Corporate Gear That's Cool Enough for Every Day
Jul 26th, 18:29 UTC
Brand Fuel's re-launch of the Red Hat Cool Stuff Store succeeds across multiple markets
When Brand Fuel Promotions was selected to re-launch the Red Hat Cool Stuff Store, an online emporium of Red Hat branded apparel and gear, the agency was tasked with selecting merchandise that works for both the corporate and retail markets.
Now Brand Fuel announces that its recent re-launch of the Cool Stuff Store has strongly exceeded sales projections, and attributes those results to the broad appeal of the Red Hat name and the selected merchandise.
"We had to restock Red Hat's Cool Stuff store in record time, after less than one month of sales," says Danny Rosin, co-founder of Brand Fuel. "The store's impressive sales pace speaks to the popularity of the Red Hat brand across both corporate and retail markets. The brand says `tech-savvy' and `free thinker,' and its marks work with a wide variety of appealing apparel, useful tools, and gifts. People want to wear and use this stuff not just at work, but every day."
The Red Hat Cool Stuff Store offers both an Intranet location, available only to Red Hat employees, and a public retail location, available to markets worldwide. Brand Fuel reports that sales have been stronger than anticipated in both versions of the store.
Cool Stuff Store items include the following products, among many others:
* An authentic baseball jersey, reminiscent of the Red Sox jersey but decorated with the Red Hat name and ShadowmanŽ mark. The jersey debuted in Boston at a recent LinuxWorld show. Sales copy in the store reads: "You like baseball. You like Red Hat. You like Red Hat Baseball Jersey. Limited edition. Your whole office will envy you. As well they should." The jersey retails for $79.95.
* A soft cotton Shadowman Onesie for babies, Sales copy in the store reads: "Your kid's a genius--make sure everyone knows. This 100% cotton onesie is perfect for infants and anybody in your office who acts like one. Also features convenient snap opening for when you-know-what happens." The onesie retails for $15.
* A USB flash Red Hat Memory Stick. Sales copy in the store reads: "The guy in helpdesk always carries one of these. Why not help yourself for a change. Pack presentations, music, photos, onto 64MB of USB flash memory. The Shadowman is for show." The memory stick retails for $37.95.
"Sometimes employees feel obligated to wear corporate merchandise," Rosin says. "Not so with Red Hat. Our goal for the Cool Stuff Store is to offer Red Hat employees and fans merchandise that represents their brand, their voice, and their mission."
"Red Hat is very selective about products and clothing that bear Red Hat marks," says Michael Pittman, marketing communications project manager with Red Hat. "Together with Brand Fuel, we have clearly chosen a product selection with strong appeal, not just to our employees, but to our customers and supporters worldwide. We look forward to continued strong sales in the new Cool Stuff Store."
The Red Hat Cool Stuff Retail Store is on the Web at redhat.brandfuelstores.com.
Note to editors: Screen shots and interviews with Rosin and Fiveash are available immediately.
About Red Hat, Inc.:
Red Hat, the world's leading open source and Linux provider, is headquartered in Raleigh, NC, with satellite offices spanning the globe. Red Hat is leading Linux and open source solutions into the mainstream by making high quality, low cost technology accessible. Red Hat provides operating system software along with middleware, applications, and management solutions. Red Hat also offers support, training and consulting services to its customers worldwide and through top-tier partnerships. Red Hat's Open Source strategy offers customers a long-term plan for building infrastructures that are based on and leverage open source technologies with focus on security and ease of management. Learn more at www.redhat.com.
About Brand Fuel Promotions:
Brand Fuel is a specialty advertising, promotional products, and web services agency with two locations--one on the edge of North Carolina's Research Triangle Park and another in downtown Norfolk, Virginia. Co-founders Robert Fiveash and Danny Rosin head the agency.
Each Brand Fuel location offers clients a large product and apparel showroom, as well as in-house marketing, graphic design, web services, and fulfillment services. The agency has more than 1,500 active clients nationwide, including Sentara Healthcare, Red Hat, Inc., Quintiles Transnational, Trader Publishing, Sugar Hill Records, Cogent Communications, SAS, Lowe's Foods, Fleet Feet, and KPMG.
Brand Fuel has 26 full-time employees. Learn more at www.brandfuel.com.
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(Submitted by Lea Davis of Brand Fuel Promotions)
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