Kate Spade New York Spotlights A Cast Of New York Artists To Spark A Chain Reaction Of Joy Through The Streets Of New York City In Its Summer 2021 Campaign, Continuing Its Year-Long Love Letter To NYC
Kate Spade New York is putting the pep back in New York’s step with a continuation of its year-long love letter to New York. This Summer, Kate Spade New York captures a sense of optimism and a feeling of hope through an exuberant dance number with a talented cast of New York-based performers, who, like so many across the globe, faced challenging times over the past year.
As the brand continues to uplift the New York community and support local New Yorkers, many of whom have been forced out of work due to the pandemic, Kate Spade New York tapped choreographer, Dylan Pearce, and singer-songwriter, Ines Nassara, to create an inspiring, unjaded performance that evokes a sense of release and excitement, with a fresh take on the classic Judy Garland tune, “Get Happy.”
The brand first discovered Pearce via Instagram in the doldrums of December 2020, and was immediately drawn to his indomitable attitude and refusal to let even the darkest days of the pandemic stop him from creating beautiful art. They immediately enlisted Pearce and his network of performers to help create their latest toe-tapping campaign video.
“We are constantly inspired by the resilience of New Yorkers, and through our Summer campaign, we wanted to take an opportunity to shine a light on a team of local artists who have been out of work over the past year. Upon discovering Dylan’s initial video on Instagram, we were so captivated by his energy and spirit – it brought us an instant wave of joy and a smile to our faces. We admired his act of optimism and his irrepressible spirit, which felt quintessential New York and quintessential Kate Spade. We wanted to pass along this message of hope to our own Kate Spade New York community, while also giving Dylan and his colleagues a platform to share his work with our audiences around the globe.”
According to Pearce, the choreography project began as a way to uplift spirits and bring friends together to create something thoughtful and fresh during a time when many were out of work. Pearce shares, “The song, ‘Get Happy,’ has always spoken to me, and I had been sitting on it for a long time. Looking back, it was like everything aligned at the perfect time. I always say there is nothing better than doing what you love with the people you love.”
“At Kate Spade New York, we have always been known for making everyday moments a little more colorful. New York is our hometown and our backyard – it is a constant source of inspiration for our brand. With this campaign and the launch of our Summer collection, we set out to capture a feeling of optimism and joy, and inspire others to bring this joyful spirit to their own lives.”
To further the theme of shining a light on the people and organizations that inspire the brand, Kate Spade New York is partnering with The National Council for Mental Wellbeing to provide Mental Health First Aid training to New Yorkers within the artistic community. An extension of the brand’s social impact mission focused on mental health and wellbeing, Kate Spade New York is donating $100,000 to provide mental health services to performers in the New York city area, giving them the resources to support their community, friends and family members who might be experiencing a mental health or substance use challenge.
Kate Spade New York will amplify the Summer 2021 campaign via an innovative partnership with TikTok. Leaning into the viral nature that dance and music play on the social media platform, Kate Spade New York collaborated with TikTok creators Todrick Hall (@Todrick) and Kelli Erdmann (@HappyKelli), who worked directly with Dylan Pearce and the ensemble cast to create their own dance routines that complement the choreography in the hero campaign film, while leveraging the unique creative features that TikTok users know and love. To build on the content created with Todrick and Happy Kelli, the brand will also be launching a hashtag challenge across the entire TikTok community, encouraging others to express their own joy and bring the energy of the campaign to TikTok users around the globe.
“We’ve seen an incredible surge in our performance on TikTok from creators who love our product and who want to engage directly with our brand, in completely new ways. We also know that consumers have started to interact with brands differently, especially during this past year. Through this collaboration with TikTok and two of their top creators, we are adapting to a more consumer-centric model that allows us to connect with audiences in a way that gets them directly involved in the fun, while also encouraging them to create content through their own unique perspectives.”
Taking center stage in this campaign is the brand’s iconic Spade Flower Jacquard collection, this season in a beautiful green colorway that’s both versatile and bold – giving the new styles a rich monochromatic look. The Spade Flower Jacquard group is now available in a variety of shapes and styles, including a fashion sneaker and bucket hat, in addition to a range of handbag silhouettes – from large totes that hold everything, to convenient crossbodies just for essentials. Created in partnership with Limonta, the family-owned mill in northern Italy that has produced jacquard for over 100 years, the brand continues to build upon this signature group, offering a collection of everyday products designed to make a statement with a smile.
Styled by Stella Greenspan, this new campaign also features key looks from the Kate Spade New York Summer 2021 collection across ready-to-wear, handbags, jewelry, footwear and more, all of which feature vibrant pops of color, natural textures, and playful and feminine details throughout. The campaign will launch on June 1, 2021 across Kate Spade New York’s website and social channels, as well as through paid social (on TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook), Connected TV (across Hulu, NBC, ABC and CBS) a YouTube takeover, and out of home placements throughout New York City.
CREDITS:
Director + Choreographer: Dylan Pearce
Vocals: Ines Nassara
Stylist: Stella Greenspan
TikTok Creators: Todrick and Happy Kelli
Creative Agency: Zast & Co.
In the Philippines, Kate Spade New York is exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists, Inc., and is located at Central Square in Bonifacio High Street Central, Greenbelt 5, Power Plant Mall, Rustan’s Makati, Shangri-La Plaza, and Rustan’s Cebu. Visit facebook.com/katespadenewyork.philippines and follow @ssilifeph on Facebook and Instagram for more information.