Tell us about your role in the creation of this work.
I led strategy and directed the spots, Zach Rener and Brian Jordan were the writers of the spots.
Give us an overview of the campaign, what is it about?
Approaching new frontiers with confidence and comfort. The idea is cowboy boots are made for new frontiers. They’re a mindset you put on your feet when you’re going to a new place in your life.
Tell us about the details creative brief, what did it ask?
The brief was to articulate Tecovas’ brand vision as a boot company making boots the right way in today’s world. We thought about the somewhat romantic heritage of the cowboy boot – it was created to do a job on the American frontier. This led us to the notion of what frontiers represent today, how they’re more metaphysical than physical, more about a new change, innovation or phase in life than discovering new acreage.
Which insight led to the creation of this piece of work?
Cowboy boots say more than most footwear. People look at a pair and make assumptions. We took that and tried to articulate what boots would say if they had a voice. Understanding that there’s a lot of pride in Tecovas customers around what the boots mean to them.
Can you share with us any alternative ideas (if any) for this campaign? Why was this idea chosen?
We felt that we had the right idea when it was evaluated against the goals and approach of Inclusivity and approachability. A lot of people who’ve never worn cowboy boots respect them but don’t necessarily embrace them; they think, “can I pull this off, is this really me?” We needed to articulate a broader meaning that could make them comfortable with the idea. And we figured the core audience boot wearer would also welcome a refreshing reminder of why they’ve worn boots for years. There’s a great video where a fan reacts to the campaign, which shows we got the message right.
What was the greatest challenge that you and your team faced during development.
The timeline was FAST. We had to meet a media opportunity deadline, so we did the whole thing in five weeks, concept to airing.
What did you enjoy most about seeing this campaign through? Did you learn anything new from the experience?
We learned it’s going to take multiple expressions of what cowboy boots say and can say to get the wider population to be totally comfortable with them. We are helping people hear the words, we just have to keep saying them in more and different ways so that they feel the words for themselves.
Where do you see this campaign going in the future?
To us, cowboy is a state of mind. Our world is changing so much, so fast, that new frontiers are opening for us constantly, everywhere. A software innovation can change industries and career paths overnight, and a tweet can alter the course of a country in minutes. We see the idea of cowboy in any important achievements or adaptation to change, whether that’s the rebirth of Detroit, the evolution of green energy, or the redefinition of cultural norms. The more stories we can tell, the more people will see themselves in cowboy boots.