JOHN VARVATOS:
“ROCK IS DEAD, LONG LIVE ROCK”
rebooting the rock and roll gentleman
The Challenge
Reset and renew the ‘Rock and Roll Gentleman’ brand platform to attract a ‘more youthful customer’ while maintaining its core attributes of the brand across product verticals.
The strategy
The brand’s mindset could transfer from the past to the present. While one generation of rockstars was leaving the stage, a broader range of artists emerged. To counter the rise of competitors such as Amiri, the stories of younger musicians became central to updating the brands’ audience and channel strategy.
The Idea & Execution:
‘Rock Is Dead, Long Live Rock’ bought new stars such as Machine Gun Kelly, Nick Jonas, and Gary Clark Jnr into the men’s luxury space. Continuing the partnership with Danny Clinch, long-form content, social-first activations, and live streams brought more context and color to these performers' stories. A fragrance collaboration with Nick Jonas expanded the brand's audience further.
The Result:
The pivot successfully returned the brand to growth, with sales up 6 percent to $325million in 2018
