2024 marked the 70th anniversary of Leo Fender’s most iconic creation: the Stratocaster. Fender launched a global campaign honoring the Strat’s unmatched legacy and continued influence on popular music and culture.
The Brief: Highlight how the Strat has shaped generations of players while paving the way for the next 70 years of innovation and inspiration.
Campaign content garnered 23M video views across channels, 50,000 new social followers across channels and 65k campaign page visits within the first six weeks.
THE YEAR OF THE STRAT
FENDER CREATIVE TEAM: Marisa Velasquez-Rivas
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Beth Wawerna
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Diamond Doom
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Tara Fox
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Matthew Deak
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Joey Manfre
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VIDEO PRODUCTION: Buckets Moving Company
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FENDER CREATIVE TEAM: Marisa Velasquez-Rivas • Beth Wawerna • Diamond Doom • Tara Fox • Matthew Deak • Joey Manfre • VIDEO PRODUCTION: Buckets Moving Company •
FOREVER AHEAD OF ITS TIME
Stacked with radical innovations, the Stratocaster took time to catch on.
But thanks to its incredible versatility and sleek futuristic design, the Strat would soon become a magnet for a new wave of players who saw some of their own rebellious spirit in this unconventional guitar. Both a little misunderstood on their own – together they would start a revolution.
Just as radically innovative now as it was in 1954, the Strat is more relevant than ever – and artists will continue to unlock its potential for decades to come.
HERO FILM
“Voodoo Child (Slight Return)”
20 artists. One legendary song.
The goal: Celebrate 70 years of the world’s most iconic electric guitar by uniting players across genres and generations.
The concept: Let the Strat speak for itself.
Viewed 10m+ across Fender social channels.
A conversation and performance with the Stratocaster’s greatest living legends.
STRAT SESSIONS
Full Video: STRAT SESSIONS: Buddy Guy & Kingfish
Full Video: STRAT SESSIONS ft. Yngwie Malmsteen
Working with the team at Man vs Machine, we created a singular piece of product key art that hero’ed one of the new limited edition Stratocaster anniversary models. Concentric circles symbolized the Stratocaster’s boundless versatility and infinite expression.
But it’s impossible to tell the story of the Strat without the artists who have brought it to life. We developed a second key art series highlighting some of the most iconic Strat players of the last 70 years – and their own words about this magical guitar.
KEY ART
During our “Voodoo Child” shoot, photographer Alysse Gafkjen captured unforgettable portraits of our campaign artists with their own beloved Strats.
ARTIST PHOTOGRAPHY
