Built for the Bold

Timberland’s Built for the Bold is a call to doers and adventurers everywhere to work hard, live with passion, act boldly, and believe in their potential to move the world forward. The campaign taps a global network of changemakers to help redefine what it means to be bold, cementing Timberland’s place in culture as the work- and outdoor-inspired brand that fuels the bold lifestyle.
At the center of the campaign is an anthem film narrated by the queen of hip hop soul, Mary J Blige, who herself epitomizes what it means to be bold.
“Bold is fearless and confident, but it’s also being brave enough to pick up and start again,” said queen of hip-hop soul, Mary J. Blige, who narrates the anthem film. “These are words that represent my life. I’ve loved Timberland from the time I was a girl - and I really embrace the message of this campaign, that boldness lives in all of us.”
“Timberland was built on a foundation of being bold - starting with the birth of our iconic boot, designed to take on the harsh elements of New England,” said Drieke Leenknegt, Chief Marketing Officer for Timberland. “The people we’ve tapped for this new campaign represent the same spirit of boldness that’s at the heart of our brand: believing in something, setting a course, and getting to work to move the world forward.”
The campaign comes to life through a carefully orchestrated four-phased approach that is at once global in scale and hyper-localized, meeting consumers in the cities where they live. Opening with an attention-grabbing digital, mobile and out-of-home tease campaign, followed by the reveal of the bold brand anthem, guerrilla marketing in key cities, and a product campaign, which showcases bold new products.
The creative throughout draws inspiration from archival Timberland ads that sparked interest over the years with their progressive, bold and often irreverent attitude. From advertising to retail execution, it reflects the work of a best-in-class collaborative of partners including creative brand consultancy INDUSTRY and creative agency Rosie Lee. The anthem film was directed by award-winning filmmaker Iggy London.