When Moosejaw sends me an e-blast, I get a smile on my face before I even open it – and I ALWAYS open it. That’s cuz they’re always so darn wacko. Like subject line: “Wear your bathing suit in and get 20% off all swimwear! Seriously.” I couldn’t help but read on that salespeople would be in boardshorts and bikinis (a fib), and to “be sure to use the coupon code ‘My Bikini is Invisible’ if you don’t feel like dressing up.”

Or the First Ever Moosejaw Rocks, Paper, Scissors Sale promising that if I win “3 times in a row, we will hold you in the highest esteem, tell stories about you for years to come and give you a 20% off coupon.” Or the Jenga Sale encouraging me to “run to your favorite Moosejaw Shop and see if you have the skills to take on the finest collection of Rocks, Paper, Scissors players ever assembled.”

The product is outdoor adventure. The brand experience is an adventure into offbeat, laid-back, hardcore fun. We feel it throughout the colorful, Caribou-like stores, complete with indy rock, warm lighting and thoroughly chilled-out, welcoming employees. And it’s expertly extended throughout all communications under the perfectly appropriate “Love the Madness” themeline. Somehow, the whole package makes me feel ok spending $499 on a North Face coat (not that I have).

Kudos to Moosejaw. After all, when’s the last time you savored an e-blast message? Check out their website at www.moosejaw.com to sign up for the e-blasts and let us know if you love the madness.

If it weren’t sad, it might be funny. A brand in decline. Sales slipping.

“It must be the advertising. Fire the agency. Get a new tagline. Get a new ad.”

Yeah, how’s the working out for you, Miller Genuine Draft?

Four agencies and eight taglines since 1991, yet sales continue to decline. The problem isn’t the “creative.” It’s that you don’t know what you are, what niche you serve and how to pick one position and stick with it until it resonates.

Below, courtesy of Ad Age, are the themelines for MGD for each year, followed first by the name of the agency that did the work, and then by the percentage market share MGD held that year. Strap in:

• 2001: “Never miss a genuine opportunity“–JWT–2.6%
• 2002: “Pure MGD“–JWT–2.2%
• 2003: “Keep what’s good“–Ogilvy–2.2%
• 2004: “Good call“–Ogilvy–2.0%
• 2005: Various themelines–Martin some, Ogilvy some)–1.8%
• 2006: “Beer. Grown up.“–Martin–1.6%
• 2007: “Experience is golden“–Y&R–1.5%

So shipments of MGD are down 41%. Guess what they’re doing to fix it in 2008? Testing two new themelines!

Yeah, that’ll work. Usually I would blame the product, but MGD isn’t that bad. In this case I think it’s the lack of any sort of brand identity. Calling it MGD was a horrible idea in the first place. And then failing to carve out a brand niche and stick with it is the kiss of death.

Good luck with your new themeline guys. I’ll look for the big turnaround…