary & exciting because we are making the rules as we go along. For example: do I put my Fiskateer number on my nametag or put Brains on Fire? (I erred on the side of over-disclosure and put both.) Do I wear a bright orange cowboy hat like the Nifty Fifty or stand back and take photos of the people wearing them? As a community manager and Fiskars evangelist in my off-time, I am as much as part of this program as I am trying to shape and support it.”

“I am as much as part of this program as I am trying to shape and support it.” Whoa! That’s a powerful line. And that’s a true partnership between client and agency.

Lots of agencies talk about forging partnerships with their clients. Most times that talk rings hallow. Not with Brains on Fire. As evidence by their work with Fiskars, they’ve designed a movement so powerful that it has moved Brains on Fire to become part of the movement. That is, to become genuine Fiskars brand ambassadors.

Comments

[Lewis Green]

John,

Thank you for sharing this marketing success story. I gained a new respect for a company that already had my attention, Brains on Fire. A solid job done for their client. Bravo!

[David Isserman]

Brains on Fire did an amazing job pulling everyone together like that -- what a perfect way to "connect" with its customers.

David
http://www.TheCreativeConnector.com

[Branding Blog]

Anytime you can make scissors exciting you've done well.

[Branding Blog]

As a branding agency I like to go out and scour the net for really great articles. It’s tough to find one that’s right on point and yours is. Thanks for the read and keep up the good work.

Scott White
The BIG Kahuna

[hyra solarium]

Cool - Fiskars came from a very small town in Finland some hundred years ago.. big company now.