Hard Yakka launches new brand direction and campaign via Brand Council and Extension 77
Workwear icon Hard Yakka is launching its new brand strategy and creative this month via Brand Council and Extension 77.
The new brand platform comes at a time when the workwear market is undergoing a significant shift.
Says Liesel D’Souza, brand and marketing manager, Workwear Group: “We have seen an interesting shift in the workwear market over the past few years.
“The new breed of tradie is much more style conscious and has more disposable income. They are proud of the quality of their work, and they are looking for clothes which are not just durable and functional, but also look good.
“Hard Yakka is one of Australia’s most iconic and respected brands, so it is important we stay true to our authentic industrial roots whilst also responding to changes in customer demands.
Hard Yakka is part of the Workwear Group, a subsidiary of the Wesfarmers Industrials Division.”
Hard Yakka is one of Australia’s most well-known and iconic
brands, and is even part of the modern vernacular. With a rich history spanning 90 years, Hard Yakka stays true to its heritage with the new positioning ‘A History of Hard’.
Adds D’Souza: “Workwear is a badge of honour, and Hard Yakka knows how to make tough look good. Hard Yakka isn’t just workwear, it is a work ethic and a way of life. We make Aussie workers feel like legends – because they are.
“The new Hard Yakka brand campaign features real tradies hard at work. These guys are hard as nails and expect the same from their workwear. When you make clothes for guys like these you know they won’t take any crap.
They see straight through pretentious advertising and have no time for posturing.
“They walk down gangplanks not catwalks. Above all, they’ll not stand for clothes that don’t work. This is workwear after all.”
From this observation comes the tongue-in-cheek humour in the campaign – when you have customers like this, you do everything not to get on their wrong side.
The national campaign includes outdoor, radio and digital.
Client: Liesel D’Souza, Brand & Marketing Manager – Workwear Group
Strategy and lead agency: Brand Council – Trudi Cassin & Reg Bryson
Brand Idea and creative direction: Graham Johnson & Oliver Devaris – Extension 77
Media agency: Nunn Media, Melbourne
Production Company: FLIPP
Photography: Stuart Miller
Producer: Clinton Bell
10 Comments
Great work O & G. Good to see what you’ve been up to.
Best brand!
Great idea, love the execution. Nice to see an iconic brand is back.
A small correction Ms D’Souza.The brand name did not make it “part of the modern vernacular” it was the other way around.The words hard yakka were used to describe gruelling work way back in the depression.The makers of these very good work clothes cleverly appropriated the words as a brand name.
Kinda like saying ‘We called them Nike Runners, and now ‘running’ has become the vernacular term for walking really really fast.
I found the comment on the origin of Yakka really interesti ng so did a bit of research.It seems that it originates from an aboriginal word Yaga ‘to work’.As an aside ,I don’t get the Nike parallel at all.
Reminds me very much of a certain Toyota Hilux campaign (“thought against a vanity mirror) back in the day
A giant billboard reads: “ He demands, venta his shirt, would you argue”.
Great pay-off but on border line with inciting domestic violence where everything starts with a demand.
Especially in a county or area where the majority of the demographic targeted by the AD are drinkers.
Just not a nice message…
Just appalled by this campaign. Reinforcing the image of the bloke as the one in control, who will strike out if thwarted.
It feels like advertising we might have seen 30 years ago. Old fashioned, misogynistic, appalling message on so many fronts, as well as making this type of man feel entitled.
yeye