Dive Brief:

• Outdoor apparel brand Marmot will buy its first Super Bowl ad placement this year to introduce its plush animatronic marmot mascot. 
• The brand is teasing the Super Bowl ad with three shorter spots starring the marmot and a human friend in outdoor settings wearing Marmot gear. 
• The outdoor brand was founded in 1971 and is now a division of the consumer products conglomerate Newell Rubbermaid, parent of Rubbermaid, Graco and other brands. 

Dive Insight:

Marmot is set to raise its profile among outdoor apparel brands with its first-ever Super Bowl ad, which will feature its eponymous mascot animal. The brand is now teasing the mascot’s debut with three shareably-short treatments from Goodby, Silverstein & Partners depicting the comic-cute marmot—basically a large, rock-dwelling squirrel—and his human friend enjoying nature (making dirt angels, roasting marshmallows, and answering nature’s call) in durable Marmot gear.

Marmot has plenty of aficionados for its high-tech gear and is positioned to steal share from better-known labels such as the North Face, Patagonia, and REI in the competitive outdoor apparel market. The brand has only seven flagship stores in the United States so far, and is sold inside REI stores. International consumer products conglomerate Newell Rubbermaid merged with Marmot parent Jarden last month, and may be looking to build the brand fast.