GoPro - The Lifestyle, The Media Company

Lifestyle brands.  Right now, they don’t get much bigger (or hotter) than GoPro -- a company whose products seemingly are everywhere -- including underneath submerged in the seas and overhead strapped onto a pelican!).  GoPro’s brand represents something universal -- capturing the most memorable moments in time -- and those aren’t exclusively action-sports focused (as my recent family vacation will attest.)  GoPro captured videos truly represent the full kaleidoscope of life-focused.  And, through those moments are increasingly shared endlessly around the world, which gives GoPro a unique opportunity to enable the sharing of “experiences” -- a connective tissue, if you will, of different worlds, different ways of life, different activities of life.  All “special” in their own personal way.

Perhaps more than any other brand right now, GoPro is a natural fit to become a full-fledged mega lifestyle media company.  In fact, it already is one (check out its GoPro “Channel”) -- although most (yet) don’t think of it in that way. GoPro users already generates massive amounts of video content -- 1 billion+ views on YouTube in the first 3 months of this year alone for videos with “GoPro” in their title.  And, those numbers are only accelerating.  THAT is the opportunity.  To harness that passion.  To organize it.  To channel it.  And, to own it.  To own that lifestyle.

Yesterday, GoPro underscored that clear ambition -- an ambition it first voiced publicly long ago in its IPO filings -- by announcing the hiring of new head of media, Zander Lurie, who  comes with a deep impressive media and entertainment pedigree.  In announcing Lurie’s hire, GoPro president Tony Bates made it abundantly clear that its media ambitions go well beyond a “marketing strategy” -- instead, they  represent a “high-potential business opportunity.”  While Bates further explained that direct monetization of that media is not an immediate priority, he also underscored that, over time, GoPo absolutely plans to “monetize this [media] process using a number of traditional and new media approaches.”  In other words, become a full multi-platform lifestyle media company for our brave new digital world.

Red Bull pioneered this type of lifestyle media transformation, representing the adrenaline-fueled action sports lifestyle.  That transformation has been off-the-charts successful -- so much so that Red Bull operates its own completely separate business, Red Bull Media House, as a separate P&L (meaning that its media machinations are directed toward direct media monetization and ROI and not just media for marketing sake).  Red Bull has become a “poster child” of sorts and inspiration for other major brands who hope to emulate its success and capture a lifestyle.  Marriott Hotels is one such brand, seeking to become the travel-focused media company for mobile-embedded millennials.  Marriott’s goal is to attract them by engaging with them differently.  Authentically.  Which is smart.  Very smart.

My team and I at Manatt Digital Media work with major brands who, like Marriott, think in this way; who are committed to engaging differently; who wish to represent something more than “products”; who are driven to establish an ongoing “relationship” -- a symbiotic relationship that benefits both brand and consumer -- especially millennials.

Here’s GoPro’s power.  GoPro already OWNS those millennials.

Smart.  Very smart, indeed ....