The Converse Summer Ad Campaign

This past summer, much like every other Friday, the newest issue of Rolling Stone appeared in my mailbox. Unlike past issues, though, I was captivated by a pull-out, black and white advertisement for Converse on the second page, featuring 18 musicians standing side by side.

Immediately, I spotted Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser, also known as MGMT to music fans. I was excited that Converse had recruited this up and coming Brooklyn band for their new ad campaign. I also recognized about four or five of the other artists, but as a music enthusiast, I was curious about the 14 other artists in the ad. Who were they? Why didn’t I know who they were? And where did a nationally renowned brand get the idea to get them all together in one place? I then spent the next two hours on Google, trying to find the details of the ad campaign.

Through a press release, I learned that Converse had commissioned Pharrell Williams (N.E.R.D.), Julian Casablancas (The Strokes), and Santogold to collaborate on a song called “My Drive Thru,” which synergized three very different musical styles into a catchy, summer hit. The artists had complete freedom during the recording process, and the song had no mention of the brand or its products. Converse then framed their entire summer advertising campaign, “Three Artists, One Song” around the track. Not only did “My Drive Thru” provide the soundtrack for Converse’s commercials, but it could also be downloaded for free on converse.com. According to the company, the track was and became a music video. At one point, it became one of the most watched videos on MySpace; it currently has 1,668,966 views on YouTube.

For many reasons, I think this campaign was genius. But I was most impressed with Converse’s ability to segment and target a market that tries to disassociate themselves from all things commercial and corporate.

Converse chose eight markets to display their outdoor and transit advertising installations: New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Portland, Austin, Seattle, Miami, and San Francisco. These eight areas, known for their thriving urban culture, are arguably the “hippest” cities in the country, constantly setting forth the trends in fashion and music for other Americans.

The artists featured in the campaign would only be recognized by a very small group of Americans. This group has not only heard of seemingly obscure bands like the Fiery Furnaces and Does It Offend You, Yeah?, but they also know what the members of these bands look like, which requires in-depth knowledge of underground music. To this target market, Bradford Cox of Deerhunter is a very distinguishable figure, and putting him on a huge poster on the wall of a subway station would immediately grab their attention. Converse crafted their adverting efforts around the behavioral profile of a young, music-obsessed individual living in a trendy urban area.

Converse also reaffirmed its position in the world of rock and roll, as well as its influence on the urban fashion scene. According to the Chief Marketing Officer, Converse, realizing that “music is central to the Converse brand,” launched the campaign to “further [activate its] commitment to being a catalyst to creativity.” Obviously, creativity is essential to a company in the fashion industry. However, by selecting these up and coming musicians to promote the brand, Converse acknowledges their creative ability and achievement, asserting the artists’ influence on the target market. Converse is literally promoting creativity.

Converse’s incorporation of music was so seamless. Making music the center of the campaign was believable; it felt natural. Plus, the faces of the brand were all people that legitimately fit into the Converse culture. Pharrell Williams would wear Chuck Taylors; in fact, I saw him wearing purple ones at ACL.

Essentially, Converse took a huge risk by centering an entire campaign around a song that had no mention of their brand or products. But by doing this, they solidified their brand’s reputation among a core group of young people who seem to stay ahead of cultural norms and in turn, have a remarkable influence on their peers. By abandoning traditional marketing strategies, Converse managed to appeal to Generation Y, a demographic known for its skepticism.