Lee Jeans EVP Chris Waldeck breaks down how the 100+-year-old denim brand is rejuvenating its image and reaching Gen Z without alienating its existing customer base. This episode offers key strategies for legacy brands looking to stay relevant and expand their market share in a rapidly evolving retail landscape.
Key takeaways
To successfully refresh a legacy brand, focus on its core identity and iconic products, but present them through a modern lens to attract new demographics. Don't lose sight of what made the brand strong initially.
Develop a global strategy that accounts for regional differences in selling and marketing. What works in one major market (e.g., China) may not translate to another (e.g., U.S. or Europe).
Strategic collaborations should aim for a 'one plus one equals four' outcome, not just two. Seek partnerships with authentic, historical connections or complementary brand stories that resonate deeply with consumers and create a richer narrative.
To reach younger audiences like Gen Z, identify and engage with them on their preferred platforms, making products accessible and marketing relevant to their digital native behaviors.
Implement a highly segmented approach to marketing and product development, leveraging brand archives and icons to create differentiated offerings that appeal to various consumer groups while maintaining brand cohesion.
Lee Jeans is over a century old, but it's trying to remain hip with younger generations.
One way it does this is with collaborations. For example, the apparel brand recently worked with the menswear company Brooklyn Circus on a new joint collection. The products are an update on some of Lee's oldest designs -- an attempt to bridge a heritage brand with something newer.
According to Chris Waldeck, evp and co-chief operating officer at Lee's parent company Kontoor Brands, the philosophy behind these types of collaborations is to tell a story that one brand alone couldn't tell. "There's no connection between Brooklyn Circus and Lee," Waldeck. The strategy behind joining to disparate brands is "bringing them together to tell a fantastic story and to make some great products."
Waldeck joined the Modern Retail Podcast this week and spoke about the denim brand's updated strategy. Lee has been around since 1889, but has had its ups and downs. Lee used to be a part of VF Corporation, which owns brands like North Face and Timberland. But in 2019, VF spun out both Lee and Wrangler to their own parent company Kontoor.
Now, the company is focused on bringing Lee to new -- and younger -- shoppers. A lot of that, he said, is about finding Gen Z on new platforms, and figuring out ways to make its products accessible to youth audiences.
Waldeck joined Lee in 2017. He said his mandate was "to energize the brand." At the time, he said, "we had gotten old and our consumer was getting older." As such, he's spent the last five years trying to give the legacy brand a facelift of sorts.
The challenge, he said, has been keeping with Lee's legacy and styles while still reaching new people. To make it even more difficult, the strategy isn't the same around the world. For example, China, which is one of Lee's biggest markets, has a markedly different selling and marketing strategy than the U.S. and Europe.
"What underpins [our approach] is a really strategic approach to segmentation," said Wal
Frequently asked about this episode
What does this episode say about brand revitalization?
To successfully refresh a legacy brand, focus on its core identity and iconic products, but present them through a modern lens to attract new demographics. Don't lose sight of what made the brand strong initially.
What does this episode say about global marketing?
Develop a global strategy that accounts for regional differences in selling and marketing. What works in one major market (e.g., China) may not translate to another (e.g., U.S. or Europe).
What does this episode say about next-gen consumer engagement?
Strategic collaborations should aim for a 'one plus one equals four' outcome, not just two. Seek partnerships with authentic, historical connections or complementary brand stories that resonate deeply with consumers and create a richer narrative.
What does this episode say about strategic partnerships?
To reach younger audiences like Gen Z, identify and engage with them on their preferred platforms, making products accessible and marketing relevant to their digital native behaviors.
What does this episode say about brand revitalization?
Implement a highly segmented approach to marketing and product development, leveraging brand archives and icons to create differentiated offerings that appeal to various consumer groups while maintaining brand cohesion.
