Boyds

BOYDS CAME TO DEFY TO CELEBRATE AN 85-YEAR LEGACY, AND LOOK TOWARDS THE NEXT 85.

OBJECTIVE
Develop a bold, sophisticated campaign to celebrate Boyds’ iconic legacy, thank its loyal constituent base, and highlight the luxury retailer’s embrace of evolution as it welcomes a new generation of clients.

SOLUTION
Following a strategic assessment, Defy developed a creative concept—“Boyds for Life.”—grounded in Boyds’ four generations of family ownership and sustained client relationships. To unite legacy and new-to-Boyds audiences, we paired vintage ads with a fresh anniversary mark and modern fashion photography.

Incorporating a palette of rich jewel tones helped us achieve multiple objectives: it made a bold visual statement, tying individual campaign elements together, and it projected a celebratory, “holiday” vibe—perfect for the season.

A stitching motif also figured prominently in the creative concept, emphasizing Boyds’ precision and meticulous attention to detail.

Video was a centerpiece of the campaign: over the course of a multi-day on-site shoot, the Defy team captured first-person stories from Boyds ownership, staff, and clients. Then, we cut together a 2-minute edit summarizing all that’s contributed to Boyds’ 85 years of success.

We augmented that with a series of shorter videos, including an ASMR mini-series that amplified the sounds and textures inherent in the Boyds experience.

Billboards, window installations, in-store elements, packaging, direct mail and digital assets rounded out the campaign. Through these elements, Boyds tells a cohesive, 360-degree story to clients at all touchpoints, and demonstrates that though the brand’s values haven’t changed in its 85 years of history, its vision is fresh, visionary, and future-focused.