Wrangler plays for youth attention with aggressive digital marketing plan

Part of the great American trifecta of denim with Levi’s and Lee, Wrangler was once known as a brand for the rebellious young. However, the 1947-born brand’s age is now showing. Changing times and fashion preferences have pushed Brand Wrangler to the shadows, even as core audiences have aged in markets across the world. In India, the company is seeking a fresh mandate from the youth, pushing itself more aggressively on digital platforms and extending the brand to cater to budget conscious markets.  

The American company has just launched a sub-brand called ‘Wrangler 20X’. Priced around 30-35 per cent lower than Wrangler jeans (Rs 2,295 onwards), this will be available exclusively on Flipkart, the company said. If the experiment pays off, the digital-only label will be offered via the company’s offline retail network too.

A more affordable purchase opportunity for younger consumers will, or so Wrangler India hopes, help get the brand closer to its iconic status of the past and serve as a point of entry for younger consumers into the main brand. “The brand is designed for young, trend-aware digital citizens who aspire to buy Wrangler but are also looking for a more affordable value proposition,” says Krishna Dorai, general manager, Wrangler India. 

By doing this, the company has taken the road well-travelled, says Harish Bijoor, brand consultant and founder Harish Bijoor Consults. “Every apparel brand has something for the young and something for the old, particularly old brands with the ambition of winning over young customers. Wrangler has the image of being an older person’s brand and hence it is important to create a brand for young.” 

Another association that the company is hoping to break with its new offering is that of Wrangler being a premium label. Dorai sees a bigger play in the budget category that could help boost sales and recall and help expand brand footprint.

Wrangler 20x is aimed at the age group 15-25. The company claims, within the first 90 days of the brand going up on Flipkart Fashion, almost half the stock has sold out. Price is not the only difference between the extension and the main brand; there is design differentiation too, says Dorai. 

Bijoor believes that Wrangler is making the right moves but it has to measure its steps carefully so as not to dilute the original brand. “There are pros and cons (of brand extensions for different age groups),” he says. The focus on the brand gets divided and it then becomes a challenge to invest in all the brands with equal intensity and vigour. 

Wrangler 20x is aimed at the age group 15-25

The Indian denim segment is estimated at Rs 230.76 billion (2017) and projected to grow at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 12.7 per cent to reach Rs 419.47 billion by 2022 and Rs 762.58 billion by 2027 according to India Retailing. Men’s denim contributes around 84 per cent to the total market. According to market surveys and studies, in addition to volume growth, the value growth is expected to increase across all segments. Incremental growth is expected in the mid-premium and premium-luxury segments.

The Indian denim market is separated into super premium, premium and budget. Brands such as Diesel (Rs 30,000-60,000) are considered super premium, followed by Wrangler, Lee, Levis, Pepe and others in the premium segment. Wrangler is hoping to penetrate other categories too with its new offering. 

Price and innovation are the two key pillars the future of the brand rests on according to Dorai, who talks about how they developed a new material that does not let water penetrate the denim. “It is a very small feature, but it adds immense value for one riding a bike in the rains,” says Dorai. 

Today Wrangler sells through 340 outlets, including 240 brand exclusive stores. Tier 2-3 towns account for 40-45 per cent of Wrangler sales. The company promotes itself on social media and through offline experiences such as ‘True wanderer’ that offers an all-expenses paid seven-day bike trip in the country. In return, participants are asked to write about the experience and Wrangler products on social media. Bikers are big influencers online and Wrangler hopes to ride their popularity with the young audiences through such measures.