It's been another weird week in retail. Wrangler tapped "Old Town Road" in its latest mobile campaign, Justin Bieber ventured into personal care and if you thought the nightmare that is Crocs was just limited to your feet, you're in for a sour surprise.
This, and more, in this week's retail therapy.
Wrangler cashes in on 'Old Town Road'
The jeans maker earlier this week announced its latest mobile campaign, which cashes in on Lil Nas X's hit "Old Town Road." Inspired by the lyric, "Cowboy hat from Gucci, Wrangler on my booty," the campaign encourages consumers to snap a photo of the back pocket of their jeans to unveil behind-the-scenes footage of the making of the "Old Town Road" music video.
Since no marketing play is complete without consumerism, the mobile campaign also comes with a limited-edition collection, which includes shorts, denim shirts, T-shirts and, of course, blue jeans, ranging from $39 to $149, according to a company press release.
And you might be thinking, "Can't nobody tell me nothing." And you're right, we can't tell you what to do. But before you giddy on over to snap a photo, let's just say this: work may not be the best place to snap photos of anybody's booty, unless an HR nightmare is your talent development goal. Come on now.
Imma have #Wrangleronmybooty all summer long. https://t.co/kpfMIxpBqq
— Metaphors & Memes (@CulturedModesty) May 20, 2019
Personal care gets the Bieber treatment
In an Instagram post, the singer announced that he teamed up with Unilever-owned Schmidt's, a company that specializes in natural deodorants. The post doesn't provide many details, but Bieber did say that the collaboration should be dropping this fall.
For a man who looks like he's taken a shower maybe once (?) in the last month, the move to get into personal care products may seem a bit surprising. But hey, maybe his new wife, Hailey Baldwin, is rubbing off on him.
Baldwin in April filed a trademark for a beauty line called Bieber Beauty, according to Women's Wear Daily. Although the description on the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office website simply reads "beauty and cosmetic products," we can only hope deodorant will also be included in her line. Total power couple. That is, if the scale is measured in ridiculous product drops.
The Crocs look expands beyond footwear
Memorial Day weekend is right around the corner, which for some unfortunate souls, means pulling out their trusty old Crocs from winter hiding. Seriously people, this is 2019, where the shoe options are limitless. So for frequent readers who are finally here to take our advice, but don't want to give up Crocs cold turkey, we've found just the thing.
Optari, which on its website calls itself the "Home of the Sol Tote & Other Fun Products," is selling what looks to be a Crocs-inspired tote. The tote comes in two sizes, small ($19.99) and large ($24.99), and in a variety of colors, including black, purple and pink. Optari even sells charms for the totes called "Fobbz," which we assume is the company's take on Crocs "Jibbitz." The bottom of the tote even looks like a Crocs sole.
While the tote isn't any easier on the eyes than Crocs themselves, it's a step in the right direction. And looks aside, the product may actually serve a useful purpose: from a beach bag to a tote for moms carrying messy snacks for their kids.
I think this would be fantastic to carry around for when I'm in public and don't want to be approached, really sends that message. Uh-oh, I think my breakfast is coming back-- ????
— ☁️y.nuri.calderón???? (@wiseyness) May 16, 2019
Praise be to Jimmy John's for the gift of sandwiches and wine
While the Crocs-inspired tote may have your outfit covered for the weekend, a large part of many people's Memorial Day celebrations is centered around food. Whether you're making the spread yourself, or calling in a sandwich order, one thing's for certain: booze will likely make an appearance at the party as well. And luckily for us, Jimmy John's has us covered on both counts.
The fast-casual restaurant known for its "Freaky Fast" sandwiches announced this week it's partnered with California producer and bottler The Folk Machine and winemaker Kenny Likitprakong for a limited-edition wine that pairs perfectly with its "Frenchie" sandwich. The wine, called "Vin de Sandwich," is a pinot noir. So naturally, our reaction was this:
Jimmy Johns isn't the first restaurant that ventured into alcohol pairings for menu items. IHOP previously teamed up with Keegan Ales to produce a "Pumpkin Pancake Stout" that was made with actual pancake mix. Dunkin' last fall teamed up with Harpoon Brewery to release a "Dunkin' Coffee Porter."
While Jimmy John's wine won't be sold in its locations, consumers can purchase the limited-edition product on Wine.com.
