When Xterra Wetsuits called me they were in trouble. It seemed due to an influx of new wetsuit companies in 2005-2007, their once large market share in triathlon wetsuits had declined. Xterra Wetsuits always sponsored the best looking triathletes (Peter Reid, Lori Bowden) and had the flashiest style. Their ads were “pretty people in wetsuits.” And it worked. The athlete program and those ads with hot triathletes provoked the masses to buy.

But as the triathlon world wisened up and started demanding to know about the technology behind their $600 wetsuit, they started steering toward advertising and companies that explained their technology. Sure, Xterra Wetsuits had the same brilliant technology—maybe even better—but it was never explained. And that cost them in sales and revenue.

Furthermore, Xterra’s ads were always in red and black duotone. The logo was red. And we’re not talking “sitting-by-the-fire-drinking-a-cup-of-tea” warm reds and oranges that make us feel all fuzzy. No, this was red-red. As in, I’m a shark and you look like a seal in that wetsuit. Red.

I’m never for flipping a brand on its head in one day. And at the core, the brand was solid. The plan was to unveil the new verbiage in year one and then new colors. In year two the style would change, too. So the logo stayed. Same “X,” same swooshy lettering. But the color changed from a blood red to a cooler, bright blue. The black stayed, too (though I always thought someone should license Marvel Comics heros costumes for wetsuits…) but in the background. We left the duotone world and shot new, brilliant photos that—while still having hot triathletes in them—showed off the wetsuits more. And we started bragging: 1st out of the water here. 1st out of the water there. Fastest suit—period.

We also developed new language. Rivals we using terms that sounded cool, like “Torsional Stretch Technology,” “Hydrolift” and “AquaTread.” So we had to come up with our own: X-Air Buoyancy Cells, which actually exist (think golf ball dimples), they just needed a cool name. X-Air fit the mold of the new landscape.

And then we started telling our story. Where Xterra came from (the birthplace of triathlon: San Diego). What’s in the rubber and why is it different, even though every company uses the same kind. And we started bragging some more: with proven results listed on some late-season ads.

And it worked. The new Xterra was a friendlier voice. It was still familiar (and still full of gorgeous athletes) but it was just about that anymore. The month the ads started appearing in a blitz in various magazines across the country was their most profitable ever in company history (March 2008). They beat records. They were back.