It is not uncommon in the textile industry for a brand that manufacturers specialty fibers and an apparel retail brand to collaborate together, so they can market both their brands in one product. Two brands that collaborate in this way are Invista, a textile company, and Marmot, an outdoor clothing retailer. Invista is a specialty fiber manufacturer that makes Coolmax® fibers. These fibers are used in Marmot apparel products, like their men’s flannel shirts.
When two brands work together to make a product there are many benefits to their partnership. One benefit of working with another textile brand to produce apparel items is that if the companies decide that an advertising campaign would be helpful to sell the product the companies will split the cost of advertising. In most cases the advertising cost will not be split evenly, because one brand might be more featured that the other in the advertisements. Marmot recently made their TV commercial debut at this years Super Bowl. Their commercial was more about the lifestyle that their brand promotes, with little emphasis on the actual products they sell. Because of the nature of this commercial Coolmax® or any other special functions within the clothing were not mentioned. The way that Marmot usually adversities their products is on websites like REI. Companies like REI share similar lifestyle goals for their customers, so it makes sense for Marmot to trust REI to bring new customers to their brand. Coolmax® fits in here because under the description of every Marmot product is the name of the Coolmax® fiber used in production, for example Coolmax® Core or Coolmax® Extreme. Additionally there is a brief explanation of the benefits of using the Coolmax® fiber and why Marmot believes that the fiber they choose is the best choice for a specific consumer need.
Another benefit of Marmot and Coolmax® collaborating on products is that customers who are loyal to one of the brands will gain exposure to the other brand when they are making purchasing decisions. If, for example, a person exclusively buys from Marmot when he is purchasing a men’s flannel shirt then the customer could look at the tag and realize that Marmot flannel shirts are made with Coolmax® fibers. Then the next time he would go to buy a plain undershirt he might be more tempted to buy an undershirt that made with Coolmax®. The same is also possible for Coolmax® to help Marmot gain exposure, which is why is it mutually beneficial for both brands to advertise together on their shared products. Coolmax® was designed to keep the wearer cool while also keeping he or she dry and wicking moisture away from the body. If consumers did not previously know what the benefits of Coolmax® fibers are, they will after looking at the assortment of Marmot items.
Coolmax® clearly does a good job of getting their product into products, like the Marmot shirts and many other brand name apparel items. They also are very good at continuously coming up with new innovative fibers so that the brand will stay current and useful. Marmot is also successful at reaching their target consumer, and continuing to make sure the consumers outdoor sporting needs are met. However, Marmot could do a better job of advertising. As I stated earlier they just launched their first commercial this year, and there is little record of any other marketing campaigns before 2016. I think if this partnership between Coolmax® and Marmot is going to continue to grow, they need to create ads that are made for their target consumers. These ads do not necessarily have to be shown on TV, they can be created for many other social media outlets that outdoor apparel shoppers use most often. I believe that if these brands can create effective ads together their business market will grow and be successful.
Sources:
COOLMAX®. (n.d.). Retrieved September 6, 2016, from http://coolmax.com/
COOLMAX® Fiber. (n.d.). Retrieved September 6, 2016, from http://www.invista.com/en/brands/coolmax.html
Marmot for Life. (n.d.). Retrieved September 8, 2016, from https://marmot.com
Marmot Jasper Flannel Shirt — Men’s. Retrieved September 6, 2016, from https://www.rei.com/product/105154/marmot-jasper-flannel-shirt-mens?CAWELAID=120217890003031626
Pasquarelli., A. (2016, January 26). Outdoor Brand Marmot Buys First Super Bowl Spot. Retrieved September 9, 2016, from http://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/outdoors-brand-marmot-buys-super-bowl-spot/302352/