The fashion and lifestyle company HUGO BOSS carries the globally renowned fashion brands BOSS and HUGO. The BOSS logo, unchanged since the 1970s, had a high recognition value worldwide; most recently, however, the brand reached its limits in times of “digital first” communication and thus fell out of sight, especially with younger target groups.
Brandpulse modernised the branding of both brands as part of a global brand refresh project: The Swiss agency Brandpulse was commissioned to develop the rebranding of the German cult brand Hugo Boss. The first after 50 years.
Be Your Own Boss : branding for today’s consumers
A once-essential brand for any working professional, Hugo Boss has made a daring move to diversify.
Hugo Boss has changed to a more casual fashion line with a strong emphasis on differentiating its two brands in order to appeal to younger consumers and reaffirm their mission.
Separating a brand name requires a lot of bravery, especially when it is so widely recognized as being singular. However, their previous brand identity was obviously trapped in the stuffiness of the past and was no longer relevant. Their prior branding required a big overhaul because it was never going to be appealing to today’s consumers.
The new brand image is primarily intended to gain relevance, address younger generations more specifically and position the two brands BOSS and HUGO unmistakably with their own lifestyle stories.
Younger Target Audience
Both the “Hugo” and “Boss” new logos are much more sleek and contemporary in order to appeal to a younger target population, such as teens or millennials. And the entire rebranding campaign clearly shows this change in emphasis. The days of wearing a corporate-style suit only during regular 9 to 5 workdays are long gone. Instead, make room for a variety of ultra-breathable outfits that are appropriate for both the office and leisure.
Hugo Boss is rebranding itself as a young, fashionable, and contemporary brand, starting with the choice to incorporate a variety of social media influences and moving forward with new breathable fitted fabrics.
The Power of Social Media
The brand used a variety of influencers to promote its “Be Your Own Boss” campaign, including Kendal Jenner, Hayley Bieber, and Anthony Joshua, all of whom fall within the target age range (Millennials & Gen-Z) and have sizable internet followings.
Instagram received the majority of the campaign’s marketing budget, and its large online following makes it so successful. This makes great sense as a visual medium and puts the company in front of the younger consumer. Khabane Lame (the most followed person on TikTok with over 152 million fans) has also been hired by Boss to serve as their new brand ambassador. This serves as another evidence of the superpower of social media marketing because it puts the brand’s product in front of the correct kind of customer.
