Cole Haan presented its first ever film production, The American Dream Project, in collaboration with Happy Marshall Productions. The brand partnered with FilmBuff to premiere the docu-series on Apr. 15, 2015, with distribution partners that include Amazon, Dailymotion, Google Play, iTunes, Ora TV, Vessel, Vimeo and YouTube. The American Dream Project tells the story of a cross-country journey to discover whether the American Dream still exists and what it looks like today.
Filmmaker James Marshall and photographer Todd Williams embarked on their epic trip armed with just $250, their wits, and a healthy sense of adventure. For Marshall, a British citizen who lives in New York, and Williams, an American, the plan was simple: to travel from New York to California exchanging hard work for food and shelter, and, along the way, meet people from all over the country, getting to know them and sharing their stories.
“For Cole Haan, supporting The American Dream Project was a natural fit. We are pleased to accompany James on his journey to champion the American Dream,” said Cole Haan Chief Marketing Officer, David Maddocks.
Their 5,000-mile journey took them from New York City to Los Angeles, with Marshall and Williams making stops in eight towns and cities along the way. In plotting their course, they used social media to connect with people who opened their homes in exchange for various types of work. The film series captures their distinctly American optimism, kindness, and resilience-and shows that the qualities that make this country great are alive and well.
“The generosity and kindness of the complete strangers I met has stuck with me the most. We are constantly told how dangerous it is out there and how different we are from each other. My experience was that people are mostly generous, kind and we have more in common than not,” said James Marshall.
Cole Haan echoes the spirit and pursuit of the American Dream and is a proud title sponsor of The American Dream Project. Find the trailer on ColeHaan.com/americandream and the complete series on Amazon, Dailymotion, Google Play, iTunes, Ora TV, Vessel, Vimeo and YouTube on April 15, 2015.
