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BBH London unbox 200 years of history for Clarks

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For almost 200 years, Clarks shoes have held true to their founding values on an incredible, generational journey through revolutions and social upheaval, conflicts and chaos, disasters and triumphs. Now, for the first time ever, the brand’s most remarkable tales have been captured in an interactive website, which reveals a far richer and more diverse heritage than anyone could have possibly imagined. Clarks Unboxed is a collection of 12 surprising, remarkable and true stories about the people, ideas and beliefs that have shaped Clarks and shaped the world. Delivered with spectacular craft by BBH London, Unboxed weaves together storytelling, archive imagery and soundscapes into a seamless and richly immersive digital experience that's compatible with desktop, tablet and mobile.

Some remarkable tales have been captured in an interactive website for Clarks, which reveals a far richer and more diverse heritage than anyone could have possibly imagined

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It begins by introducing us to the two brothers James and Cyrus from Glastonbury who started the business in the 1820s after their side job in crafting fluffy sheepskin slippers started to take off. As the story progresses, we meet many other fascinating characters, including William, the young man who saved the family business; and Alice, the uncompromising suffragist and social reformer. Clarks Unboxed was created at BBH by a small in-house team of connected specialists. From initial concept through strategic and editorial planning to the writing, art direction, technical development and user experience design, the project sets fresh standards for branded editorial content.

As far as exciting campaigns go, it might not be up there with the agency's last creative for the brand, which turned the traditional “Back to School” campaign on its head by injecting it with some crazy, animated zeal, but it's a neat way to reference the brand's heritage, especially considering the interactive implementation. The website is also very easy to use and there are some truly remarkable stories covering everything from the appointment of a female director in 1903 (before women even had the right to vote) to a visit by Queen Victoria and the creation of the enduringly iconic Clarks desert boots and the radical Wallabee, so beloved of Breaking Bad’s Walter White. In a making-of video (above), copywriter Richard Cable and art director Vinny Olimpio discuss the process in greater detail and we learn that Olimpio apparently went through a staggering 40,000 images from the brand's past for the project.

Clarks Unboxed is a collection of 12 surprising, remarkable and true stories about the people, ideas and beliefs that have shaped the classic British footwear retailer

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Mel Exon, managing director at BBH London said: “This was an idea conceived, crafted and built with much love and skill. It's a standout example of our connected specialisms in action.” Darren Day, group head of marketing at Clarks added: “Clarks Unboxed is a celebration of our incredible heritage and shines a light onto the characters that have helped define Clarks over the last 190 years. It’s an unconventional tale and one we’re very proud to share with the world.”

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