Dr. Martens “Tough as You” Campaign Insights

In 2022, Dr. Martens unveiled an advertising campaign titled Tough as You. The campaign, consisting of a website overhaul, social media campaign, print advertisements, and digital elements, paid homage to Dr. Marten's punk roots and rebellious brand identity while highlighting what Dr. Martens' consumers value. The campaign was created by the agency We are Social. It features four contributors who embody Dr. Martens' purpose, which they state is "... to empower rebellious self-expression" (Strategy, n.d.). The contributors are grime punk musician Bob Vylan, body-positive activist Lotte Van Eijk, rock band Naked Giants, and model Avie Acosta. All these contributors represent different stories united by a common theme – overcoming adversities, narrow-mindedness, discrimination, and being tough.

Dr. Martens are an iconic fashion brand in the punk and grime world. According to Indie magazine, Dr. Martens boots joined the English working class through an identity crisis when workwear was replaced by counter-establishment mindsets and wardrobes that represented a new, otherworldly representation (Migowski, 2018). This advertising campaign plays on this history, which has already significantly influenced society, especially within this subculture. The idea that Dr. Marten and the punk movement are synonymous with one another is a subliminal message of this campaign. The campaign is a type of narrowcasting, which Woodward et al. explains is when advertising reaches particular markets. Despite the appeal to one very specific subculture and to appeal psychographically, Dr. Martens has become a globally recognized icon and a multimillion-dollar company.

Dr. Martens do not try to appeal to culture. In fact, they try to appeal to punk and grunge culture and resist traditional culture. The contributors chosen to take part in this advertisement, for example, are all icons in punk culture and have overcome conventional cultural expectations. According to Highsnobiety magazine, Acosta identifies as non-binary and overcame a difficult time growing up in a small town in Oklahoma, where gender expression and identity is a taboo topic . Vylan, a Black musician, overcame struggles growing up in a predominantly white area of the United Kingdom and became a successful musician who specializes in punk, grime, and hip-hop (Thorpe, 2020). Their involvement in this campaign increases the credibility of Dr. Marten's claim of being rebellious and valuing self-expression. Culture shapes this campaign by being the opposition.

The messaging from this advertisement was adopted from the positioning approach. Woodward et al. states that in this type of messaging, "Clothes are worn for self-identity rather than warmth; they reflect our social values and good judgment. Products are portrayed as having unique and evocative associations" (Woodward et al., 2018, p. 167). This means that the campaign appeals to the psychological factors and desire to fit into the punk and grunge aesthetic, ironically, by standing out. Dr. Martens are already well-known symbols of this culture, and by paying homage to that history, they remind their audience why they are the best choice of footwear for those who aspire to the same values. The emotional appeals of this campaign will hit hard for audience members who relate to the contributors' stories and have faced adversity themselves. Those who identify with the message of rebellion and self- expression may be more likely to buy the shoes after seeing this campaign.

Though, indeed, Dr. Martens are often thought of as being synonymous with punk and grunge culture, the idea of needing a specific brand of shoes to fit rivals the point of the brand, which encourages consumers to stand out, be different, and go against the grain, no matter how tough. Although some may see Dr. Martens as having proved themselves to be supporters of those who feel that they do not fit in by featuring marginalized people in the advertisements and shining the spotlight on the subculture that has made them who they are today, using the message of needing to buy expensive boots to fit into the punk community may rub some people the wrong way. Consumers may believe that Dr. Martens is profiting off the backs of a community of people who have been ostracized and discriminated. The message of being tough may be seen as an oversimplification of genuine social issues that plague the communities of people seen in this campaign.

Despite this criticism, Dr. Martens continues in their success. This campaign effectively showcased how successful supporters of the brand have overcome their own adversity and successfully portrayed how Dr. Martens have historically been at the forefront of the punk and grunge movements. This campaign links Dr. Martens shoes to the Punk subculture and reminds the consumers about the rich history of this company. Featuring artists with differing stories means that a variety of audiences will be touched by the campaign and remember Dr. Martens as part of their story.

References
Migowski, M. (2018, November 21). How Doc Martens became the unofficial uniform of rebellion - INDIE. INDIE Magazine. https://indie-mag.com/2018/11/evolution-of-doc- martens/

Strategy. (n.d.). Dr. Martens Plc (LSE: DOCS). https://www.drmartensplc.com/about-us/strategy/ Thorpe, L. (2020, April 3).

Dr. Martens Questions What It Means to Be Tough in New Campaign. Highsnobiety. https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/dr-martens-tough-as-you- bobby-vylan-avie-acosta/

Woodward, G. C., & Jr., R.E. D. (2018). Persuasion and Influence in American Life (8th ed.). Waveland Press, Inc.. https://appstate-bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9781478637677