2 PACESETTERS
‘ C u l t u r a l ’ p a r t n e r s h i p s k i c k o f f i n t h e s t r e e t s
Adidas Originals
A t t h e e n d o f 2 0 1 6 , o n e o f t h e p r i n c i p a l u p c o m i n g t r e n d s f o r b r a n d s ( s p o r t s b r a n d s especially ) was to widen their audience by u s i n g “ c u l t u r a l ” p a r t n e r s h i p s . I n s t e a d o f j u s t s i m p l y p a r t n e r i n g w i t h a m b a s s a d o r s f r o m t h e i r w o r l d ( m u s i c , s p o r t , f a s h i o n e t c . ) , b r a n d s w o u l d d e l v e i n t o t h e u n k n o w n a n d u s e m u s i c i a n s t o p r o m o t e s p o r t , s p o r t s m e n t o p r o m o t e f a s h i o n a n d s o o n , widening the appeal of their campaigns .
A n d t h u s , t h e p r o p h e c y h a s c o m e a l i v e already with both adidas originals and Nike d o i n g e x a c t l y t h a t b e f o r e J a n u a r y h a s e v e n p a s s e d .
A d i d a s O r i g i n a l s h a v e p a r t n e r e d w i t h a plethora of different celebrities from a v a r i e t y o f b a c k g r o u n d s i n t h e i r l a t e s t g r i t t y celebration of the streets . M o s t p r o m i n e n t l y , t h e y h a v e t a r g e t e d t h e m u s i c industry , both past and present , partnering w i t h f a m o u s f a c e s f r o m a l l o v e r t h e w o r l d . A p p e a r a n c e s f r o m S n o o p D o g g a s w e l l a s i c o n i c a n d c u r r e n t g r i m e a r t i s t S t o r m z y m a k e u p t h e c a s t a l o n g s i d e B l o o d O r a n g e and D e J L o a f . B y w a y o f s t a r t l i n g c o n t r a s t t h e w h o l e a d i s s e t t o a F r a n k S i n a t r a b a l l a d , i l l u s t r a t i n g t h e d i v e r s i t y o f t h e c r e a t i v e . W i t h t h e i n c l u s i o n o f a n u m b e r o f b a s k e t b a l l p l a y e r s a n d s k a t e b o a r d e r s , a s w e l l a s a h o m a g e t o t h e R e n a i s s a n c e p a i n t e r B o t t i c e l l i , t h i s t r u l y r e p r e s e n t s t h e n e w l y - c o i n e d “ c u l t u r a l ” p a r t n e r s h i p .
Nike
N i k e h a v e a l s o s t a r t e d o f f 2 0 1 7 i n a s i m i l a r m a n n e r t h r o u g h t h e i r p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h m u s i c a r t i s t a n d p r o f e s s i o n a l d a n c e r F K A T w i g s . T h i s p a r t n e r s h i p i s a t w o - w a y s t r e e t h o w e v e r , a s N i k e h a v e n ’ t j u s t s i g n e d h e r a s a n a m b a s s a d o r , b u t a s t h e c r e a t i v e d i r e c t o r o f t h e i r n e w c a m p a i g n .
Their n e w a d v e r t w a s i n t h e c o m p l e t e c r e a t i v e c o n t r o l o f t h e a r t i s t w h o conceptualised , directed , performed and w r o t e t h e s o u n d t r a c k f o r t h e i m m e n s e l y i n v e n t i v e p i e c e o f c o n t e n t . P a c k i n g t h e s p o t w i t h h e r t a l e n t e d c o l l e a g u e s , i t h a s s i m i l a r sinister undertones to the adidas c l i p . I t b o a s t s a n incredibly exotic feel and a heavy accentuation on street style ; the on-trend fashion look of the moment . Whereas adidas focused heavily on the music industry , Nike a n d F K A T w i g s h a d a t w o - p r o n g a p p r o a c h : capitalising on FKA Twigs ’ musical fame to penetrate this fan base whilst putting a h e a v y e m p h a s i s o n d a n c e i n t h e v i s u a l c a m p a i g n t o w i d e n t h e r e a c h t o t h e d a n c e w o r l d . T h e v i d e o ( a s w e l l a s t h e OOH m a t e r i a l s ) p u t s t h e s p o t l i g h t o n t h e m o v e m e n t s o f t h e a r t i s t a n d t h e participating dancers and celebrates their a r t f o r m . S o , b o t h b r a n d s p u s h i n g t h e b o u n d a r i e s a n d exploring new frontiers . It will be fascinating to see what / who is next .