In late September, Porter Novelli helped Timberland execute its long-anticipated 40th anniversary event – known as The Workshop – at an ultra-trendy warehouse in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. To celebrate 40 years of its iconic yellow boot and stylish Fall 2013 line, Timberland welcomed more than 350 media, influencers, stylists and tastemakers to an immersive experience full of handcrafting, influencer-curated showrooms and a private performance from indie band Wild Nothing. At The Workshop, Timberland presented an updated, modern expression of the brand, while nodding to its heritage.
Porter Novelli’s strategy was to engage attendees in an unexpected, style-based experience that demonstrated Timberland’s heritage while showcasing fresh new looks for the Millennial consumer. Designed to connect Timberland to a new class of style and culture arbiters, the event focused on style, authenticity, collaboration, craftsmanship, design and customization that guests could instantly share with friends on social media.
Timberland partnered with four respected style influencers: a stylist, photographer, fashion editor and provenance-focused blogger. Each influencer inspired a custom vignette (Style Workshop) showcasing his or her personal style alongside Timberland’s new footwear and apparel collections. Before the Style Workshops were unveiled to guests, the four curators participated in a panel discussion for select media, moderated and hosted by Timberland’s Global Creative Director Chris Pawlus. Each curator contributed a unique perspective on collaboration, craftsmanship, what dictates a “classic,” and the balance between evolution and authenticity.
From the 2,000 classic Timberland boots hanging over the dance floor to product displayed on three tons of reclaimed industrial lumber, every piece of the event was designed to be –visually appealing and instantly shareable – a must for the Millennial audience who thrives on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Guests could try their hands at leather-working by hammering their initials into leather wristbands, each containing a hidden USB drive with lifestyle images of the collection. Timberland also hosted a social photo booth where guests could try on Timberland apparel and accessories, and share photos with their friends online.
Nearly 350 influencers participated in the event, well exceeding the attendance goal of 200. Guests ranged from top fashion editors from NYLON, GQ, Esquire and Men’s Fitness, to hip Brooklyn entrepreneurs –all invited based on their measured style and social influence.
With 405 social media posts during the event, earning over 2.5M impressions, the coverage and conversation results were outstanding. In fact, 96 percent of all event coverage centered on style messaging and top tier media outlets including BlackBookMag.com, Complex, Racked.com, Freshness, Nitrolicious and Men’s Fitness wrote about the event.
The Workshop greatly increased product visibility by driving 116 percent more coverage than Timberland’s monthly average. Porter Novelli and Timberland continue to build influential relationships with media and influencers, delivering on the brand’s new core message, Best Then. Better Now.