Iconic Melbourne bag company Crumpler launches new campaign via PHC Films
After years in corporate purgatory, iconic 90’s Melbourne bag company Crumpler is back – as shown in a series of cinematic brand ads made by PHC Films.
With an original founder back in charge, the campaign looks to tap back into the human core of the brand.
Says Dave Roper, founder, Crumpler: “Part of the reason I bought back Crumpler after being away for so long was the challenge of resurrecting the brand and continuing the quest for bag glory.
“I really missed the process of producing advertising stuff and especially the fun times scheming and taking risks with filmmakers and musicians.
“Working with Max and John from PHC Films and the crew in Tokyo was a real shot in the arm for me personally and just what I needed after a pretty shit 12 months sorting out the mess we inherited.
“The almost guerrilla style approach and street casting on the run took me back to the late nights of giant logo stencilling and being chased by unfit security guards.
“I’m a huge fan of PHC’s work – it’s real – and was so impressed to see first hand the film production process within a seriously pro outfit.
“I hope you enjoy the series as much as we enjoyed making it.”
Says John Angus Stewart, director, PHC Films: “More than any brand I’ve ever known, Crumpler genuinely acts based on ‘what feels right’ and ‘what feels interesting’, and in that spirit they gave us the ability to exercise that within ourselves as filmmakers. So we went with what felt right. They gave us the opportunity to explore things on a creative and technical level. We wanted single minded pieces that opened a door to an entire world then closed it before you got to see too much. A glimpse into a wondrous place. A place called “reality”.”
Says Max Coles, producer at PHC Films: “Crumpler is an iconic Melbourne brand that has been seared deep into our brains since childhood. So when Dave Roper (one of the original founders) told us he was going to buy it back from the private equity interlopers who had owned it since 2015, we saw a chance to build a campaign shedding the beige corporate skin it had grown and bring back some of the vitality and humanity that made the brand so interesting in the first place. A reset focusing less on the functional bags for a moment, and more on the people wearing them.”
Production Company: PHC Films
Agency: PHC Films
Director / DOP / Editor: John Angus Stewart
Producer: Max Coles
Co-Producer: Shotaro Nishioka
1st Assistant Camera: Tim Fenby
Production Assistant: Daryosh Karimi
1st Assistant Director: Reggie White
Composer: Joe Walker
Colourist: Ted Deacey
Print Ad Art Director: Daryosh Karimi
Newsprint Publication Copywriter: John Angus Stewart
Client: Dave Roper, Crumpler
10 Comments
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Inspirational stuff. Thanks for covering
Bring back your beers for bags sale
Love these ads – congratulations on bringing Crumpler back
Love this work. So visually interesting, and captivating. After watching the first one I actually wanted to watch all of them, I can’t remember the last time I wanted to do that when a series of ads are posted in an article like this. These are so much more engaging than the typical ads out there that usually have a footy player or some B-Grade reality TV show contestant spruiking a product with the same overused style, format, massive graphics vomited over the screen and of course oversized logos, tired production techniques that haven’t changed since the 90s, and the same old script flow. Maybe there is hope for fresh creativity in advertising, let’s hope so.
These are excellent
Imagination sells
These are fantastic 👏
Beautiful pictures and lovely copy.
This are the best thing I’ve seen on this website in a while. Well done, lovely craft.