R/GA, Marketing Agency
TimbsTrails Redefining an icon for a new generation
Timberland boots were iconic in the ‘90s. Not only were they a massive part of the US hip hop scene, they were also a part of an Americana movement that spread throughout Europe, Tokyo and Australia. More than just footwear, they were an expression of identity, community and culture.
The challenge for Timberland was reaching newer generations who weren't around then and didn't have the same level of affinity with the brand. So we built them a digital experience to reinvent Timberland for the digital age.
Brand Vision & Strategy
Verbal Design
Product Vision & Strategy
Product Design
Design System
Product Built and Development
Launch & Growth Strategy
23m
Sneakerheads reached
41%
More likely to buy
5
Campaign UK’s Top 5 Digital Ideas
6
Trails
15
Unique Environments
96
Content Cards
TimbsTrails provides a unique and entertaining platform to celebrate the footwear innovations and cultural moments that shaped our past, and explore our shared path forward. We’re always looking for new ways to engage our consumers, and TimbsTrails does that across the spectrum -- from a gamified digital experience right into our retail stores
Timberland
Brand Positioning
Brand Architecture
Verbal Identity System
Visual Identity System
Photography Art Direction
Brand System Guidelines
Introducing TimbsTrails. Six trails, 15 environments, 96 content cards and cameos from ‘90s icons, this interactive experience takes fans on a journey through the biggest moments in Timberland history.
Part game, part genealogy story, part digital museum, TimbsTrails leverages the interactive language of game design to tell the Timberland story to a new audience of sneaker aficionados.
Each of its six trails – from New England to New York via London, Italy and Tokyo – chronicles a moment in Timberland’s history, taking visitors on an immersive journey along branching pathways and into environments shaped by the iconic tree logo. Visitors can collect classic boots along the way for the chance to unlock a bonus level and redeem rewards.
Every environment is crafted with details true to its time and place, with hidden easter eggs and surprise cameos designed to surprise and delight.
Product Strategy
Product Design
Product Tone & Voice
Product Development
Product Maintenance
Built on the brand's DNA, the architecture – wall art, graphics, UI, in-game design – is drawn from forms found in the logo. A maze-like structure of unique trails and floor plans informed by the logo's branches, fans can walk around, interact, and even kick things with their Timberlands.
Although visually inspired by ‘90s first-person shooter games, TimbsTrails is more like an explorable documentary filled with interviews, stories, hidden rooms, and recipes. You could even get an introduction to the New York hip hop scene from legendary rapper, Fat Joe.
Educational, nostalgic and a hell of a lot of fun, this is a connected brand experience that takes Timberland into the future.
TimbsTrails reached over 23 million sneakerheads, with 41% more likely to buy from Timberland as a result. It has generated organic PR and was profiled by Campaign UK as one of the year’s top 5 digital ideas for 2022 and by AdAge as one of the 20 brands gaining Gen Z attention. A long-term asset that Timberland can continue to grow and evolve, Timberland has been reimagined for a new generation.