Franks launched its new campaign for 2015 with an event at The Plaza in Sliema.
The primary focus of the campaign is to celebrate heritage. Franks’s 125th anniversary in 2018 was central to the idea backing the campaign.
The brand’s heritage dates back a long way, starting in 1893 when Salvatore ‘Frank’ Abela opened his first shop, selling shaving accessories to British and American soldiers on the then bustling Cospicua waterfront.
With its strong presence in the industry ever since, it was important that the campaign highlights that Franks has been with consumers through the ages and reflects credibility, quality and authenticity.
This concept also emerges through the its TV commercial with ‘Life is an incredible journey; with you every step of the way’ as its tagline, brought to life by Steves&Co. With Kurt Micallef at the helm, the creative team chose to play upon imagery from 1950s and 1960s advertisements. This year’s campaign celebrates the artistic and forward-looking nature of the brand by creating something aesthetic and original.
The mid-century belief system led the team to create a male and a female version of the advert, as well as a generic product-based advert.
However, rather than conjuring the adverse implications of the separation of gender roles, the campaign’s imagery immediately elicits the positive values of elegance, sophistication and beauty for the woman and masculinity, poise and refinement for the man.
It is evident that this campaign isn’t just the imitation of stylistic conventions, but a true modernisation of an instantly recognisable archetype of the past, so viewers can relate to it instantly.