Customer Spotlight: Red Oxx
Can AI Help a Brand Built on “No Compromises” Stay True to Its Values?
At Red Oxx Manufacturing, halfway is nothing. So how does a brand rooted in craftsmanship and authenticity use AI like Ella to amplify its voice?
The Challenge: Staying True to the Brand While Engaging the Audience
For 39 years, Jim Markel and his team at Red Oxx Manufacturing have been crafting rugged, adventure-ready bags that stand the test of time. Everything is authentically made in Montana, with no shortcuts, no compromises, and no outsourcing.
While other brands have come and gone—some slapping “Made in USA” on products while outsourcing labor—Red Oxx has stayed true to their core belief: “Halfway is nothing.”
Jim’s customers demand quality, and Jim delivers. But when it comes to telling that story, the process hasn’t always been easy.
Jim has a lot to say—a lifetime of stories about American manufacturing, hard work, and why quality matters. But writing posts that authentically share his values and connect with his audience? That’s historically taken time. A lot of it.
And for a guy who doesn’t cut corners, Jim wasn’t about to jump on the AI bandwagon unless he was convinced it could do the job right. Could Ella help amplify his voice without compromising his values? Or would it just crank out soulless, generic content that didn’t fit the brand?
Step 1: Building the Brand Bot
Jim “hired” Ella, and the first step was building a brand bot tailored to Red Oxx’s uncompromising standards.
What’s a brand bot? Think of it as the ultimate sewing pattern for your messaging. It’s a system that organizes every critical piece of your brand identity—beliefs, tone, values, audience insights, and more—into one cohesive framework.
For Red Oxx, the brand bot was rooted in their core belief:
“Halfway is nothing.”
It reflected everything that makes the brand stand out:
What They Stand For: Rugged, ethically made, durable gear that empowers adventure.
Who They Serve: Customers who believe in quality, reliability, and investing in products that last a lifetime.
How They Speak: Honest and no-nonsense, with a tone as strong as their bags.
Just like their gear is built to endure, the brand bot ensures every message authentically reflects their commitment to quality without compromise.
Step 2: Writing Posts That Embody “Halfway is Nothing”
With the brand bot in place, Jim put Ella to work. He wanted to speak directly to his audience—people who value American-made products and understand the difference between quality and cutting corners.
Here’s how Ella helped him turn a lifetime of values into LinkedIn posts that connect:
1️⃣ Generating Ideas:
Jim started by brainstorming topics with Ella, using her ability to pull from his brand bot to spark inspiration.
Prompt: “Ella, what are some topics tied to American-made that will connect with my customers?”
Ella’s Suggestions:
The challenges of maintaining ethical production in a global economy.
Why “Halfway is nothing” applies to everything, from gear to life.
The resurgence of American manufacturing—are we ready for it?
One of those ideas jumped out, and Jim had his topic in mind.
2️⃣ Creating an Outline:
Much like a sewing pattern for his bags, Ella helped Jim structure his post with clarity and precision.
Prompt: “Ella, let’s write an outline about the supply-chain readiness issues for American-made manufacturers.”
Ella’s Structure:
Hook: “Everyone’s talking about bringing manufacturing back home, but it’s not as simple as slapping on a ‘Made in USA’ label.”
Key Message: Building a reliable domestic supply chain takes years of commitment, not just buzzwords.
Call to Action: “What’s your take on supply-chain readiness? Let’s hear it.”
3️⃣ Drafting and Refining:
Jim asked Ella to write a first draft, then iterated on it until the post was exactly what he wanted—real, grounded, and unapologetically Red Oxx.
Prompt: “Ella, let’s write a first draft embodying our brand.”
The result? Made in USA: Are We Ready for the Surge?
Step 3: Saying More of What Matters
Here’s the thing about Ella: she doesn’t just help you write one post. She helps you create systems that make every piece of messaging easier, sharper, and more impactful.
After writing a few LinkedIn posts, Jim worked with Ella to craft his own creative brief. The brief took insights from everything they’d learned together and turned them into a repeatable system for creating posts that align perfectly with Red Oxx’s values.
Prompt: “Ella, use the insights from the refinements we’ve made together and update the creative brief.”
Result: A streamlined process that makes future posts consistent, authentic, and aligned with Jim’s voice and Red Oxx’s tone.
Step 4: Varying the Voice
Once Ella was fully tuned to reflect Red Oxx’s brand, Jim saw an opportunity to expand the messaging. He wanted to differentiate between:
Posts from his personal page (speaking directly to his American-manufacturing peers).
Posts from the company page (focused on connecting with customers).
Ella helped Jim create two variations of the creative brief to address these audiences.
Prompt: “Ella, let’s refine the voice for posts on my personal page to reflect me speaking to manufacturing peers. Then create a separate brief for the company page to speak directly to customers.”
Now, both voices share the same core values, but each is tailored to its audience, ensuring the message always lands where it’s meant to.
The Takeaway: Can AI Help a Brand Stay True?
For a brand like Red Oxx, built on strength, authenticity, and no compromises, it’s fair to ask: Can AI really help without diluting what makes them special?
The answer is yes.
Using AI like Ella isn’t about cutting corners—it’s about amplifying what’s already there. It’s about helping a maker like Jim say more of what matters, without compromising the craftsmanship behind his words.
Much like the laser cutter Jim’s factory just installed to cut cloth more precisely and with better yields, Ella is an upgrade to the old way of doing things. It saves time, increases precision, and ensures the results are aligned with the brand’s uncompromising standards.
The best part? We get to hear more from Jim. Jim gets to keep hiring more workers in Montana. And Jim’s customers get bags that last a lifetime—built on values that, let’s hope, last forever.
Ready to Amplify Your Brand Without Compromise?
Discover how Ella can help you refine your messaging, streamline your process, and stay true to your values. Try Ella today.
