Skidmore backs Weingartz in a crusade against the big, bad, big box stores. It was 2005 when we first met our David – though his name happened to be Dan. As the owner of a local, family-owned power equipment supplier, Dan was feeling the pinch common to those competing with the national players. Weingartz had been around for more than 50 years and wanted to be around for 50 more. So, instead of complaining or calling it a day, Dan and his team decided to fight.

RECON

Within our first meeting with Dan, we knew his was a worthy battle. We dug into who Weingartz was, learned about its staff and its loyal customers. What we found was something pretty powerful: knowledge, experience, service.

Three things every consumer needs.
Three things we can all acknowledge the big box stores do not have.
Weingartz was the answer. It just didn’t look like it was.

READY THE TROOPS

In order to wage this battle, we knew we would have to come out guns blazing. We needed to rethink the game plan and put on the best armor we could design.

We started with the logo and didn’t stop until every detail had been considered…

Print ads led the charge with powerful headlines and a crisp layout. Their placement was strategized to the last +4 of the zip code…

Radio ads featuring an insanely catchy jingle were broadcast on local sports stations, and soon thereafter as ring tones on phones across town.

We illustrated Mr. Weingartz as an approachable and all-knowing character that shared his advice in print and email newsletters…

A parts website was developed to support the store’s audience of empowered Do-it-Yourselfers…

Those that came into the store were greeted with a consistent theme that reinforced Weingartz’s position as a trusted, power equipment leader.

These customers were rewarded with the best service in the industry and a loyalty program that would keep them coming back for more.

DECLARE VICTORY

And come back they did. So much in fact that Weingartz opened a new store in Ann Arbor in 2010, a goal Dan had held for several years.

RALLYING CRY

With the taste of victory in our mouths, we set our sights on expansion, declaring Facebook and broadcast TV as battlegrounds. For this next phase, we adapted an offensive strategy that confronts our biggest competition head on. After all, Real experts don’t wear aprons.

With this mantra, we repositioned Weingartz to be on the same level as the big box stores while remaining approachable to our customers.