WKE and the art of creativity
By Simon Fuller. Brand DIY. Wieden + Kennedy are on top of this entertainment game. For one, its WKE unit – Wieden + Kennedy Entertainment - is pretty busy delivering arts- and culture-based digital content.
Just to give a taste of the kind of thing we’re talking about here, check out DIY America, a web series produced by BlackLake Productions and director by Aaron Rose, perhaps best known for his film Beautiful Losers film, which explored a DIY movement in street art.
Rose returns to his main interest – and unreleased material from Beautiful Losers – with DIY America, which focuses on youth and skateboarding culture, taking a good look along the way at topics such as graffiti and hip-hop. The show premiered in December last year, with episodes regularly appearing on WKE’s site
Quite a bit of WKE content has an alternative vibe, in fact, with other shows, such as Don’t Move Here, for example, dealing with art, music labels and the culture which surrounds them. There’s WKE Radio too.
Has there been a conscious decision to concentrate on the scene, perhaps?
“It was more of a natural development given our relationship with Aaron Rose, who directed the series and has been the creative director of the WKE channel,” says Bill Davenport, executive producer at WKE. “It was something that he had a passion for which also lined up with our interests in terms of creativity and personal expression.”
And while overt branding is virtually non-existent throughout the WKE platform, furthering their long-standing connection with skate and street art culture can only be good for clients like Nike.
“Specifically in regard to DIY, Nike has been deeply connected to skate and graffiti culture for many years,” explains Davenport. “They completely understand and recognize the importance of those communities to their brand. But, in general, any insight, experience or relationships we build via the programming on the WKE channel will add to our understanding and appreciation of culture, and we will naturally apply that perspective to our core business.”
