Powerful Voices

For the second collaboration between Canada Goose and Giants of Africa, Ujiri Productions was brought on board to design four pieces for retail and to create an impactful, attention-grabbing launch campaign. It would be Canada Goose’s first time on the continent, and they entrusted UP to lead the way.

We started by taking a cue from Giants of Africa, rooting all our work in the power of community. From start to finish, all of our creative efforts and decision-making were inspired by a specific place, in this case, the Sauti Kuu Foundation in Alego, Kenya, which features a basketball court that was built by GOA. Launched in 2017 with the involvement of Barack Obama, the court features an iconic pattern that symbolizes the growth and potential of empowered African youth, and its colours, red and orange, represent Sauti Kuu and Kenya, respectively. These key sources of inspiration, along with other nods to GOA, were boldly but tastefully integrated into key clothing details, including the pattern tape on the bomber jacket and the African map and “Dream Big‘’ text on the hoodie. These elements not only emphasised culture and community, but they also helped capture consumer interest and drive sales.

This community focus also applied to our ideation and creative decision-making on the launch campaign. Shot on location in Sauti Kuu, as well as the surrounding countryside of Siaya County, the campaign video is built around a song, ‘Heko Jamhuri,’ which celebrates the country of Kenya and includes lyrics that reference the local community. The piece was performed and recorded at Lieta Secondary School by a youth choir, of which five members featured prominently in the campaign. In fact, everyone from the models to the stylist to the crew had deep roots in the region, lending additional depth and nuance to the campaign. 

Essentially, by placing youth and local communities at the heart of all of our work, we helped Canada Goose showcase, in an authentic and organic way, their commitment to transforming communities and empowering youth.