An original and authentic tartan story
Content
Creative Direction
Digital
Film
Production
Strategy
John Barbour, who founded the brand in 1894, was of British descent, but the Barbour name can be traced to Ayrshire, Scotland as far back as the 14th Century. In the late 20th century, and to honour their ancestry, Barbour created their very own original and authentic Tartan sett. Initially, they developed the Classic Tartan, based on the Ayrshire District tartan design, then a few years later, they introduced the Barbour Dress Tartan featuring white and using the same line widths and design found in the Classic sett.
The colours in their tartans have evolved over time and are reintroduced into iconic Barbour products, season after season, enhancing collections and adding value to already distinctive product designs – the tartans are, after all, one of Barbour’s key design codes.
However, the tartans are rarely placed front and centre of Barbour’s creative communications.
Plus collaborated closely with the brand leadership team including Leanne Forster, Director of Brand and Communications and Jennifer Lowther, Global Brand Manager, to develop a new campaign celebrating their Classic Tartan, and finally telling an original and authentic Barbour tartan story.
“Barbour’s New Campaign Is A Tartan Dream And An Ode To Ayrshire”
British Vogue
A key goal for the campaign was to create a film and stills that captured what iconic Barbour creative looks and feels like in 2025, balancing our heritage and historical significance with a renewed creative vision as a relevant, progressive, inclusive brand for a diverse global customer.
Leanne Forster, Director of Brand and Communications
Rich narrative transcends the creative idea, capturing the stories of a group of friends who meet up across Ayrshire, with the highlights of their time together edited into a captivating, cinematic trailer.
The diverse, talented and recognisable cast, whose talents include acting, singer / songwriting and modelling are a nod to the diverse modern global Barbour customer. The creative, shot by British fashion photographer and film director Sam Rock, was art directed through a lens of wit, grit, glamour and wildness; all tonal qualities that, when used proportionately and artistically, elevate the imagery and make it instantly recogisable as iconically Barbour.
Recognising that creative regeneration is a continuous process, the final campaign helped the Plus team and the Barbour brand team build on the tonal qualities, evolving new expressions and interpretations that push beyond established thoughts and ideas.
The campaign launched globally across all channels as a modern and dynamic expression of an original and authentic Tartan story, finally being given the spotlight it deserves.
Music: Run Honey Run by John Martyn. Courtesy Island Records
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