Mires & Taylor Guitars Make Sweet Music
With the launch of the “T5” Guitar, Mires and Taylor collaborate to create a serious buzz
San Diego, CA, May 5, 2005—If you attended NAMM—the music industry’s big annual tradeshow—in January, you
might’ve had to jump out of the way of an “electrified” photo shoot. Musicians as varied as Jason Mraz,
Switchfoot, Story of the Year, Hanna-McEuen and La Ley made history as they played riffs on Taylor’s new
“T5 Thinline Five-Way” guitar and were snapped in true-to-life action with their guitars.
That was the beginning of the Mires-designed buzz.
Taylor’s revolutionary electric guitar—a radical departure for a company synonymous with acoustic
guitars—necessitated a new marketing direction. So, Taylor did what it’s done for a decade:
turned to brand design partner Mires for what they hoped would be a phenomenal launch. Explains
Jonathan Forstot, director of marketing for Taylor Guitars, “We develop amazing products and then
determine how to bring them to market. Mires understands our innovation-driven culture and offers
an equally creative approach to brand development.”
To accommodate Taylor’s unorthodox launch schedule—the T5’s early debut at NAMM and retail launch in
May—Mires’ task was to build buzz. After Taylor “seeded” the guitar with well-known musicians,
Mires created excitement leading up to the show by making creative use of the web with product
teasers and promotions—each one more compelling than the last.
Mires developed a web-teaser and hangtags in anticipation of NAMM, but the firm’s photo
shoot—a creative tour de force—began the weekend of the national event. Eschewing NAMM’s
bland tradeshow environment, Mires took the musicians “on the move”, snapping shots anywhere
they could capture the company’s “psychographic”—a shared passion for the guitar regardless of
age or background. Scott Mires describes the shoot, “We used this photojournalistic style,
literally running from venue to venue. It captured how the artists integrate the guitar into
their musical lifestyle, and because the T5 is electric, the photos also called up a Rock ‘n
Roll attitude. The results carry an authenticity consistent with the Taylor brand.”
Using the NAMM photography as a visual cornerstone, Mires developed a broad range of tools to
generate anticipation around the launch of the T5, including:
- Online performances — a first for Taylor — highlighting the unprecedented versatility of the new guitar
- A web promotion that encourages visitors to “refer a friend,” to double their chances of winning a
T5 prototype. They first introduced it to “Taylor Insiders” (recipients of the company’s
Mires-designed e-newsletters), then presented it on Taylor’s corporate site
- A series of compelling T5 “electronic postcards” for Taylor fans to send to friends
- A collection of posters of the T5 in the hands of Taylor’s “seeded” artists
- A highly visual brochure targeting retailers and consumers
- A point-of-purchase display for use in select Guitar Centers
A web feature packed with high-impact shots of the T5 and detailed product specifications is also in the
works, and Mires and Taylor are also planning a number of online community-building activities. As the
retail launch date approaches, these new promotions are expected to generate—and capitalize on—consumer
interest in the T5. “By leveraging the flexibility of the web,” Mires explains, “we have kept Taylor’s
T5 marketing fresh and evolving. Each time a Taylor enthusiast visits the company’s website, they are
greeted by new T5 promotions and information.”
Three-months into the marketing program, Mires’ efforts have made a measurable impact. For example, a
week after the T5 Prototype Giveaway began, 25 percent of “Taylor Insiders” had signed up, and more
than 85 percent of them had referred a friend. Already, the promotion has added almost 20,000 names
to Taylor’s e-marketing database—and for a relatively nominal expense. “When Mires feels strongly
about a creative direction, we move forward with confidence because they consistently deliver
results. Interest in the T5 is so high that we have tripled our daily production goals,”
concludes Forstot.
About MiresBall
Founded in 1984, MiresBall is one of the largest independent brand design agencies in Southern California. A trusted partner of leading national and global brands, MiresBall creates market differentiation by bringing together two powerful ideas—lifestyle and innovation. The agency’s expertise lies in developing and implementing fully integrated marketing campaigns encompassing positioning, identity development, messaging, advertising and print, packaging, tradeshow environment and Web design. For more information about MiresBall, visit www.miresball.com.
About Taylor Guitars
Established in 1974, Taylor Guitars has evolved from a
small venture between co-founders Bob Taylor and Kurt Listug to the world’s most successful and highly
regarded manufacturer of high-end acoustic guitars. The company pioneered the use of computer
technology, lasers, and other high-tech tools and machinery to craft acoustic guitars with
unprecedented precision and consistency. The result is a blend of cutting-edge production and
hands-on attention to detail that has distinguished Taylor as some of the most beautiful,
musically inspiring, and easy-to-play acoustic guitars in the world. Based in El Cajon, the
company employs 358 people and currently produces about 248 guitars per day. Many of the most
popular musicians in contemporary music play Taylors, including Prince, Dave Matthews, Clint
Black, Jewel, Jason Mraz, U2, R.E.M., Kenny Loggins, Alan Jackson, Nanci Griffith, Maroon 5,
and Alanis Morissette. For more information about Taylor Guitars, visit
www.taylorguitars.com.
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