"Project Rock"

Project Rock:
Outlaw Mana -Under Armour  - The Rock 
Tech N9ne - Strange Music Productions
#Clothes #Gymtime #GetIt #NeverGiveUP

When you think of Dwayne Johnson, what comes to mind?

For me, that would be “The Rock” from his career in the WWE yelling, “Can you smell what the Rock is cooking!” Raising his iconic eyebrow to his foes before and after matches. Though his career in the WWE has long gone, most people now know Dwayne the Rock Johnson for his acting career.  He has been in at least 57 movies since his transition in 2004. The Rock is also a huge advocate for exercise and keeping in shape. We can watch his Instagram and see all of his time in and out of the gym. 

The Rock not only advocates for exercise, and he believes in his models for health that we, the people, can follow along. He has now expanded his lifestyle by collaborating with Under Armour. Under Armour is well known for its gear in everything active. Their values are, “They’re the beliefs that connect everyone at Under Armour — to the brand, our customers, athletes, and teammates. But this isn’t about labels. This is about action and the behaviors we embody to deliver our mission and purpose.” Project Rock training gear “Outlaw Mana” was built to help you find your boundaries, then push right through them.

How did I come across this, you ask? A commercial, of course, where you can see Dwayne rocking his new series (Pun intended!). What caught my eye about this commercial is the hook from a rapper named Tech N9ne. This song is aggressive, in-your-face, hyped up, and motivational. While watching this commercial, Dwayne The Rock Johnson started to rap, which also drew me into the 45-second clip. Yes, you have read that correctly. The man of many trades has now entered rapping to help his brand/ brands get recognition and open another avenue of entertainment to his repertoire. The commercial was just a teaser to the music video. You can see the music video here Tech N9ne- Face-Off (Offical Music Video). 

In my opinion, The Rocks Outlaw Mana collection, though minor in its starting lineup, has an opportunity to succeed. The Rock has 273 million followers on Instagram and Facebook, 58,949,475 followers, and his ability to reach the masses is at the click of a publication button. Though this is not the only marketing relevance that his collection has, he has this commercial that he debuts in. This not only opens up for his fan base, but if he was not already in the heads of the Tech N9ne and Strange Music fandom (or referred to as Technicians), he is now! 

The company and the brand face some hardships with launching a clothing brand for workouts as that market is heavily saturated. Though they are combating this with a high-profile name behind the brand and having a unique following due to The Rock’s branding, there may be a higher chance of success.  

The Rock has made his marketing approach to this very cleverly and has brought another unique aspect to this plan. He opens himself up to being a rapper, showing off his clothing line while working out, and making it authentic by the dance moves (which aren’t the best.) The Rock included bringing in his brand of Tequila, which is showcased at the end of the video. The Tequila is called “TERA means of the earth and MANA is our powerful Polynesian spirit that guides us. Spirit of the earth,” he wrote. This means that all his products are tied in just like his clothing line, and it is Outlaw Mana, the spirit that guides. This allows him to continue to build one brand into another and create an ever-expanding business model that touches all facets of the market.

I believe that this was a great way to draw in potential customers (new and old) and just a viewing consumer. Though if you have watched the video in its entirety, it does take away from his typical image that most would have. This also was not solely about him and the artist Tech N9ne as it featured a few other names, and The Rock was the last person to do his portion. It also makes him look fierce and explicit as his lyrics are also abnormal from his daily cheerful demeanor. I think he could have accomplished this by reframing from some of this and being more of his usual self, and incorporating more of his MANA products since he was campaigning at the end. Though the music video may be too much for most viewers, Tech N9ne and his label are more complex storylines/lyrics and extreme visuals.

If I were the branding marketer, I would suggest that we put more forethought into the market targets, which The Rock otakus are at the forefront. What extension of himself does he want to be seen for this brand example: Do we want to remove all the movie, producers, and WWE images. What does Outlaw Mana stand for? More than just the words Outlaw Guide - What does this mean to him? Why is that important to share with the world? Make a segment about that and then build. 

I have learned that we do not always have to stay inside a box regarding a brand that bringing inclusion also means projecting another part of oneself. If you want to get a good look at all the aspects of the new brand, drop by The Rock Footwear News has the insights.