This week, New Zealand activists are guilt thanking the Prime Minister to make an important change, Dr. Marten’s latest campaign is showing the brands true sole and Parisian running shoe fanatics are trying to rob a store blind!
Thank Chris!
A group of activists in New Zealand launched a genius guerrilla marketing campaign thanking Prime Minister Chris Hipkins for closing the gender pay gap. Even though he hasn’t done it yet.
Despite the introduction of the Equal Pay Act in 1972 in New Zealand, a 2022 government report revealed that men are still paid 10% more than women on average.
Based on the insight that there’s nothing more awkward than being thanked for something you haven’t done yet, advocacy group MindTheGap publicly ‘thanked’ Prime Minister Hipkins with a 15 second online video ad. And then again with a plane banner that read “Thanks Chris Hipkins, from MindTheGap.nz”. And again with a choir singing thank you outside of Parliament.
When it comes to topics such as the gender pay gap, we typically think of protests and angry letters to ministers, but by restructuring a ‘threat’ to a ‘thanks’ gave this campaign a positive spin. Not only that, but it grabbed the attention of the public and the government and induced real change. Post campaign, the New Zealand government introduced mandatory gender pay gap reporting, a positive step-change towards equal pay.
Thanks Chris!
Rob it to get it
@distanceathletics is a French brand that celebrates all things running and their recent collaboration with agency @betcparis is a testament to their innovative ways of celebrating their brand.
With limited edition running shoes speedily racing out of stock the moment they hit shelves, Distance Athletics wanted to give its customers a chance to get their hands (and feet) on these items. So they challenged customers to make a literal run for it.
For one day only, the Parisian store encouraged customers to become thieves. – Anyone fast enough to outrun their securitywould be allowed to keep the shoes they nicked. The catch? They hired France’s best 100m sprinter, Michkeal Zeze, as security. 74 would-be thieves took on the challenge, but only two were light-fingered and fleet-footed enough to get away.
It’s an epic activation celebrates what Distance Athletics customers come to the store for– running.
The ‘Rob It To Get It’ campaign can be viewed here.
Björk sings for her salmon
Icelandic singer Björk slammed her home country’s fish-farming industry, claiming that farmed fish are kept in bad conditions, and calling it a “threat to nature”. Putting her money where her mouth is (because, singing) she joined forces with Catalan pop star Rosalía to release a “lost” song from 20 years ago, with proceeds going towards the legal fees for activists. It’s not a collab we’d have predicted, but we’re all here for it.
The song is based on a dancehall-inspired recording Björk made two decades ago and only rediscovered in March. She decided to modernize it with Rosalía and Irish-Scottish producer Sega Bodega for a good cause. Björk explained, “We’re the canary in the coalmine. It’s our job to have our sensors out, pick up on emergencies, and take action.” The song itself isn’t about fish, though Björk reckons “you could write a good punk song about that.”
This is a great example of how the right celeb can bring attention to eco-issues that aren’t so obvious or ‘sexy’.
The song is out later this month – tuna into the preview here.
A brand with sole
Iconic shoe brand Dr Martens have unveiled their new platform – Made Strong, that celebrates new generations and how they are redefining strength.
A gorgeous 14-part documentary series accompanies the campaign and features 14 people from across the globe who were invited to ‘share a minute in their shoes’, chatting about strength, rebellion, vulnerability and self-expression.
The campaign gives viewers something to really connect with. We can see ourselves in the people represented in the campaign. We can relate to their stories and their perspectives. And it all aligns perfectly with the power of Dr Martens –bold, resilient, and strong.