Dr. Martens is entering a new era in its 80 year history by appointing London based creative company The Midnight Club to help reboot its creative output, beginning with its A/W 24 campaign.
The Midnight Club – who are known for their disruptive campaigns in sport, fashion and entertainment with brands such as Adidas and Tommy Jeans – were tasked to flex their cultural know-how and create an end-to-end campaign spanning across social, out-of-home and in retail stores to boot.
Landing on a creative that has the potential to see Dr. Martens take on a sneaker obsessed culture, the campaign features the iconic 1460 boot but also includes a re-imagining of the Sub-Boot and 14XX with the overarching theme of ‘resistance’ – a boot that is built to withstand the elements, standing the test of time.
These reimagined versions of the shoe that sparked a cultural shift will take centre stage in the brand’s A/W 24 campaign highlighting the collection’s versatility in the ever-evolving landscape.
On the Dr. Martens appointment, founder of The Midnight Club, Ben Moutrie says: “Being appointed by such an iconic British brand and product leader was a real privilege for everyone in the company. Dr. Martens is one of those rare brands that’s always relevant.
“We felt a kinship and common ground with the Dr. Martens team from day one; a shared sense of rebellious spirit along with a commitment to timeless, classic principles.
“The campaign creates the light and shade we love to bring to our partnerships; provocation and atmosphere mixed with a feeling of levity, resistance and optimism.”
When it came to production, the campaign was handled by The Midnight Club’s internal production company ZERO – a new business which pairs concept with execution and prioritises more conscious, regenerative methods, providing clients greater confidence and end to end control.
On building the creative, creative director at The Midnight Club, Josh Connell added: “When it came to this specific brief, we wanted to present a journey of disruptive and irreverent exchanges and re-introduce Dr. Martens to a previously sneaker-obsessed audience.
“We witness our lead protagonist resist the elements to emerge as a series of new alter egos each inspired by the three boots.”
“Despite the extremity of what they confront, their attitude and optimism remains as constant as it is contagious. Their journey through an increasingly surreal take on an urban street is, in itself, an act of resistance — testing both the protagonist and the products they wear.”
“Through their progression we speak to evolution, endurance, and inevitability. Moving from the icon of 1460 to the offspring it creates.”
Discussing the campaign and appointment, Dr. Martens’ global head of brand creative, Andy Brown said: “The Boots Like No Other creative campaign is designed to romance and energise the iconic 1460, positioning it at the heart of our Sub Boot launch. This campaign plays with style and identity taking us to new places as a brand.
“When it came to selecting the right partner to bring this to life, we appointed The Midnight Club due to their killer creative approach, it was the perfect partnership.”
