About the campaign

Being a brand that stands for freedom and authenticity, Budweiser created a platform that gave Nigerian youth a voice to speak freely against a society that has constantly devised new ways to inhibit their self-expression. Using two of Nigeria’s most polarizing fashion designers, Tokyo James and Orange Culture we created The King’s Stitch Collection – not just a fashion statement but a statement to the Nigerian society aimed at countering the age-old stereotypes that our youth are burdened with.

We launched with a video featuring Nigerian youth who embodied our cause. The video sparked instant conversation on social media inspiring our youth to choose their own label regardless of the label that society has branded them. We went on to co-create the pieces with real quotes from real people hand-stitched on each item. The collection became a badge of pride for the marginalized, helping them share their stories and making them feel comfortable in who they are.

We generated a thread on twitter gathering over 1,000 interactions from which selected quotes were used on the designs. This also contributed to the total earned media achieved. Cinema placements, Radio mentions, DOOH, Online Videos and TV partnership were the key touchpoints creating a 360degree campaign impact across channels.

The campaign climaxed with a fashion event where the two internationally acclaimed designers, Tokyo James and Orange Culture unveiled an unparalleled collection which was immediately launched on the Budweiser e-commerce site and generously offered for sale at a subsidized rate.

Challenge

Nigerian youth with beards, tattoos or dreads are harassed by law enforcement and our leaders are constantly devising new ways to inhibit our freedom. Our task was to create a campaign that sheds light on these societal ills in a way that liberates the Nigerian youth.

Solution

Nigeria is a very diverse place with diverse culture and diverse people. However, when it comes to issues relating to sexuality and individuality, we tend not to be tolerant of this kind of diversity. Budweiser with the King’s Stitch campaign sought to empower the average Nigerian to think outside the confines of our society, and to show them that being a king is not about conforming to societal expectations and traditional views about gender and sexuality. It is about a mindset that allows us all to be comfortable in who we choose to be.

Results

The campaign was met with resounding success as the collection sold out in a matter of days after the launch and for the first time in Nigeria, a brand started a conversation that many have been too cautious to speak about. The collection became a beacon of pride for the marginalized.