GANT unveils ‘Flipping The Ladder’ premiering during Tribeca Film Festival

The Industrial Revolution introduced the career ladder to the world, where it continues to dictate what success should look like. Today, rapid technological and societal changes are creating new possibilities that allow people to define success on their own terms. As a result, research shows that at least half of the working population dreams of a new career. So what is stopping them from taking the leap?

American sportswear brand GANT introduces Flipping the Ladder, a feature-length documentary and global campaign made in partnership with the creative agency B-Reel, and directed by Agnes-Lo Akerlind. Flipping the Ladder explores the phenomenon of career switching, aiming to inspire the world to stay curious and Never Stop Learning.

The world is changing at a rapid pace, and people are starting to redefine the purpose of work and success. Research forecasts that the average worker will have five separate careers in their life, with today’s graduates having 17 employers by the time they retire at age 75.

Today, people spend the majority of their time at work, which has resulted in an increased desire to fill that time with deeper meaning. Working professionals no longer necessarily define success only by traditional values such as money, status or conformism. They value the ability to design their own lives, where work is meaningfully productive, and something much bigger than just what pays the rent.

GANT, the brand that created the renowned TV series Couple Thinkers, starring Craig Ferguson, continues to inspire the world with their credo of Never Stop Learning. Flipping the Ladder sets out to explore this growing trend and challenge the viewer by asking the question, what if the next step in your career isn’t up?

American actor, writer, and producer Rashida Jones serves as the narrator of the film and will moderate a panel discussion immediately following the Tribeca Film Festival screening.

“We are allowed, for the first time in history, to be who we want to be. That’s exciting,” says Katherine Siemionko, Founder and President of Women’s March Alliance. “The top social structures that I find hold people back are expectations. Expectations about money, expectations from your family that you will be a success, expectations you put on yourself. Those expectations will keep you sitting at your desk bored, miserable and bitter. Stop putting expectations on yourself, and just believe that you can.”

The documentary follows three professionals who want to change direction and gives them the opportunity to try an entirely new career. Three experts – neuroscientist Dr. Don Vaughn, Women’s March Alliance Founder & President Katherine Siemionko and Professor of Economics and Research Nava Ashraf – follow the flippers’ journeys and explain the different phases of change through neuroscience, common roadblocks such as fear and social expectations, and how to overcome them.

“Brands are the new politicians,” says Eleonore Säll, Global Marketing Director at GANT. “Today, consumers expect us to do more - to inspire, solve issues, and unite people. We need to acknowledge this new role and dare to connect on more levels than our products to stay relevant. We see that our consumers respond well to purpose-driven marketing and appreciate our function as a conversation starter to real life matters.”

Philip Arvidson, Creative at B-Reel, continues, “As you enter a professional field, you tend to get pulled in by the short- term goals of the rat race. No matter how far you climb, there’s always going to be a next step up. This campaign will help you zoom out from that corporate ladder to reconnect with your long-term goals. If these goals steer you into a new direction, the film will hopefully provide some courage and guidance.”

Flipping the Ladder will premiere during the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City on May 2, followed by a public release later in 2019. The film is directed by Agnes-Lo Åkerlind of the production studio BRF, and is the centerpiece of a global campaign that includes social media,out of  home, print advertising and several events.