L.L.Bean and The VIA Agency Turn Rainy Days Into Surprising Fun


PORTLAND, Maine, Aug. 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- L.L.Bean, has found yet another clever way to inspire people to “Be An Outsider”....this time in the rain. Ads that are visible only when wet were created and installed by The VIA Agency and read “Rain, Rain, Go and Play” and reveal a hopscotch pattern on the sidewalk. This is the latest extension of the well-known L.L.Bean campaign “Be an Outsider.” The activation is made possible by hydrophobic ink, an environmentally-friendly spray that repels water but is invisible when it is dry.

When it rains, most people just wish it would go away. Instead, L.L.Bean understands that all weather is outdoor weather as long as you have the right gear and, even in the rain, wants to invite people to come out and play together.

“L.L.Bean is always looking for surprising ways to invite people to get outside, regardless of what the weather is doing,” said Stephen Davis, Creative at The VIA Agency. “We stumbled upon this awesome hydrophobic technology we had never seen before and thought it was perfect because it was spontaneous, it sparks joy, and it only works outside!”

This was installed in Boston’s Seaport Courtyard and L.L.Bean’s flagship store in Freeport, ME with the aim to surprise those walking through. Newbridge Marketing Group facilitated and assisted in location scouting and procurement. The installations will appear with every rainfall for a few weeks and disappear again on sunny days.

WHO: L.L.Bean and The VIA Agency

WHAT: “Rain, Rain, Go and Play” hopscotch activation

WHEN: Next rainfall

WHERE: Boston’s Seaport Courtyard

WHY: To encourage people to enjoy all types of weather and “Be an Outsider”

About L.L.Bean:
L.L.Bean, Inc. is a leading multichannel merchant of quality outdoor gear and apparel. Founded in 1912 by Leon Leonwood Bean, the company began as a one-room operation selling a single product, the Maine Hunting Shoe. L.L.Bean is a family-owned Maine company led by Executive Chairman, Shawn Gorman, the great-grandson of Leon Leonwood Bean; and Stephen Smith, President and CEO. While its business has grown over the years, L.L.Bean continues to uphold the values of its founder, including his dedication to quality, customer service and a love of the outdoors. In the past ten years the company has provided over $30 million to nonprofit organizations. L.L.Bean currently operates 44 stores in 18 states across the United States, along with 28 stores in Japan. The 220,000-sq. ft. L.L.Bean retail store campus in Freeport, ME, is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and welcomes more than 3 million visitors every year. L.L.Bean can be found worldwide at www.llbean.comFacebookTwitterYouTubePinterest, and Instagram.

About The VIA Agency:
Helping clients grow through creativity since 1993, The VIA Agency is a full-service advertising and marketing agency located at the historic Baxter Library in Portland, Maine. VIA clients include: Lowe’s, L.L.Bean, Unilever (Klondike), Arm & Hammer, Perdue, and Golden Corral among others. They have been recognized as a Top 10 Place to Work by Ad Age, and this year, VIA was named a Best Workplace by Inc. and awarded Gold in Ad Age’s Small Agency Awards. For more information, please visit www.TheVIAAgency.com.

Media Contact:
Madison Graves, DiGennaro Communications
madison.graves@digennaro-usa.com
646-532-5941

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e3600272-8456-44b2-95e9-90fbf7dd86d5

L.L.Bean Hydrophobic Ink