How Dr. Martens creates community
( 4 min read )
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Dr. Martens
Boot Fair
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What would a
Dr. Martens September festival look like?
It couldn’t just be a run of the mill stage for end-of-summer chill sessions.
DMers have too much rough-and-tumble rebelliousness in their bones
for a yawn-fest that smacked of cynical self-interest.
How about a boot fair?
Much as we loved the booted pun, the intention was also to frame things in that uniquely British DIY kind of spirit: the humble simplicity of a mishmash of equal players all setting up stall alongside each other. Born from an ambition to celebrate
and amplify
the brand’s community integration in its home town of London, it was an invitation for everyone to join the party.
The community was made up of on-the-pulse NTS radio station alongside solopreneur thrifters, independent brands, makers and crafters. A ‘ReSouled’ collab with Depop embodied the ethos of sustainability and there was a customisation booth where artists let loose embellishing old boots.
Of course there was live music – lots of it. Next gen raw local talent next to well-known names 404 Eros and James Massiah. The line up kicked a***.
The moment wasn’t a purely altruistic one – there was a solid commercial objective of connecting with new audiences – but the delivery was non-cynical, uncomplicated and made sense for the brand. A
The moment wasn’t a purely altruistic one – there was a solid commercial objective of connecting with new audiences – but the delivery was non-cynical, uncomplicated and made sense for the brand. A
community
moment with full integrity. Sweet summer vibes that left everyone buzzing with that festival feeling.
At
NMP
we’re always banging the drum for humble down-to-earthness. This very British celebration of it was just our cup of tea and <humble-brag> was something we loved injecting our unique creative magic into.
