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TECH TALK
DefyingThe Laws Of Attraction
The latest performance apparel comes with built-in bug repellent
Performance apparel has offered up
technology to prevent sunburns, wick
away moisture and prevent odors,
but now it’s prepared to protect
wearers from bites and stings when
they work, play or exercise outside.
The Nobitech athletic apparel line
was created in a partnership between
textile developer Anovotek, LLC, process
chemical manufacturer Pulcra and
industry supplier Expert Brand Apparel.
“Expert Brand is one of the leading
innovators in design and development
of smart fabric technology,” says Brooke
Daily, a public relations strategist
who works on behalf of Nobitech.
Sion Shaman, vice president
of sales at Expert Brand, adds,
“We are incredibly honored to
provide our fashion-forward apparel
to this imperative initiative.”
The pieces are crafted from fabric
that’s treated with Skintex MR III, a
microencapsulated, slow-release insect
repellent that remains effective through
25 washes. It is non-toxic to humans
but effectively deadly for crawling and
flying insects—including mosquitoes
that may carry the Zika virus and ticks
that can transmit Lyme disease.
Nobitech was on display at the
2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil
(ground zero for the current Zika
outbreak), in the form of warmup
and other apparel for the U.S. polo,
swimming and triathlon teams.
MARKET SHARE
Gold Star
Marketing
Brands seek to promote, reward
‘good behavior’ among consumers
Big brands have their pet causes, and they
make every effort to publicize the good
they’re doing in the world. But can a brand
inspire its consumers to do good as well? If
incentives are part of the deal, some brands
are finding they have no trouble influencing
good behavior among their loyal fans.
Starbucks was behind a nationwide voting
campaign in the Philippines in May, where
customers who could show they’d visited a
polling station (the ink-stained fingers were
the proof) would receive a free drink. Shoe
brand TOMS pledges to donate a pair of kicks
to someone in need for every pair purchased.
Charities across the U.S. partner up with
entertainment venues and events that offer free
or reduced admission in exchange for donations.
Indirect efforts by Unilever brand Dove
and Dutch brewer Heineken have also proven
effective among consumers; Dove’s ”Real
Beauty” campaign pioneered the use of
models who looked more like consumers, and
consequently enjoyed a nearly 50-percent
increase in sales in 2014.
Heineken has built responsible-drinking
messages into its advertising since 2011; in
January, the brewer published a survey showing
that 75 percent of drinkers ages 21 to 35 in the
UK, the U.S., the Netherlands, Mexico and Brazil
limited the amount of alcohol they consumed on
the majority of the nights they drank.
Of course, marketing that centers on a social
issue can’t be a flash-in-the-pan move. To make
a substantial impact, brands need to ensure
authenticity is at the core of their campaigns.
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THINK