Over the past few years, branded content has become en vogue as a channel for advertisers. It's also a buzz word that agencies bandy about as though it's the same as a banner buy. In short it's a developed landscape, but one which hides a multitude of sins. Our strategy was to invest 55DSL's limited budget in well-made, emotionally inspired videos that would travel if they were any good.

55DSL came to VICE as a fashion brand stuck both in the shadow of its elder sibling (Diesel) as well as in a 'traditional' advertising mindset: "take pictures of our product, put it in magazines and the job is done". It was our job to help them transcend both of these things in order for them to reconnect with their audience and their own relevant, unique story.

We drilled down into what differentiated them from their high spending competitors (with budgets to shout loudly through every medium): that they are 'the original Italian street wear brand' who have always championed creativity, be it via their clothes or collaborations.

We believe that a well-taken picture of people with nice faces wearing clothes is not enough to really mean anything to anyone anymore. It's about being unexpected, it's about telling unheard stories and adding to people’s lives with things they didn't realise were missing. Therefore, we set out to tell relevant stories viewed through the lens of Italy. We briefed out a number of up and coming music video directors, directors with a credible body of work with 'cool' bands that our audience are already fans of, so there was an immediate credibility and status on which to piggyback. We asked them to create a short film inspired by what Italy could mean to young people today. The result is ROMA.

We shot a catalogue, ATL and social media assets on the same shoot in order for all communications to lead from one to the other. Straight clothing shots became movie posters, the emotional connection to the film became an awareness of the clothes, a consumer call to action in the form of photography competitions became an opportunity for personal reinterpretation and engagement.

We targeted influential culture and lifestyle websites (e.g. Hypebeast). On our behalf they would explain the film process, the talent, the brand as well as spread the film - earned media giving another level of advocacy. We arranged director interviews, to give a genuine editorial piece of interest, which in turn added a deeper level of engagement and understanding for our audience. Similar to how we briefed our director, David Altobelli, a competition to fly to Rome was launched asking our audience to show what Italy meant to them by taking a photo, uploading and tagging it on Instagram.

The average 55DSL video had been viewed 2,500 times each. Within just 4 weeks, ROMA was viewed over 300,000 times. A number, which may not challenge the Nike’s of this world, but in terms of shifting a brands relevance and awareness, it's a sea change. Facebook ‘likes’ have increased by over 35% in this short time period too. Out of nowhere, we've created an engaged Instagram community of 55DSL brand advocates with our Instagram competition that has been supported by photooftheday which has the 3rd largest group of hashtagged photo sets on the platform.

More than these pure numbers, is the fact that we've taken a small clothes brand and made them stand for something, and given them authenticity by communicating their Italian roots in a creative way. We’ve shown them to be a brand who supports and collaborates with some of the most respected creatives in the world, as well as supporting it's audience’s own creative leanings.

It's a positioning, which has been accepted and should be seen as the first step in plans which will build upon and transcend what is just the beginning of 55DSL's evolution.