Menswear brand Barkers plans for the future in latest ‘Made For Life’ brand campaign via Switch
With the knowledge that the fashion industry is a major contributor to environmental waste, brand agency Switch has developed a new campaign for menswear brand Barkers, titled Made For Life.
Working with Barkers’ management team, Switch developed the 90 second brand anthem, boldly setting out the brand’s motivations and values for the future with a focus on the company’s commitment to greater accountability and a more ethical product line.
Says Chris Jones, Switch: “For us it was a rare opportunity to remove commercial imperatives and focus on making a strong brand statement. The goal for Barkers was
clear, but rather than be apologetic about not being quite there yet, it’s about being
transparent with the audience. On the one hand it’s a statement about the way Barkers lives and sees the world, while also making a commitment to do things better and sharing the journey with the consumer.”
Already working on numerous aspects of its sourcing and supply chain including the use of more sustainable and organic fabrics, Barkers group
managing director Jamie Whiting says the locally-owned retailer considers the campaign a declaration of intent.
Says Whiting: “Rather than have it sit on the wall at the office, we wanted to be transparent with our customers and the wider public. It’s a line in the sand that gives new meaning to everything we do from this point on and opens us up to be judged on the merits of what we do.”
Proving how serious they are about this, Barkers have made its largest campaign investment ever to ensure the message is received. Launched early November, the video is being rolled out through cinema, OnDemand and Air New Zealand inflight entertainment and supported with an extensive billboard and mall-light campaign.
View more of the campaign here.
Excerpt from the campaign launch.
There are things in life a man just does.
We’ve known this for a while,
that’s why our products have purpose.
They’re made to endure and live the way you live.
That’s really important to us, but so is where you live.
We all like to get out and see the world,
We want to make sure it stays that way.
So we’re drawing a line right here, redefining our values
and reinforcing the things that make us.
Rather than hanging them on the office wall though,
we want to make them an open declaration.
After all, you’re coming along for the journey too.
This is just the beginning of doing things differently
and seeing the world through a new lens.
They say it’s clothes that make the man,
we say the man does that.
Life is made for living and we’re made for life.
Agency: Switch
Production Company: Switch/Thievery
Sound Design: Bigpop Studios
Narrator: Michael Hurst
Barkers Group Managing Director: Jamie Whiting
Barkers CEO: Glenn Cracknell
2 Comments
I thought this campaign was about durability.
If that was the case the line should be ‘made for two months’ or ‘I hope you didn’t need ALL those buttons’
Nice production, but just another painfully cliché manifesto piece.