ROLE: ART DIRECTION, DESIGN
CLIENT: SOFTSTAR
Bare Naked
THE BACKGROUND: Softstar is a minimal shoe company that creates shoes that allow for natural movement and healthy foot development. Each shoe is handcrafted in the USA.
THE ASK: Develop a campaign for Softstar RunAmocs, a casual athletic shoe that features a thin, zero-drop Vibram sole.
THE IDEA: Softstar shoes feel like they're not even there.
*spec work for a class at the University of Oregon
With running shoes that give the sensation of being barefoot, we leaned in all the way and showed people in a state where they're most bare. The naked imagery provokes attention while also capturing the point— Softstar shoes feel like they're barely there.
The decision to focus on settings within nature speaks to the wild runners that are often found in natural terrains. Photos were color-graded to match the warmth of nude, skin tones.
All photos were sourced from keyword searches on the internet (yes, my search history looks horrendous).
Key takeaways: people will give you some weird stares if they walk past and see you pixelating what appears to be a naked person, generative fill won't remove clothes or generate a speedo BUT it will create a pretty realistic hamstring, and Photoshop is my biggest savior.
It’s not every day where you see (almost) naked pictures of people plastered everywhere. The out-of-home executions play with surrounding environments to incidentally conceal private areas so the content isn't fully nude, is socially acceptable, and won't leave parents covering their kids' eyes as they walk around the city.
