Carhartt, the workwear brand, is rolling out “Made Possible,” a new brand platform that highlights the often-overlooked workers building the world around us. And while it includes
appearances from the many kinds of people who give the brand its gritty authenticity -- roadies, riggers, farmers and hardhats -- it shines an especially bright floodlight on the crews raising the
Buffalo Bills’ new Highmark Stadium. Norma Delaney, vice president of brand marketing at Carhartt, who joined the company last year after roles at Johnny O, Hoka and New Balance, tells
Retail Insider about the campaign.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Retail Insider: What was the thinking behind “Made
Possible”?
Norma Delaney: The campaign launched with the “Made Possible Anthem,” which opens with this lovely voiceover that just says, “Take a look
around.” It’s an invitation to notice all the hard work that is creating the world around you. From there, we’re rolling out chapters that go a little deeper, and the first one
focuses on the new Highmark Stadium in Buffalo. Stadiums don’t build themselves, and for us, it’s really not necessarily about the players on the field or the stars on the stage. Our
heroes are the ones who build the stadium, build the stages and make it happen.
Retail Insider: You’ve been at Carhartt for about a year now. How does this campaign reflect where
the brand is headed?
Delaney: I came into a very strong team that is working on moving up the funnel. Carhartt has plenty of awareness, but beyond products, we really want people to
understand what the brand stands for. We’ve always been promoting and serving the hardworking people in the skilled trades, and this campaign really sheds light on that. As you know,
there’s a huge skilled trades gap in the U.S. and across the globe. So part of what we’re doing through this campaign is trying to invite people into the trades and help younger people
understand they can have a successful career.
Retail Insider: OK, but other workwear brands celebrate tradespeople, too, including Dickie’s and Caterpillar. How does Carhartt
stand apart?
Delaney: For us, it’s rooted in our authenticity and our heritage. We’ve been doing this since 1889. We also have evolved since then — we started by talking
to railroad workers about what they needed, and today we go to work sites and gather inspiration from workers doing new types of work.
A good example is our Force series, which is really about
heat regulation, because the world is getting warmer, and sun protection, because workers are out in the exposed elements. We’re also super-clear on the skilled trades. Everything we do is in
service to that, well beyond products.
Retail Insider: Carhartt has also become a hip brand in cities, with shoppers who may never swing a hammer. How do you balance that?
Delaney: We wear one hat very
proudly. It’s about the trades. People are going to adopt it, and they may wear it for fashion or cultural reasons, but we’re focused on the people who are working.
Retail
Insider: Tell us about the media plan. I love that the campaign is breaking just as so many people are watching HBO’s “Hard Knocks: The Buffalo Bills.”
Delaney:
With the Buffalo Bills, we are a proud partner, which means we have access to their IP and trademark. We’re showing up across all of the Bills’ own channels, through digital and
traditional media. In digital, it’s email, and their programming like “One Bills Live,” plus in-stadium promotions and a community day.
Then we’re putting in paid media
to surround that, with a real focus on September. We come out on Sept. 7 with the "Sunday Night Football "program — Buffalo against the Baltimore Ravens on NBC — then go into CBS
programming for weeks two and four, and Amazon Prime NFL programming in week three. From linear and streaming, we’re getting after football. We’re also supporting it through our own
channels, with digital programming, video on YouTube and connected TV, plus a heavy-up digital spend in Buffalo to bring awareness locally.