Whether it’s a client or a boss, chances are you’ve gotten this mandate before: Figure out the next cool thing so we can have it first. Bring us…The Next Shit.
It’s simultaneously the best and worst part of any job, getting to play talent scout to the next great trend. You do infinite research and deep dives into Bohemian subcultures, then rapidly prototype your way to greatness—only to have it all fade within minutes as you start the whole process over again.
To launch Marqet, a rebranded Swedish chain of concept fashion stores focused on modern work life, branding agency Happy F&B, part of Forsman & Bodenfors, collaborated with the retailer’s in-house team to create a campaign called “Work in Progress,” anchored by a spot that many will find relatable:
If the main characters’ plight—to find and create “The Next Shit,” only to succeed and find themselves quickly assigned with “The Next, Next Shit”—feels especially familiar to those who work in agencies, there’s probably one good reason for that.
“The idea pretty much comes from our own lives,” admits Johan Holmström, creative ta Happy F&B. “I have often had a lot of anxiety while trying to find the perfect turd, and it will most likely happen again.”
The point of the spot is to play up the hamster-wheel vibe of modern work and how often we spend forever chasing something only to find it and immediately dive back into the cyclical process again.
Marqet as a brand marks the evolution of retailer MQ, which wanted to pivot into offering clothing for a new generation of professionals who want work to be rewarding and fulfilling.
“We wanted to capture a feeling a lot of us sometimes have towards our jobs,” said Marqet marketing director Mikael Kruse. “Don’t we all stress too much about stuff that doesn’t really matter to the world?”
You can get a sense of Marqet’s clothing styles in the images below.
CREDITS:
Client: Mikael Kruse, CMO, MQ AB
Agency: Happy F&B
Production company: Bleck Film
Happy F&B
Creative Director: Anders Kornestedt
Art Director: Anna Ahnborg
Copywriter: Johan Holmström
Account Director: Anette Anderson
Account Manager: Camilla Smids
Bleck Film:
Director: Marcus Svanberg
Producer: Frida Heder
DOP: Johan Palm
Grade: Tint (Oscar)
Sound: Ponytail
Online: Wille Rising
Agency producer: Alexander Blidner
Marqet:
Marketing director: Mikael Kruse
Art Director: Jenny Odh
Stylist: Pernilla Ehrenholm
