Zalando launches progressive campaign, celebrates "society's champions"

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Mar 22, 2021

The trend of companies launching campaigns that aim to make points beyond mere product marketing and to do some kind of social good is accelerating in the wake of the pandemic. Zalando has launched a new campaign called Here to Stay, that celebrates “those who stay true to their beliefs and take a stand for lasting progress”.

The company said it wants to “foster a dialogue on core values such as diversity/inclusion and women's empowerment, which inspire and encourage people around the world to broaden their views on topics such as gender fluidity and body positivity”. It launched at the weekend.

Shot by Berlin-based fashion photographer Dan Beleiu, it features still images “with real life pairings representing open dialogue on a different shared value relevant to the protagonists featured”. 

Each image comes with a “bold statement signalling [that] lasting progress on the highlighted value is Here to Stay”.

It includes words/phrases such as sustainability, acceptance, and better together, followed by the Here to Stay tagline. 

Along with the still shots, there’s “an emotive and vibrant hero film” featuring “global action-takers”. That means “dancer, actor, model and diversity and inclusion advocate Luc Bruyere, who has consistently challenged the fashion industry's ideals; Yann Horowitz, an openly gay skateboarder and LGBTQI+ activist; and body positivity advocate, Yolisa Mqoco”.

The company added that “the hero film is set to an exclusive track written and produced by up and coming queer British rapper Mista Strange who also features in the film”. Two directors, veterans Terence Neale and Gen Z director Emilie Badenhorst, were paired together to shoot the film and “mirror the open dialogue themes of the campaign”.