award of merit
dkamp@mower.com
Challenge
Carhartt was widely recognized and loved by consumers, but its business offering, Carhartt Company Gear, lacked awareness among decision-makers. The brand needed to break into a category dominated by lower cost uniform providers while reaching a complex audience that included procurement, HR, owners and executives. The task was not just to introduce a product, but to justify a premium investment.
Insight
Across industries and roles, decision-makers aligned on what truly mattered: quality, durability, comfort and fit. More importantly, they believed the right gear directly impacts performance, retention and overall business success. This reframed uniforms from a cost center into a strategic investment. Carhartt did not need to compete on price. It needed to prove value.
Strategy
Reposition Carhartt Company Gear from a uniform supplier to a performance driven business solution. Build a platform that elevates uniforms into a symbol of pride, productivity and long term value. Support this positioning with proof, research and real world validation that connects emotional benefits to measurable business outcomes.
Idea
“It’s More Than a Uniform. It’s a Carhartt.”
The platform established Carhartt as a competitive advantage, not just a product. It leveraged a 130 year legacy of innovation to position the brand as a partner in workforce performance and retention. This was not about outfitting crews. It was about strengthening businesses.
Activation
The strategy launched as a fully integrated campaign spanning video, digital, trade and social, beginning with a high profile debut at CONEXPO. Every touchpoint reinforced the same core message, driving immediate impact with a 95% increase in revenue and 149% growth in sales within ten months.
In year two, the strategy deepened through commissioned research that quantified how premium uniforms drive morale, loyalty and retention. The platform expanded across seasons and product categories, proving performance in both extreme cold and summer heat. Partnerships with companies like Sunrun brought credibility through real voices, while initiatives like corporate gifting reframed Carhartt as a meaningful way to recognize crews. This phase drove a 65% increase in MQLs and the highest demand month in channel history.
By year three, the strategy scaled further into enterprise solutions through partnerships with Ford and Cintas, reaching more than 2,800 dealerships nationwide. It also evolved to address a broader workforce challenge. With skilled trades facing a labor shortage, Carhartt launched “The Next Responders,” elevating the purpose of these roles and strengthening the talent pipeline.
Results
Across three years, the strategy delivered sustained and measurable growth:
• Triple digit increase in sales
• More than 380 million impressions
• Over 3 million clicks and more than 2 million site visits
• 91% aided awareness
• 50% increase in unaided awareness
• 40,000 tradeshow visits
• Thousands of high quality leads
• Consistent year over year growth in orders and revenue
This was not just a campaign. It was a strategic shift that proved when crews feel valued, protected and ready to perform, businesses perform better too.
