1. B Y : C O D Y D U M M E R , M I C H E L L E M A Y A L L A N D V I C T O R I A K E N Y O N
Timberland Case Study

2. History
 1933: Abington Shoe Company became incorporated
 1953: Nathan Swartz buys half-interest in Abington
 1955: Swartz bought the remaining interest, and
welcomes his sons into the company
 1968: Nathan Swartz retires and hands the company
over to his sons
 1978: Abington Shoe Company is renamed The
Timberland Company
 1987: Timberland goes public
 1995: Timberland closes two U.S. Manufacturing plants,
records its first loss and shifts much of its production to
outsources

3. Core Point
 Timberland needed to communicate the importance
of community service involvement transparently to
each key public.

4. Background
 Timberland had experienced its first major financial
loss.
 Timberland closes two U.S. manufacturing plants
and lay-offs 540 people on June 28th, 1995.
 Boone, North Carolina and Mountain City, Tennessee
 Provided City Year with a $5 million pledge.

5. Employees

6. City Year

7. Shareholders

8. Mistakes in Timberland’s Communication
 Decision to implement community involvement was
emotionally charged.
 Poor communication of the importance of
community service to the future of Timberland.
 Not enough information provided to key publics.

9. Strategies/Tactics
 Media Relations Campaign
 Television/Radio Ads, Video News Releases involving
employee community service and Traditional Press Releases
 Internal Communications Campaign
 Posters, flyers, monthly newsletters, Brochures, emails and
personal letters, employee discussion groups and a 24-hour
hotline.

10. Recommendations
 Quickly implement the strategies and tactics
previously described.
 Thoroughly explaining the importance of community
involvement to key publics and why.

11. Remember…
 Timberland needed to communicate the importance
of community service involvement transparently to
each key public.
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trBukCR2WrI&p
=D3B66EB0F346DCE2&playnext=1&index=9