Revealed
February 3, 2025
Birkenstock is taking inspiration from London for its newest marketing campaign. Created for the Tokio shoe, the marketing campaign “celebrates the versatile suede clog, following two protagonists amidst the vibrant energy of London”.
BIRKENSTOCK
However because the product’s title implies, there’s a robust Japanese really feel too. The clog, which will probably be celebrating its fortieth anniversary in 2027, “exemplifies Karl Birkenstock’s forward-thinking approach during a pivotal era when Japan was emerging as a global economic and cultural powerhouse”.
Drawing inspiration from Tokyo’s “unparalleled influence on design and creativity, the Tokio was originally designed to meet the needs of professionals—such as those in healthcare and hospitality—requiring secure and supportive footwear for long hours on their feet. Today, this iconic design is evolving into a modern streetwear staple”.
The clog has been reimagined in ‘Vintage White’, finishing the four-colour providing and is seen for SS25 with a streetwear-inspired marketing campaign, that includes artistic protagonists Sirui Ma and Orion Johnson, a multidisciplinary artist and occasion producer.
Birkenstock followers met Johnson within the earlier first chapter of the marketing campaign that was set in Tokyo.
Now he’s in London, dwelling to photographer Ma, whose artistic journey started in Beijing and New York earlier than she settled within the UK capital. The marketing campaign “immerses viewers into London’s unique energy, blending vibrant urban culture with moments of natural serenity. It is both a love letter to the city and a celebration of a contrasted experience of urban culture and nature”.
The imagery follows the protagonists as they discover town from the East Finish, Broadway Market and London Fields, providing a “vivid snapshot” of its dynamic tradition.
