Carhartt Work In Progress

Concept

Carhartt Work in Progress is a completely different style than the Carhartt most Americans think of. It is edgy, urban, and targeted towards millennials. The current promtion aesthetic of this brand is very static imagery of people wearing the clothes in the city. They are typically shown sitting or standing still, and without much expression on their faces. I wanted to change this in my campaign; I wanted to make the photography show movement, and show the lifestyle that this brand encompasses through the website and social media. I wanted to reach this consumer through ways that they interact, and places they go.

I focused the concept of their lifestyle off of the brand name itself "Work In Progress". What first came to mind was the fact that the people that are wearing these clothes are young adults, and are figuring out who they are, and where they want to go in life. They are going to make mistakes, learn from them, and grow. They are at a stage in life where they are becoming who they want to be, but it takes a long journey of self discovery to get there. They are currently working on a path towards their goals and passions, but for right now they are a work in progress.

App

The app was created to bring together the Work In Progress community. Users are able to see new merchandise before anyone else, they receive exclusive invites to events, and special offers.

Social Media Campaign

The social media campaign was centered on the idea of being unconventional. The people that wear this brand are very passionate and driven people, but they do things differently. They don't just do what is practical or safe; they go after what they want. "Be Unconventional" symbolizes that these people are different, and they should embrace and celebrate it.

The idea behind "show us how you live life by your own rules" with #beunconventional is to get people to take photos of themselves or friends just doing what they love. Whether it be going to a concert, making art, skateboarding, etc. the idea is that they would be promoting this lifestyle and brand. This is a more authentic way to approach "selling a lifestyle" because it is actually coming from real people just living their lives. These consumers are all about authenticity and brands being relateable; this is a way to appeal to them.

Website

The website home page follows the same style as the entire campaign. I chose to create the tagline "Redefine Style" as another way of incorporating "Be Unconventional." It says that these consumers have their own style, and they redefine what style is with their individuality. They make the clothes, the clothes don't make them.

Poster Series

The idea behind the poster series was inspired by the posters seen plastered on the walls of NYC. Typical forms of advertising, such as a billboard, or a TV commercial don’t appeal to these consumers. They are active and always on the go, doing what they love. Having posters placed in such a way would be more appealing to the Work in Progress consumer because they are in their environment. I also focused the posters on the social media campaign, and showing the imagery of the brand’s lifestyle rather than gimmicky taglines.