When it comes to old-school work boot traditions, every country seems to have its own iconic brand. Australians have Blundstones, America has Red Wings, Britain has Dr. Martens, and now Rethink wants to remind Canadians that they have Dayton.
The agency has just released its first print campaign for the Vancouver boot manufacturer that highlights the brand’s heritage as a tough logging boot. The ads, by copywriter Rob Tarry and art director Carson Ting, feature aged black and white photos of loggers alongside tag lines like, “We helped your grandad get laid. So basically, you’re our fault.”
The heritage fashion trend has been long-brewing and witnessed a meteoric rise in popularity for brands such as Pendleton, Woolrich and Filson. Even The Hudson’s Bay Company has a line of heritage products, teaming with trendy vintage retailers such as Toronto’s Klaxon Howl for apparel collaborations.
The Dayton campaign also points out that the brand is “Stubbornly Canadian”–an important distinction since companies like Red Wing have moved production to Asia.
Rethink creative director Ian Grais said that when you have a company with such an established brand story, it would be a wasted opportunity not to celebrate it. “There are so few brands with this kind of historical integrity anymore,” said Grais, of his client which has been in business since 1946. “It’s a rare thing. The boots are made in Canada and will last forever. How many products can you say that about in this disposable world?”
As for the ad campaign, Grais said the goal was to simply tell the story in a new and compelling way.
“We definitely wanted to tap into the history that’s all there,” he said. “The boots are handmade right here in Canada and there is a lot of attitude surrounding the brand, so we just tried to tell that story in a fun, edgy way that would help attract a new audience.”
