Consumers easily prone to outrage and industry observers continue to sit on the sidelines, just waiting for a brand to do something ridiculous/stupid/dumb around Covid-19. Some known quantities, like Wendy’s, especially on social media, have stayed the course. Others, like Steak-umm, emerged as unlikely pandemic heroes.
We’ve seen all manner of messaging around this thing and Tecovas, a direct-to-consumer cowboy boot brand, is leaning into its essence with a campaign that thinks cowboy wisdom can help America make it through to the other side. Now, it may seem folly to trust a company that trades in really expensive (but very nice) boots and accessories. Still, there’s something oddly soothing about the campaign from agency Greatest Common Factory (GCF).
The TV spots are fine, but the best part of the work is “The Cowboy Field Guide” on Instagram with the subtitle of “For getting through times such as these” (hat tip for the agency and brand not using “unprecedented”).
The tone is not meant to be scary, nor is it intended to scold people about what they should do. Consider it more friendly, soothing suggestions, and a spin on useful advice, like greetings and how to make a mask (Tecovas branding tastefully included).
“[The campaign] is a rallying cry to the correct way of acting and treating your fellow human,” said John Trahar, leader of GCF. “It’s the obvious shit we all know. It’s the basics that get lost in the endless thumb-scroll of daily life that is finally reappearing.”
The plan, according to Trahar, is to keep the cowboy wisdom going “through and beyond Covid, as there is never a bad time for some cowboy humor and common sense.”