In its first big blitz of national TV advertising, Gorilla Glue Inc, which is based in Ohio, is airing commercials on the DIY, HGTV, Fox News, The History Channel, Animal Planet and more. Being in the market for more than 10 years, Gorilla Glue has won a loyal following from the DIY (do-it-yourself) crowd and it has risen to become a leading brand nationally in the super glues, polymers and duct tape. The company’s mascot has been powering the sales appearing in the print ads featuring a hairy paw grasping the company’s glue.
The VP of marketing and innovation for the Cincinnati’s company, Matt Kemme, said that it was now time for the mascot of the company to hit the airwaves. He said that the company needed to show how their products work and not just how they are tough adding that they needed that extra layer. The company was protective of its mascot and thus it was very tricky to bring the beloved character of the company into life. The gorilla stands for adhesive strength but it also makes the brand to be approachable to the consumers.
The do-it-yourselfers wish for a brand that is stronger than the Elmer’s that they associate with in their school projects for their kids. However, they do not want a brand that is as intimidating as the Liquid Nails that is used by the carpenters. Kemme said that it was not as scary when the gorilla was on the package adding that the gorilla was somebody that they wanted to bring into life so as to make him more approachable. Ad pros at Possible, a New York-based marketing services firm, were tapped for the creation of the advertising campaign and to help the gorilla adapt to the ads on the television.
Lucas Peon, the CEO at Possible, said that there were many questions that have to be answered the moment the character becomes real and will have to interact with the people. These questions include how he reacts to the people and how the people will react to him. He said that the trick was that the character was tough but friendly, he wants to do a good job, he does not have the patience for short cuts and he is a good gorilla willing to help people. For the two spots on the TV, the company hired an animatronics shop from Hollywood to build a lifelike gorilla. The gorilla suit is worn by an actor and two technicians control the facial expression of the character using hand-held remotes. The gorilla does not speak but it communicates through grunts and gestures that were edited in.
In the TV spots, struggling DIYs are attempting to fix with generic products when the gorilla shows up and offers the Gorilla Glue solutions. In one ad, a man is attempting to reattach to a brick fence a wooden gate door. The polymer glue from the company is used for the repair and an animation and voice-over quickly explains that the glue is designed such that it expands into the uneven and porous surfaces like the wood and brick thus allowing a firm stick.