Starbucks launched its Pumpkin Spice Latte before Labor Day, Doc Martens’ yellow stitching now outlines open-toed shoes, and Ugg wants to stay in consumer’s closets year-round. In retail, seasonality has become a suggestion.
Ugg, which rose to fame for its collection of fur boots, places its new line of Mary Janes and sandals in the first warm days of the season in its global campaign “Big Spring Energy." Made alongside agency Young Hero, the spot which launched this month features musician HANNI and her friends, who all romp around in the sun while sporting the collection.
“This campaign is part of our more significant business and brand strategy to ensure that Ugg is a global fashion lifestyle brand all year long,” said Ugg's vice president of global marketing Carole Diarra. “We are working to deseasonalize our brand perception.”
When marketers build a strong fanbase around a seasonal product or time of year, they often seek to replicate that success. As brands like Ugg work to expand their relevance throughout the year, they’re also working to maintain the niche positioning that makes them stand out.
In Ugg's campaign, the brand challenged product seasonality while offering styling options to consumers.
“They stayed true to what makes them Ugg, which is that comfort,” said Roberto Max Salas, co-founder at Young Hero. “They just happened to juxtapose it with style and are giving people the opportunity to express themselves.”
The ubiquity of a fashion trend—like Ugg’s Tasman slippers, which were frequently sold out this season—also gives consumers stylistic freedom, said AJ Vernet, senior business development executive at Hatch.IM.
“Ugg is giving people creative ideas,” he said. “I may not want to wear my Uggs with a dress pant, but somebody else is going to want to because it's a statement.”
While Ugg’s ethos is often associated with warmth in the winter, the brand has made efforts to widen that brand umbrella. In 2022, Ugg launched Feel House, an experiential series that has invited guests to experience live music, meditation, and artwork from local artists.
“These are immersive experiences in key cities where we bring our community together to showcase the sensorial feel of Ugg in real-life, and celebrate all the creative communities that engage with Ugg,” said Diarra.
To expand its relevance, Ugg is ultimately repositioning coziness in the context of self expression, said Nick Panayotopoulos, co-founder and executive creative director at Young Hero.
“Comfort is inherent to the product, and Ugg is just reinterpreting what that comfort means,” he said. “Cozy is one interpretation, but this campaign is about having this comfortable confidence.”
Ugg’s net sales increased 16.1% year-over-year to $1.24 billion in their latest quarter, their parent company Deckers reports. While the consumer preference for loungewear and comfortable clothing may fade, Ugg is taking advantage of its popularity to outlive the trend cycle, said Vernet.
“The trend has swung to Ugg, and they’re just riding that wave by grabbing as many new shoppers as they can,” he said. “[This growth] gives them permission to think outside the box and experiment.”
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