Dive Brief:
- Wolverine Boots and Apparel on Feb. 29 launched "Woman-Made," a campaign that spotlights the accomplishments of women in the skilled trades and looks to build a more inclusive future, per a press release.
- A 90-second hero video combines person-on-the-street interviews about the term "woman-made" and highlights female figures in the trades, including the woman who oversaw construction of the Brooklyn Bridge, the inventor of the circular saw and others.
- To boost the effort, the 140-year-old brand launched a Change.org petition to add the term "woman-made" to the dictionary and partnered with HGTV personalities Mika and Brian Kleinschmidt and nonprofit Girls Garage.
Dive Insight:
Boot maker Wolverine is kicking off Women's History Month with a purpose-driven campaign centered around gendered language that undermines inclusivity in the skilled trades, namely the absence of "woman-made" in the dictionary alongside "man-made."
The campaign's hero video features people-on-the-street interviews around the term that are set in front of the Brooklyn Bridge, a structure whose construction was overseen by engineer Emily Warren Roebling. Also shown are sketches of Roebling along Norma Merrick Sklarek, the architect who designed Terminal One at LAX airport, Tabitha Babbitt, the inventor of the circular saw and others.
The effort includes a Change.org petition — which had nearly reached its modest goal of 500 signatures as of press time — that seeks to add "women-made" to the Oxford English Dictionary, Merriam-Webster and Dictionary.com. Change.org petitions have remained a playful way for brands to draw attention to purpose-driven campaigns.
“In addition to our goal of getting 'woman-made' added to the dictionary, we hope to inspire girls and women around the globe to have the confidence to pursue any passion, especially within the skilled trades where women are drastically underrepresented,” said Lauren King, director of brand marketing at Wolverine.
To amplify its efforts, Wolverine partnered with real estate developer and star of HGTV's "100 Day Dream Home" Mika Kleinschmidt and her husband Brian to spotlight women in the trades and encourage men to be allies of the cause. The brand also partnered with and donated $25,000 to Girls Garage, a nonprofit design and construction school for girls and gender-expansive youths ages 9-18.
While several brands faced backlash last year around the tactic, purpose-driven marketing remains crucial for brands looking to connect with consumers amid an industry-wide shift from performance marketing to brand building. Apparel brands Athleta and Spanx both used the start of Women’s History Month to launch purpose-driven campaigns.
The “Woman-Made” campaign arrives on the heels of Wolverine’s tie-up with the Red Bull Scramble Series for a merchandise collecting, showing the brand reaching out to an audience off-road racers and fans.
