How Wrangler is marketing to Gen Z as well as older brand loyalists
Wrangler Global Brand President Tom Waldron joins the Marketer's Brief podcast to discuss how the brand is connecting with younger shoppers and also staying relevant for older loyalists.
Fransebas
Turn on “Yellowstone,” the cowboy-themed show starring Kevin Costner and Kelly Reilly on Paramount, and you might see another star—Wrangler. The 75-year-old denim brand frequently advertises during commercial breaks for the show but also invests in product placement as it tries to drive awareness with older and younger viewers.
“The good news is from a product placement standpoint, we are the authentic brand in that space,” said Tom Waldron, global brand president of Wrangler, speaking on the latest episode of the Marketer’s Brief podcast. “You can’t do a ‘Yellowstone’ episode without seeing Wrangler all over the place—it wouldn’t be an authentic representation of the western lifestyle if it wasn’t there.”
Along with advertising on “Yellowstone,” Wrangler—which is owned by Kontoor Brands—is also investing in newer marketing channels to reach Gen Z customers who might not be as aware of the decades-old brand. Wrangler is running influencer videos on TikTok and experimenting with both real-life and virtual products in the metaverse, according to Waldron, who is also co-chief operating officer and executive VP of Kontoor.
On the podcast, Waldron also talks about recent collaborations with Billabong and Fender as well as partnerships with Leon Bridges and Georgia May Jagger. In addition, he explains how Wrangler is maintaining existing relationships with loyal older customers even as it courts Gen Z, and how the brand is thinking about marketing this holiday season amid economic turmoil.
“In this time period of uncertainty, I believe consumers are looking for some trust and we feel like Wrangler, being around for 75 years and the product quality we have, is something they’re going to gravitate toward,” Waldron said. “It is a time to make sure we are telling our story to all of our consumers.”
Finally, Waldron also touches on the lasting appeal of cowboy culture and why jeans continue to outshine other items of apparel.
