Gorilla 76

Image 1 of 9 The Sauce Tool. We named it, we branded it, we taglined it…we just didn’t invent it. A gent by the name of Bruce Cook did and he reached out to us back in the fall of 2008. He presented us with the rough prototypes and sketches for this better basting brush and told us to get moving on the work.

Image 2 of 9 In addition to creating a name, logo and tagline that paired well with the personality of the backyard BBQ enthusiast, we knew that this would be an exercise in strong, memorable branding. Better yet, we saw this as an opportunity to even be a bit (okay, a lot at times) irreverent. After all, BBQ’n ain’t no tea party…ahem…BBQ enthusiasts appreciate a little humor here and there. So, raw design and copy to match became the recipe we’d recommend.

Image 3 of 9 After getting preliminary feedback on the Tool and its branding, we found that people were still a bit confused at what this thing was and how exactly it worked. So, a simple, three-step iconic graphic seemed to make a lot of sense. This allows potential users of The Sauce tool to quickly grasp how easy it is to use and how to properly...handle their meat.

Image 4 of 9 After basic brand collateral was in place, a strong www presence was needed. So, we created TheSauceTool.com. Keeping things clean, simple and search-engine friendly were the priorities. We wanted to create an online community where users could submit recipes, ideas, tips, feedback, etc. Most importantly, we wanted to create a place where people could buy.

Image 5 of 9 Simple e-commerce functionality was an absolute priority. Nothing too complex, yet very secure and user-friendly. Additionally, our great product shots (a job well done, Mr. Brian Cummings) proved to be very useful for both our site and partner sites like Amazon.com. A hero product needs to look like a hero product. Especially at checkout.

Image 6 of 9 Here’s another of Brian’s shots – the basting shot. Overall, the most versatile shot we have from the shoot. It eliminates any confusion that might exist and visually explains exactly what this product is. As you can see, there really isn’t “no better way to treat your meat.”

Image 7 of 9 So now we have all these marketing tools, how do we start generating some brand awareness? First stop, Facebook. Second, Twitter. Both have proven to be gathering places for brand and industry advocates. Both are written in the same voice already established with the brand. Both are extensions of the look and feel we’ve created with other brand marketing materials.

Image 8 of 9 Additional collateral has followed suit in look and feel. This particular piece was for the official debut of The Sauce Tool at the Tailgate and Sports Licensing Tradeshow in Las Vegas. The concept here was to create a direct mail piece appetizing the recipients to stop by the booth and turn in their meat for a free t-shirt. These were sent out months before the show to all attendees. Let’s just say there was no shortage of meat at our booth. C’mon now - you know what we mean.

Image 9 of 9 The Vegas tradeshow was a success, as The Sauce Tool product (and brand) were certainly well received. Sure it helped to have strong marketing materials. But, it helped even more to have an outstanding product.