Vans, the original action sports and one of the largest youth culture brands in the world, today announces the release of its global campaign, This Is Off The Wall. Following up on Vans’ 50th anniversary series, which welcomed newcomers to the brand’s rich heritage and thanked decades of loyalists, the 2017 campaign focuses on what makes Vans “Off The Wall” – creative expression.

To demonstrate the breadth of activities and pursuits that define “Off The Wall,” Vans has developed a digital-based campaign utilizing a range of film techniques, from slow motion to time-lapse, focusing on the creative endeavours that Vans champions. Vans showcases the essence of “Off The Wall” through a diverse set of ambassadors within a hero montage and a series of shorter spots.

“The meaning of ‘Off The Wall’ is the very ethos of Vans, the very identity of our brand – its everything we stand for,” said Doug Palladini, Vans Global Brand President. “We're really pleased to tell this inspiring and sincere, five-decade-long story through our family of ambassadors who have been brought together by their passion for action sports, art, music and street culture all over the world."
This Is Off The Wall taps into Vans professional athletes, artists, musicians and style purveyors who have long and personal histories with the brand. Their stories are each unique and told through a variety of tones, but ultimately shine a light on the passions that Vans has always supported. The visual nature and the emotions that are evoked in each story are easily translatable around the world, showing that creative expression is inclusive and without borders.

VP of Global Marketing Fara Howard shares, “It’s hard to assign one definition to ‘Off The Wall’, so we wanted to deliver a campaign that truly shows that our mantra takes shape through various forms of creativity. Whether that’s through music, surfing, skateboarding or customizing a pair of shoes, the through line in all the stories we tell will communicate the distinct way in which Vans looks at the world.”
“Off The Wall” was a term coined when skateboarders in the mid ‘70s were landing new tricks in empty pools by literally skating off the wall. At that time, skateboarders were the outcasts of society that were expressing themselves through the style of their sport. These individuals were not only the pioneers of skateboarding but lived and breathed creativity through art, music, fashion and local culture. For more than 50 years, “Off The Wall” has been synonymous with that original spirit of rebellion and creative expression.