Following WARQ’s acquisition by Blockhouse Corp., I led the full marketing rebuild and go-to-market strategy to reposition the brand and launch it into the Canadian and U.S. law enforcement markets.
Note: The following case study if from my time serving as Vice President Marketing and Strategy at Blockhouse Corp. It outlines a project from that period that illustrates my approach to marketing, strategic planning and execution.
// OVERVIEW
Following WARQ’s acquisition by Blockhouse Corp., I led the full marketing rebuild and go-to-market strategy to reposition the brand for professional law enforcement and military use. We transformed WARQ from a high-end hobbyist product into a credible protective system for scenario-based training—overhauling the messaging, creative assets, website, and sales materials. The relaunch successfully established WARQ as a trusted brand within the Canadian and U.S. defense markets.
// REALIGNING MARKET POSITION
WARQ had previously been sold both to law enforcement agencies and the airsoft hobbyist community. The post-acquisition objective under Blockhouse was to refocus entirely on professional law enforcement training, positioning WARQ as a specialized, purpose-built system for that audience.
Before
After
Emphasis on context: law enforcement specific, realistic environment realistic scenario.
Under my marketing leadership the brand was repositioned from a recreational product to a trusted piece of training equipment. Marketing materials were reworked to show the product in realistic, context-driven training environments, highlighting the importance of protection, communication, and visibility; the key factors driving purchase decisions in police and military training divisions.
// DESIGN AND ASSET CREATION
Following the market repositioning, the next step was a full brand and design rebuild to align WARQ’s visual identity with the expectations of professional law enforcement and defense markets.
Website (before)
Website (after)
// THOUGHT LEADERSHIP AND CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT
To strengthen integration with the professional community and establish credibility, we introduced a thought leadership initiative centered around the benefits of scenario-based training, the core purpose of the WARQ system.
These types of thought leadership articles are critical for authority building and influencing market perception. By framing the industry conversations around the strengths of the product, WARQ was able to claim authority around these issues that are quickly becoming priorities for law enforcement trainers.
// TRADE SHOW PRESENCE
Part of the relaunch of the brand was a complete overhaul of the trade show presence. With the new target customer of law enforcement end-users, all messaging and display solutions were re-made to speak more directly to that customer. This required a complete rebuild of all banners, displays, fixtures, and layout. Under my leadership and guidance, we produced an entirely new trade show program for WARQ and debuted the brand at Shot Show 2023.
SHOT Show 2023
Las Vegas, Nevada
Rampart Range Day and Expo 2023
Ottawa, Ontario
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