Craftsman’s share of the Lawn & Garden category was slipping due to a misperception of being less-durable than the competition. Even Craftsman’s exclusive Hand Tool lifetime guarantee couldn’t halo cross-category to increase sales. The challenge was clear: find a way to prove that Craftsman’s L&G equipment was just as “Craftsman Tough” as its hand-held cousins, in order to win back the hearts of the DIYer and reverse the sales decline.So Craftsman moved its 2010 Tractor durability tests from the lab to the streets with Craftsman Across America: A 3,150 mile test of endurance for both man and machine. And with stops at 25 Sears HomeTown Stores along the way, many rural Americans – the L&G prime prospect – had the opportunity to see it firsthand. Over 99 days, our driver would bisect the country documenting every gruelling mile for the world to see. To get the word out, Craftsman relied almost exclusively on social media and localized PR efforts.

Sales responded immediately with a whopping 20% increase YOY. A combination of live and online PR tactics resulted in over 19 million PR impressions.Craftsman, an all-American brand, reconnecting with America at 7 miles per hour.

Equipped with cameras, web-enabled devices and lots of sunscreen, Lucas was determined to prove that Craftsman builds the most durable Tractor on U.S. soil. Paired with “Cash”, the Craftsman Tractor, Lucas set out in May from the Santa Monica Pier to spend his summer bisecting the country. Making stops at 25 Sears HomeTown Stores along the way, many rural Americans – the L&G prime prospect – had the opportunity to see it firsthand. In August, as they closed in on the finish line at the Brooklyn Naval Yard, Lucas and ‘Cash’ were featured on the nationally televised Fox Morning Show. Later that day, they had the privilege of taking a final victory lap at CitiField, just prior to a New York Mets’ game. As they crossed home plate, Craftsman donated to National Parks and Recreation in appreciation of the warm welcomes received throughout the U.S. It was a gruelling 99-day, 3,150-mile challenge.

Three primary objectives were used to evaluate success:• Grow Craftsman Lawn & Garden sales by 10% -Craftsman doubled their goal to a whopping 20% sales increase VYA-Though not an original objective, but was impressive was that some Sears HomeTown Stores saw a same store increase of 220% - 280% VYA • Engage 10 million people via PR and earned media efforts-A combination of live and online PR tactics resulted in over 19 million PR impressions.

-Total Local PR: 6,056,158 -Fox & Friends Finale: 3,275,553 -All other, including online: 10,118,813 -Total PR impressions: 19,450,524• Continue to build Consideration and Relevance -Not only did Craftsman boost Consideration (+ 5 points) and Relevance (+2 points), they also increased the perception of Quality (+5 points), an incredible feat for a brand known as the toughest tools on the market.