“Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.”
PF. Flyers doesn't require reinvention. Just a recommitment to its heritage and values that made the brand iconic in the first place. Because real rebels and nonconformists don’t need to go out of their way to make noise and be seen. They just…are.
A challenger at heart, from the start.
It’s in the brand’s DNA. PF. Flyers is fearless not because it uses pronouns or practices inclusivity but because it vociferously believes in the most American of ideals: Freedom. Freedom to round the bases; to nail the interview; to wander the halls. Freedom to explore the city; to hold the dance floor; to have fun. PF. Flyers represents the freedom to comfortably stand on your own two feet whether in line, at work, or volunteering in your community. Blaze a trail; lounge on the couch. Because whatever you do, whatever you choose, PF. Flyers believes in the freedom to be you. To…
Run faster, jump higher, Fly free!
Who are our Free Flyers?
PF. Flyers is the bold, hip choice for the next generation of freedom-loving trailblazers. They aren’t afraid to speak up; to show up; to get the job done. They make no apologies for what they create; for what they believe in; for having fun.
Nearly 50% of the electorate are Millennials and Gen Z.
They’re coming for the culture, for political power, for influence. Free Flyers are today’s inspirational leaders and athletes, actors and musicians, social influencers and activists. PF. Flyers deserve to be worn by the likes of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Maxwell Frost on the floor of the House of Representatives; by Celtics’ point guard Jaylen Brown as he attacks wealth disparity in the Boston community; by Bad Bunny — Spotify’s most streaming artist — who uses his music in a typically hyper-masculine “macho” genre to defy gender norms and fuse Latin pride with individuality; or by HARDY, a boy from Mississippi who fuses Country with Rock music to lovingly parody redneck culture and tackle heavy topics like domestic violence.
PF. Flyers is where nostalgia and trendy meet.
Consumers under the age of 40 (i.e. Millennials and Gen Z) constitute 80% of the $30B+ sneaker market in the US. This opens up a unique opportunity for PF. Flyers. Millennials’ fond memories for the 1990s (which include cinematic classics like 1993’s The Sandlot) overlap with Gen Z's longing for an era when the internet was “safe” — before fake news, culture war noise, and curated feeds.
‘90s style is back, baby!
God forbid, right? Gen Z gravitates toward “adorkable” fashion and design that’s inspired by the decade: oversized clothing, spandex biker shorts, high-rise jeans, and halter tops; loud, bright colors; bubble-gum pop typography, scribbles, doodles, stickers, and patches; cyber-punk grunge and anti-design motifs. It’s casual, messy, anachronistic, unscripted, humorous, fundamentally authentic and radically inclusive.
Creative Ideas
Take flight
Every new pair of PF. Flyers starts with the feeling of “taking flight.” These are shoes so comfortable that as soon as you lace them up, it’s as if you’re floating, perhaps even flying above the ground.
Let’s create a unique visual signature for the brand by depicting our “Fly Free” feeling in its most literal form. It’s an aesthetic approach that conveys the endless possibilities when wearing our product, and a theme that can be leveraged time and time again across PF. Flyers photography, video, influencer channels, and user-generated content.
Fly free
Creative Ideas
The legend continues…
Mattel developed Barbie in 1959 — nearly a quarter century after PF. Flyers released its first shoe — to promote a plastic, dressable doll. In late-July 2023, the release of the movie Barbie initiated the launch of over 1000 brand partnerships and grossed $1.2B (as of August 13) at the global box office. Remember, this is a character originally created for a children’s toy.
When a brand has its own character IP, the creative opportunities are endless. Lucky for PF. Flyers, we have a character under our control that no other shoe brand can lay claim to. Perhaps it’s time to bring him back in a new way, for a new generation.
Meet Swifty III and Meg
The torch has been passed. Swifty III is Swifty’s young, hip, tech-savvy grandson who is into all the latest trends, from TikTok to NFTs to custom shoe patches, and everything in between. Meg — Swifty III’s slightly irreverent, semi-sarcastic cousin — is a straight-up, glorified baddie.
Swifty III and Meg decided to return to the family business and retake PF. Flyers’ rightful place on the top shelf. Nike’s “Just Do It” and Adidas’ “Impossible is Nothing” mantras never quite resonated with them. They don’t see life as a competition. Rather, Swifty III and Meg believe in the freedom to be authentically who you want to be because that’s who you ought to be. That is what PF. Flyers represents at its best: freedom to Fly free and be unapologetically yourself.
Creative Ideas
Collectible patches and merch
There is something nostalgic about merit badges. There’s also something uniquely individual about the patches you choose to embroider onto your clothes. It’s an opportunity to let the expression of our consumer’s personalities and values Fly free.
We can create collections of custom Swifty III and Meg patches that can be added to any shoe. Or, we can partner with non-profit organizations like Black Lives Matter, March For Our Lives, Human Rights Campaign, and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston. Or, we partner with brands like Disney to create character patches featuring Mickey, Bluey, or Deadpool.
