Bubba's Jetpack – Oakley 2016 | Clapboard Ad Archive

73

Bubba's jetpack - Oakley | Clapboard Ad Archive

Bubba’s Jetpack marks a genre-defining moment for Oakley in Year 2016, deploying the cult celebrity power of professional golfer Bubba Watson to reimagine the intersection of fashion, sport, and emerging technology within the highly competitive apparel landscape. Conceived and executed by Thinkmodo, the campaign’s digital core is the reveal of the BW-Air — billed as the world’s first golf cart jetpack — an audacious engineering feat that fuses Oakley’s ethos of innovation with the kinetic energy and personality of Watson himself. What Clapboard’s taxonomy would classify as FORMAT#8—Ongoing Characters or Celebrities, the work harnesses Watson’s recognisable persona to spark fascination, leveraging celebrity-driven narrative as its central creative device rather than traditional storytelling, challenge, or comparative formats. By positioning Watson not only as the protagonist but as a direct collaborator—a project by Bubba Watson and Oakley—the campaign mobilises authenticity and personality, capturing the aspirational lifestyle at Oakley’s core while signaling technical forwardness that resonates deeply with a digitally literate and adventure-driven audience. The visual storytelling is crafted for viral reach, propelling the concept to over 1.2 million views and generating robust consumer engagement through a dynamic single media asset, all set to an energetic track sourced from Audio Network, which underscores the sense of possibility and velocity at the heart of the campaign’s visual language. Oakley’s strategy here is pointed: build awareness and reinforce category leadership not through overt claims or didactic messaging, but by letting the spectacle of Bubba and his jetpack dominate the conversation both within and far beyond the golf world. The campaign’s playful embrace of hybrid sport-tech fantasy amplifies brand recall and cements Oakley’s status among consumers who value both performance and style, deftly navigating the expectations of a millennial and Gen Z audience accustomed to boundary-pushing content. In a market often saturated by technical jargon or incremental product launches, Bubba’s Jetpack commands attention by upending category convention and catalyzing earned media, social sharing, and lively debate—all core outcomes for fashion and lifestyle brands looking to elevate relevance and salience. Clapboard rates this 73/100. Bubba’s Jetpack matters because it demonstrates how deploying celebrity partnership as a creative engine achieves brand breakthrough in sectors where innovation must be felt as much as seen.

Credits

Client

Oakley

Agency

Thinkmodo

Creative Director

Michael Krivicka, James Percelay

Director

Michael Krivicka, James Percelay

Producer

Sam Pezzullo

Editor

Michael Krivicka

Crew

Bob Geile

Category Mind Map

48%

The Oakley campaign "Bubba's Jetpack," launched in the United States in 2016, centers around the innovative and adventurous spirit aligned with both the brand and professional golfer Bubba Watson. By showcasing the BW-Air, described as the world’s first golf cart jetpack, the campaign reinforces Oakley’s brand proposition of pushing boundaries in performance and style through cutting-edge technology and bold innovation. This association extends Oakley’s identity beyond traditional eyewear to embody a lifestyle of daring and forward-thinking athleticism. Strategically, the campaign leverages the partnership with Bubba Watson, a high-profile athlete known for his unconventional approach and flair in professional golf, to tap into a niche segment of sports enthusiasts who value individuality and innovation. The creative angle—fusing futuristic technology with a familiar sports context—creates a compelling narrative that resonates with Oakley’s core audience of active, style-conscious consumers. By using digital media, specifically a video distributed on YouTube, the campaign effectively reaches a tech-savvy demographic receptive to shareable, visually engaging content. The video’s strong engagement metrics, including over one million views and several hundred comments, indicate successful audience interaction, suggesting that the campaign’s unique concept and storytelling effectively captured attention and sparked conversation. Overall, the campaign’s market strategy integrates aspirational brand values with an experiential, story-driven approach to strengthen Oakley’s positioning within the competitive fashion and sports apparel landscape.

FORMAT#8 ONGOING CHARACTERS OR CELEBRITIES — Uses a recurring personality or celebrity for brand recall. This campaign centers around “Bubba’s Jetpack,” co-created by Oakley and Bubba Watson, a well-known professional golfer. The metadata and campaign title both highlight Bubba Watson’s direct involvement, leveraging his celebrity status as a key creative device. Rather than focusing on a problem/solution, story arc, or competitive comparison, the campaign uses Watson’s persona to create brand excitement and memorability. The “project by Bubba Watson and Oakley” explicitly signals a celebrity-led approach designed to build brand recall, fitting this format best. ADVERTISING FORMATS EXPLAINED: https://www.clapboard.com/blog/branding-and-advertising/brand-strategy/12-advertising-creative-formats

1. Ray-Ban – Market Positioning Ray-Ban is positioned as an iconic eyewear brand blending timeless style with high-quality craftsmanship. Known for its classic designs like the Wayfarer and Aviator, Ray-Ban appeals to a broad audience seeking both fashion and functionality, emphasizing authenticity, cultural relevance, and heritage in the premium sunglasses market. 2. Nike – Market Positioning Nike leverages cutting-edge technology, innovation, and strong athlete endorsements to dominate the sportswear and fashion segment. It combines performance-driven apparel with trendy designs, targeting consumers who value both style and high functionality in active and casual wear. Nike’s marketing focuses on inspiration and motivation. 3. Under Armour – Market Positioning Under Armour differentiates itself by specializing in performance apparel aimed at serious athletes and fitness enthusiasts. The brand emphasizes advanced fabric technologies and innovation, catering to consumers who prioritize function, durability, and modern design in sportswear and athleisure. 4. Adidas – Market Positioning Adidas is positioned as a global leader in sportswear that seamlessly merges sport, streetwear, and fashion. The brand emphasizes collaboration with designers and celebrities, sustainability efforts, and innovative product design, appealing to both performance-focused and style-conscious consumers worldwide. 5. Maui Jim – Market Positioning Maui Jim specializes in premium polarized sunglasses with superior lens technology for enhanced clarity and eye protection. The brand is positioned around outdoor, leisure, and luxury lifestyles, targeting consumers who seek both high-performance eyewear and sophisticated tropical aesthetics.

Q: What is Bubba's jetpack about? A: Bubba's jetpack is a professional digital campaign launched in the United States in 2016 for Oakley, created by the ad agency Thinkmodo. The campaign centers on the unveiling of the BW-Air, promoted as the world’s first golf cart jetpack, and features professional golfer Bubba Watson as its central figure. By blending elements of sport, technology, and fashion, the campaign positions Oakley as a brand at the forefront of innovation. The campaign’s single video asset achieved over 1.2 million views, demonstrating strong engagement and reinforcing Oakley’s reputation for pushing creative and technological boundaries in the fashion and sportswear market. Q: What creative device does Bubba's jetpack use? A: Bubba's jetpack employs the ongoing characters or celebrities format, as classified by Clapboard’s 12-format taxonomy (FORMAT#8). This approach leverages Bubba Watson’s celebrity status as a recurring personality to drive brand recall and audience engagement. Rather than focusing on a traditional narrative or problem-solution structure, the campaign builds excitement and memorability by centering the story around Watson’s persona and his direct involvement in the project. This creative device is designed to create a strong association between Oakley and innovation, using Watson’s unique appeal to connect with a sports-oriented, tech-savvy audience. Q: What is the campaign proposition for Bubba's jetpack? A: The campaign proposition for Bubba's jetpack is to position Oakley as a brand that embodies innovation, adventure, and forward-thinking athleticism. By showcasing the BW-Air golf cart jetpack and partnering with Bubba Watson, Oakley communicates its commitment to pushing the boundaries of performance and style through cutting-edge technology. The campaign targets sports enthusiasts and style-conscious consumers who value individuality and boldness, aiming to deepen brand loyalty and awareness within the competitive fashion and sports apparel landscape. This strategic positioning reinforces Oakley’s identity as more than just an eyewear brand, but as a leader in athletic lifestyle innovation. Q: How does Bubba's jetpack rank in Clapboard's archive? A: Bubba's jetpack holds a Clapboard Campaign Score of 73/100. This score reflects the campaign’s creative ambition, execution quality, and cultural relevance as evaluated by Clapboard’s global ad archive. Q: Who are the competitors in Oakley's category? A: In Oakley’s category, key competitors include Ray-Ban, which is recognized for its iconic eyewear blending timeless style and craftsmanship, and Nike, which dominates sportswear through innovation and athlete endorsements. Under Armour stands out for its focus on performance apparel and advanced fabric technologies aimed at serious athletes, while Adidas merges sport, streetwear, and fashion with a strong emphasis on collaborations and sustainability. Maui Jim targets the premium sunglasses segment with a focus on superior lens technology and a luxury outdoor lifestyle, rounding out the competitive landscape for Oakley in fashion and sportswear.