Idea Ranch
Carhartt + Dave's New York
Challenge
Carhartt and Dave’s New York have long been trusted by the people who build and maintain New York City. The challenge was turning that shared history into a campaign that felt real to New Yorkers, not marketed to them. In a city defined by hard work and high standards, the work had to reflect the grit, pride, and durability of the people wearing the gear. That meant showing up in authentic environments, using real workers and real locations, and creating messaging that honored the work ethic of the hardest-working city on Earth.
Insight
To earn credibility in New York, the campaign had to prove it understood the city at street level. That meant knowing where hard work starts, how it moves through the city, and where it shows up every day. By grounding the messaging in hyper-specific New York truths and placing it directly into the routines of 5am commuters, job sites, and daily transit, the work felt native rather than manufactured. The familiarity with NYC culture, cadence, and workforce allowed the partnership to show up with confidence and authenticity, reinforcing Carhartt and Dave’s New York as cornerstones of a city built by people who know what lasts.
RESULTS
The campaign delivered a four-week, high-visibility presence across Long Island, Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan through LIRR, subway, street-level, and taxi-top placements. Overall, the campaign overdelivered against the media buy with 231 physical units delivered and more than 6 million taxi-top impressions, adding meaningful bonus value and commuter-focused reach throughout NYC.
WHERE HISTORY MEETS THE STREET.
Drawing from an original coupon certificate in Carhartt’s archives, we transformed a piece of brand history into a mural — embedding the legacy of both brands into the visual language of New York City.
