Open Letter to Wrangler Jeans

(Wrangler Spring/Summer 2010)

Dear Wranger;

As a person who has lived in the US my entire life (minus a short stint in China) I have always associated Wrangler with a certain genre of people. That is to say cowboys. To me Wranglers are a brand as closely related to the cowboy as a pack of Marlboro cigarettes. Why is this? Well, when I was growing up (I won't say when) most Wrangler ads featured a rugged looking man with a scruffy beard and a cowboy hat. This is understandable as the brand's roots date back to jeans suitable for rodeos.

Fast forward to 2010 and now you've got these amazing ad campaigns that totally blow the cowboy image out of the water. I've seen them in magazines, as well as other media, and think they are the coolest ads I've seen by you, or any other brand, thus far. To add to this fairly new image, you recently set up residency at the Sands' Beach Club during the International Music Summit in Ibiza. There you promoted your Spring/Summer 2010 collection Vegas Heat because the lightweight, breezy and colorful looks were on par with the atmosphere of the world's most famous party island. There's not a rugged pair of jeans in sight among the collection.

So why the open letter you ask? Well, I went to Wrangler's website and was met with a photo of NFL star Brett Favre looking very cataloguey in a pair of sky blue Wranglers. I clicked again on the 'home' button and cycled through a rotation of photos, none of which I expected. I saw a picture of a woman on a horse, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Jason Aldean with a guitar and Trevor Brazile in full cowboy regalia. Confusion ensues. Where are the ads of the hot models pretending to be wild animals? Where are the pictures of the coolsters frolicking in red dust? More importantly, where are the links to view and purchase the collection?

I decided to investigate which translates into one thing ---Google. I found a link for Wrangler International and clicked on it. Eureka, I found them! The Wrangler Europe website glosses over the cowboy motif and opts for a vintage aesthetic. Much better. There are links to the different campaigns and I was fascinated by the way in which I had to view the collection. It was very, very innovative and directional.

So I ask you Wrangler, why oh why, are you shortchanging us? I know that there are still a chunk of people, most likely in middle-America that embrace this cowboy image and view Wrangler as a heritage brand. I think that's okay, there's nothing wrong with a brand embracing it's roots. However, if the release of these ad campaign in the US is part of strategy to broaden your brand image in the US beyond cowboys and country music, then it would be nice to be able to at least find it online. I'm just sayin'.

 

Comments

[Alessandro Vigano]

Hi.
I'm actually the Creative Director of Wrangler Europe and first of all I would just thank you to be one of the denim Lovers who makes our "world" better, with your Blog.
Concerning your though I just want to assure you that is exactly our goal and target try to make Wrangler all over the World, including (above all) United States, only one Wrangler, that doesn't means we would see any Cowboy wearing red denims.
We are more than Welcome whenever you would, join us @ Bread & Butter maybe, where we can show and explain properly
our strategy and show you our line and surely convince you about our "thought" and maybe find you one of the next fun.
Thanks once again, really, we appreciate any comments, could be against or just an opinion, that makes our job just a better job.
Sincerely.
Alessandro.

[Alessandro Vigano]

...of course "You are more than Welcome"...sorry for my mistake.
Best.
Ale