Project
  • Develop Concept
  • Design
  • Build
Design Tools
  • Procreate
  • Notability (digital notebook)
  • Procreate
  • Axure
  • Sketch
  • Affinity Designer
  • Affinity Photo
Deliverables
  • Guinness World Record
  • Website

Building Brand Trust with the World’s Longest Swing Set Campaign

Backyard Discovery, a leading manufacturer of premium wooden swing sets, playhouses, and backyard leisure products, partnered with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward County to launch a marketing campaign.

The goal? To highlight Backyard Discovery’s 30-year legacy of crafting high-quality backyard solutions while strengthening community ties, building customer trust, and enhancing their digital presence.

This campaign was not just about setting a record with the world’s longest swing set but also about connecting with families, supporting local communities, and showcasing the brand’s commitment to play and adventure.

Campaign Objective: Elevating Backyard Discovery’s Brand Through Purpose-Driven Marketing

As the Creative Director, my primary objective was to design and execute a strategic marketing campaign that would:

  • Raise brand awareness for Backyard Discovery’s heritage and product offerings.
  • Build an emotional connection with consumers by promoting the joy and benefits of outdoor play.
  • Highlight the company’s commitment to community engagement through partnerships, like the one with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward County.
  • Reinforce Backyard Discovery’s reputation as a leader in high-quality, durable backyard solutions.

The focus was not just on driving sales but on creating a narrative that underscored the brand’s core values, fostered trust, and established a memorable digital presence.

Aerial view of a large outdoor playground featuring the longest swing set alongside multiple colorful play structures in a park setting. A lake and trees are visible in the background, with people scattered throughout the area.

Strategic Approach: Bringing Backyard Discovery’s Mission to Life

  1. Collaborative Vision Development: Engaged closely with the Backyard Discovery team to fully understand their brand goals, customer values, and the shared mission with Big Brothers Big Sisters. This collaboration was foundational in aligning creative efforts with strategic objectives.
  2. Conceptualizing the Brand Narrative: Crafted a compelling brand story that encapsulated Backyard Discovery’s legacy of innovation, quality, and community involvement. The concept was designed to resonate deeply with families while also reflecting the partnership’s purpose.
  3. Integrated Campaign Design: Led the design and production of a cohesive campaign including a promotional video, refreshed website, and updated brand identity. The creative assets were tailored to appeal to the target audience, while effectively showcasing the quality and joy associated with the company’s backyard products.
  4. World Record Event as a Campaign Highlight: Conceptualized and executed a Guinness World Record-breaking swing set event to serve as the campaign’s centerpiece. This high-impact event was instrumental in generating buzz, building brand awareness, and driving meaningful engagement.
A grassy field in a park with the longest swing set nestled among scattered trees and parked cars along the distant edge.
A blue Kenworth semi-truck is parked on the side of a road with a flatbed trailer loaded with large pallets. Trees and a person walking near what seems to be the world's longest swing set are visible in the background.
People are assembling the longest swing set on a grassy field under a partly cloudy sky. Various wooden pieces and materials are laid out on the ground, contributing to this impressive build.
A man wearing a white t-shirt assembles wooden components on the grass at an outdoor event, preparing what appears to be the longest swing set ever built.

Execution Plan: Bringing the Vision to Reality

  • Comprehensive Brand Analysis: Conducted thorough research and analysis to identify the brand’s strengths, weaknesses, and growth opportunities. This strategic groundwork helped to inform the creative direction and ensured alignment with the brand’s values and market positioning.
  • Conceptualizing the World’s Longest Swing Set: Developed a unique concept centered around “The World’s Longest Swing Set,” symbolizing Backyard Discovery’s commitment to innovation, quality, and community involvement. The concept was designed to serve as both a compelling story and a powerful brand statement.
  • Coordinated Campaign Production: Collaborated closely with the Backyard Discovery team to create a cohesive campaign, including a high-impact promotional video, a refreshed website, and updated brand assets. The goal was to effectively communicate the brand’s message while showcasing its premium products in a visually engaging way.
  • Guinness World Record Event Planning: Led the planning and execution of the Guinness World Record-breaking event in collaboration with the Guinness World Records team. Ensured all logistical requirements were met while coordinating event promotion, building anticipation, and maximizing public engagement.
 
 
 
 
 
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Key Results: Campaign Impact and Outcomes

  • Record-Breaking Achievement: Successfully constructed and unveiled the world’s longest swing set, measuring 171.52 meters and featuring 51 interconnected Backyard Discovery swing sets. This monumental installation garnered recognition from Guinness World Records, creating a buzz across various media outlets.
  • Enhanced Media and Social Visibility: The campaign achieved widespread media coverage and drove significant social media engagement. The coverage amplified brand visibility, attracting a broader audience and establishing Backyard Discovery as a thought leader in outdoor play and family fun.
  • Community Engagement Through Giving: Fostered stronger connections with customers and the local community by donating all 51 swing sets to families in need. The giveaway event at South Florida’s Markham Park not only spread joy but also reinforced the brand’s commitment to supporting family well-being and outdoor play.
  • Brand Reputation and Leadership: Reinforced Backyard Discovery’s status as a top-tier manufacturer of high-quality outdoor play products. The campaign positioned the brand as an advocate for children’s health, outdoor activity, and community engagement, solidifying its industry leadership.
A child with Batman face paint looks at the camera with a slight smile. The background shows a blurry outdoor setting, hinting at wooden structures, possibly near the longest swing set in town.
A large group of children and adults wearing matching white T-shirts participate in an outdoor event, raising their hands in excitement. Wooden structures and trees are visible in the background, possibly surrounding the longest swing set.
A group of children and a supervising adult participate in an outdoor activity on the longest swing set, all wearing matching event t-shirts.
A young child wearing a white T-shirt and denim shorts stands on a grassy field in front of a playground with multiple green slides, orange structures, and the longest swing set in the park.
Children in matching T-shirts play on a playground, their laughter filling the air. One child does a cartwheel while others run and jump around, eyeing the longest swing set with excitement.
A group of children and adults wearing white
A child with a painted face and a white
A child with blonde hair is swinging on a yellow swing, part of the longest swing set in the park. The child is wearing a white shirt and leopard print pants, and the background shows blurred outdoor scenery.
A young girl with colorful face paint smiles while sitting on a swing in the playground’s longest swing set.
A child with a white shirt smiles brightly while holding onto a pink-striped rope with both hands, enjoying the longest swing set outdoors.
A child with face paint smiles broadly while outdoors, with the longest swing set visible in the blurred playground background.

Creative Leadership and Campaign Execution

My role as Creative Director included key responsibilities that helped make this campaign a success:

  1. Crafting the Creative Vision: Developed the overall creative concept and campaign strategy, ensuring alignment with Backyard Discovery’s brand values.
  2. Collaborative Stakeholder Engagement: Collaboration with Backyard Discovery and Big Brothers Big Sisters to fully understand their goals, target audience, and campaign’s mission, allowing for a unified approach.
  3. Strategic Oversight of Creative Assets: Produced the promotional video, website design, and brand refresh, ensuring all assets communicated a consistent message.
  4. Supervising the Guinness World Record Event: Ensured the Guinness World Record-breaking event met all criteria and achieved widespread media attention by managing every detail.

Outcome: Through strategic planning, visionary leadership, and a strong focus on collaboration, Backyard Discovery marketing campaign exceeded expectations, strengthening brand trust, boosting community engagement, and increasing the brand’s market share.

A wooden playset titled

Website Redesign and Digital Strategy: Measurable Success

The new website build, integrated with the overarching marketing campaign, played a pivotal role in boosting Backyard Discovery’s digital presence and driving significant growth. The results of this digital transformation include:

  1. 324% Growth in Online Revenue: The revamped website and optimized sales funnel drove a massive surge in online revenue.
  2. 184% Increase in Organic Traffic: Enhanced SEO strategies and content updates led to substantial year-over-year growth in natural search traffic.
  3. Expansion into New Sales Channels: Established a multi-million-dollar sales pipeline on Amazon, with an impressive advertising cost of sale (ACoS) at 16%, transforming an underutilized channel into a revenue-generating asset.
  4. Record-Breaking Sale Event: The December 2017 sales event saw direct traffic jump 147%, from 1,441 visitors the previous year to 3,548, demonstrating the success of the integrated campaign strategy.
  5. 350% Reduction in Cost Per Acquisition (CPA): Lowered CPA significantly while simultaneously increasing conversions, optimizing marketing spend, and driving ROI.
Person using a laptop displaying a website for

Client Testimonial: Positive Feedback and Industry Recognition

“We’ve received very positive feedback and some very nice press in Fortune online and USA Today.”

The combined success of the website redesign and the World’s Longest Swing Set campaign has positioned Backyard Discovery as a top player in the outdoor play industry. This digital transformation not only strengthened brand trust but also led to enhanced customer engagement, increased traffic, and substantial revenue growth.

Personal Reflection: Creative Director’s Most Impactful Project

“Of all the projects I’ve ever worked on, the Backyard Discovery campaign has been the most fulfilling and is the one I’m asked about the most.”

This campaign was a standout success, blending strategic digital initiatives with creative marketing to achieve industry-wide recognition and long-term growth for Backyard Discovery.