VANS: 2022 BRAND CAMPAIGN
Film, Social
Since 1966, Vans has been a cultural brand that champions creativity. From creating shoes based on how skaters DIY-ed styles and grips, to providing a space for artists to jam, paint, and express themselves in.
For this year’s campaign, instead of just making ads that talk about creativity— we’re showing how creativity can be used as a tool for change. By working with artists who are making waves with creativity in different spaces, and helping to bring their passion projects to life.
Client: Vans
~ THIS MUSIC VIDEO BRINGS IT BACK HOME ~
Destiny Nicole Frasqueri, AKA Princess Nokia is a proud individualist Puerto Rican and Afro-Indigenous rapper from New York City. She uses her music and artistic expression to confront cultural norms in a thought provoking, empowering and inspiring way. For this project, she created a music video for the song “No Effort” from her upcoming album. This project encapsulates ideas of honoring your inner child and where you come from, self defiance, and most importantly— the power of effortlessly spending time with friends at the park.
~THIS TABLE TURNS FASHION INTO FUNCTION~
Jared Lee, known by his stage name Duckwrth, is an American rapper and songwriter from South LA. Growing up, he was raised around music and later studied graphic design in college. His influences around art inspire him to take an experimental and expressive approach in all that he does.
~ THIS VIDEO CHANGES THE NARRATIVE ~
SEEN Snowboarding is a Queer snowboarding club that hosts ride meet-ups and provides access and a safe space to the snowboard community. Ran by Tanner Pendleton and friends within the Vans network, this group has a small but authentic follow-ship that is moving the dial culturally for snowboarding.
~ THIS SONG SHIFTS PERSPECTIVES ~
Radkey is a groundbreaking American punk rock band from St. Joseph, Missouri. Formed by three brothers: Isaiah, Solomon, and Dee Radke in 2010. Since then, they’ve worked alongside artists like Jack White and The Offspring, and have toured a multitude of shows and festivals across the globe. For this project, they created a music video for their song P.A.W. where they look to challenge racial and social discrimination, shift perspectives, and spark a conversation.
~ THESE PORTRAITS UPLIFT AND ENLIGHTEN ~
Hodari Adae Garcia de Melo Menezes is a musician, guitarist, singer, fashion designer, songwriter, painter, and tattoo artist currently residing in São Paulo, Brazil. His grandfather was the first Black architect on the team who built Brasília, the city where he was born— and his grandmother was the first Black music teacher in Brasília. Hodari also used to be one of the few Black musicians in the Emo/Hardcore scene in Brazil.
He’s never let this get in the way of his growth, art, and self expression— and utilizes it as a tool to uplift others who may be put in those same situations. His goal is to break statistics with everything he does, and encourage future generations to be a first in something, challenge the status quo, and make their own history.
~ THESE SKATEBOARDS PUSH THE POTENTIAL ~
STOKED is a non-profit organization on a mission to help bridge the education and opportunity gap for underserved youth. They work with schools, organizations and mentors to host after school activities that are centered around sports culture, confidence building and community bonding. For this project, they hosted a workshop to paint and assemble skateboards for the local community.
~ THIS INSTALLATION REIMAGINES TRADITION ~
A talented and emerging Chicago-based artist, David Heo creates vibrant paintings influenced by daily observations and personal experience, like a visual diary of social life in your 20s. Using subtle imagery, he reflects on the irregular rhythm of pleasure and leisure, fleeting moments and seemingly mundane relationships. Characterized by vibrant colors and synthetic materials, his work playfully presents themes ranging from the complexity of Asian-American identity within American culture to the misunderstood human interactions that one experiences at night.
CREDITS
MY ROLE:
Senior Copywriter
IN COLLABORATION WITH
Holiday Black, Kamal Collins, Trinity Rose, Bruno Luglio, Rob Teague.