Don't Tell Me What to Do
Edgars • VMLY&R South Africa
Edgars is a 90-year-old fashion and beauty department store in South Africa, that had completely lost relevance with a contemporary African audience. In 2018 Edgars was on the brink of closing– putting 140 000 jobs at risk. – potentially the largest retail disaster in South African history. We needed to re-connect Edgars to culture and reimagine the entire brand.
But how do you connect a brand to culture in a country as diverse as South Africa? A country with 11 official languages, that is going through a creative and cultural renaissance We created: “DON’T TELL ME WHAT TO DO” - An African musical that became an anthem for self-expression, bringing together over 30 African personalities to reconnect Edgars to culture. This cultural collaboration created branded films, social content, original music, a fashion collection and a total re-brand and re-design of the 90-year-old store.
Cannes Recognition
1 Bronze: Entertainment
2 Shortlists: Entertainment, Brand Experience & Activation
