When Toronto Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista announced this month that he’d signed up to promote a new denim line with Silver Jeans Co., there was more at play than just a celebrity endorsement.
Bautista’s move into the fashion game was also the latest marketing coup for Canadian retailer Jean Machine, which began a thorough rebrand in late 2014 as it approached its 39th year in the market.
Not only will Bautista’s new line of Silver Jeans — which will hit the racks this fall at around $80 to $100 each — be available at Jean Machine, but the store’s locations and its website (together, with SilverJeans.com) will provide a hub of activity regarding the new partnership in the months to come.
And as Jean Machine works to attract the vital 18-34 market with its new, dressy-denim approach, Bautista’s “Joey Series” is a well-timed score.
“Our goal is to develop two major campaigns a year to drive awareness of the refreshed branding, and share the new seasonal trends for Fall/Winter and Spring/Summer,” said Joanna Track from marketing firm Good Eggs & Co., which has worked closely with Jean Machine on the rebrand.
“Along with those [seasonal campaigns], we continue to develop ongoing initiatives and programs to build awareness and drive traffic — both online and in stores.”
The brand makeover, which has included a freshening of Jean Machine’s retail outlets and a style refocus on the store’s shelves, has also resulted in a web awakening of sorts, with improved online sales, said Track.
Likewise, on the social media side, the company has been using Instagram to connect with customers and has seen a 119% growth in followers since August.
Meanwhile, average engagement on posts has increased 70%, which the company attributed to its strategy of uploading style-orientated content to create discussion instead of just posting promotions.
“Our online performance has also grown exponentially, and we’re so pleased to see new faces in the stores, as well as re-visits from previous customers now bringing Jean Machine back into their fashionable lives,” said Track.
This summer, the retailer will further push its online presence with what it’s calling a “blogger ambassador program.”
The idea is to use social media to showcase summer styles at Canada’s burgeoning music festival scene. In fact, the concept will launch at the Field Trip festival, which will see bands and live music fans take over downtown Toronto’s Fort York and Garrison Common on June 6 and 7.
