Established in 1894 in the port of South Shields in the North East of England, Barbour, the leading British heritage and lifestyle clothing brand is celebrating its 120th anniversary this year by inviting customers to share their Barbour stories in a three-month celebration.
Whether it be a tale of a wax jacket that has been passed-down through one family for several years, or pictures of dogs roaming country fields in their very own Barbour dog coats, fans of the heritage brand will be encouraged to submit their pictures and stories via Twitter and Instagram, or via a specially made microsite, which is where many of the submissions will be featured. A Barbour Originals classic wax jacket will be awarded to those who submit the best entries every week until the end of June.
The microsite will also feature an interactive timeline that showcases the brand’s development over the years, exploring the five generations of the Barbour family who have each made their mark on the business in their own unique way. Special behind the scenes videos featured on the site will give fans the opportunity to meet some of the key people behind the brand, from Chairman Dame Margaret Barbour who has led the company for over 40 years, to the talented seamstresses who make many of the classic wax jacket styles by hand at the brand’s South Shields-based Factory.
Rebecca Cairney, Global Digital Marketing Manager for Barbour commented, ‘Our customers are always getting in touch with us to share their special Barbour-related stories and pictures, whether it be about the chunky jumper that kept someone warm on a 12-hour ramble in the countryside or the jacket that doubled up as a picnic blanket at a festival.’
‘Our 120th anniversary is the perfect time to celebrate and share these stories, and our microsite will be a community where people can do this whilst also being able to find out more about the many stories in our heritage that make Barbour what it is today.’
The 120 years microsite was developed by Nation, an interactive design company based in East London, and features a full screen experience with interactive navigation through parallax pages and animated transitions, a mobile-friendly version of the site and social integration features, making it easy for fans to post their entries through Instagram and Twitter using the hashtag #Barbour120.
Tom Kile Hartshorn, Creative Director at Nation, commented, ‘We've worked closely with the team at Barbour to create a digital and social experience that celebrates 120 years of the Barbour brand, drawing in fans and new consumers to share their stories and find out more about the rich history and fascinating stories that have shaped the business over a century’