As the crisp hats and tailored suits of the 1950s shifted toward baseball caps and T-shirts, the trend toward casual attire created a drastic shift in the needs of the male consumer.
The number of national chains only increased Beecroft & Bull’s challenge.
Otto’s strategy: To educate male consumers by encouraging them to re-think their definition of casual clothing. Our studies indicated that the average male consumer thought of casual attire as jeans and a T-shirt—but they also recognized that such clothes weren’t appropriate for all social situations.
Otto rebranded the store, creating a niche retail category that positioned Beecroft & Bull as a leader in the ‘dressy casual’ market. The new positioning statement, ‘Dress better than you have to,’ is a fun, edgy, and appealing message targeted toward the mainstream consumer. It made the idea of custom clothing and designer labels much more approachable, while promoting the idea of ‘dressy casual’ as a possibility for everyday wear.
Communications initiatives included catalogues and print ads. Full-page, full-color ads provided maximum impact in regional buys of national men’s mainstream publications, including: Sports Illustrated, Car and Driver, Time Magazine, and US News and World Report.
Rising revenues. Beecroft & Bull’s profits have consistently grown during the past eight years. Despite soft sales in the national attire and apparel industry, the company’s sales have grown by a remarkable 20%.
National acclaim. Beecroft & Bull consists of five locations in Virginia Beach, Newport News, Richmond and Charlottesville—yet it is consistently ranked by Esquire magazine as one of America’s top stores.