Mustoe Merriman Herring Levy has unveiled its first global branding campaign for Dr Martens with the strapline: 'World of Feet.'
The three 15-second TV and cinema spots feature no dialogue and show giant feet adoring Dr Martens shoes in various ways. In one, a foot is caught smuggling shoes through customs and another shows a packed cinema heaving with bare feet all watching a film about a shoe. The third spot shows a pair of feet in a hospital cooing over a baby sandal.
The press and poster work follows the theme through, with a garage full of foot mechanics working under a pin-up of a shoe in one execution. Another shows feet reclining in a jacuzzi while a shoe is put on ice, and the third shows a DJ foot wearing headphones and inspecting a record sleeve picturing a Dr Martens shoe.
The campaign, which will run in the UK, France, the Far East and the US, has taken a year to develop. The account director Sophie Clark said R Griggs, the brand's UK parent, had been waiting for the right time to launch an assault and wanted to justify the money spent. The brand's recent marketing has been to support its trainer sub-brand, DM Sport.
The campaign is backed by guerilla marketing in and around London's Covent Garden, where poster executions will also appear. The ads will also run in the style press.
The campaign was written by Mark Lee and art directed by Lee Hanson after an initial idea from student placement twins Matthew and Simon Welsh.
Both the print and TV spots were directed by Neil Harris at Arden Sutherland-Dodd, and the print photographer was by Dominic Harris. Media planning and buying is through Starcom Motive.
Clark said: 'The 'World of Feet' is just like our own, but one populated by feet instead of people. The campaign captures the heart and soul of the Dr Martens brand in a startling and humorous way.'
The advertising, new-media and marketing manager at Dr Martens, Dan Gyves, said: 'The attitude of the campaign sums up the brand 100 per cent.'
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