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Samantha Weiss
Cast Study #3
MKT 211A
Duluth Trading Company is an American apparel brand that focuses on solving
problems for working people. Two brothers from Duluth, Minnesota who worked in
construction founded the brand in 1991. They observed their peers’ interesting but
not practical ways of carrying tools, with that their first product was born. They first
focused on tool storage, organization and transport. As the brand became more
successful more products were added to their new catalog but their goal was always
innovation for the job site. Everything they sold was designed and tested by
tradesmen in their extreme working conditions.
Duluth makes the brand’s goals very clear and simple, “Anything that will help
guys in the trades work smarter, work more comfortably, we’re out to develop”. The
company is dedicated to making the lives of working people easier. They spend a lot
of time and money on research and development to alleviate day-to-day problems.
They work for you and they want to make sure their products are perfect; they’re
using them too.
Duluth Trading Co. is looking to solve everyday dilemmas the working people
have, specifically with their equipment and apparel. Heavy-duty work clothes are
typically very constricting and uncomfortable. Duluth tries to remedy this with
innovative additions like an armpit or crotch gusset for the little extra space that
makes a big difference. With just the innovation of the gusset, customers can reach
their arms and stretch their legs without the pinch or pain. Duluth knows exactly
whom they’re trying to target with their advertising and know just how to speak to
them. The brand is specific to a certain group of working Americans that are
primarily men. These workingmen have outdoor or physically strenuous jobs and
rely on their clothing for protection and functionality. Hands on, rough and rugged
individuals need the products Duluth is providing to be successful on the job site.
These men range from 25-65 but all have similar occupations and are probably
tradesmen. The key consumer benefit is the solution to your problem, even if it
simply were a different pair of underwear. Duluth’s product benefits are high
quality work clothes that you can trust to keep you safe and comfortable. Their
website even hosts customer reviews defending the quality of the brand with real
life stories. Customers can read these testimonials and literally see pictures that the

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fire hose pants saved a man’s leg from a nasty chainsaw accident. It is important to
tell a compelling story. Handling heavy machinery or being attacked by a giant,
angry beaver isn’t an everyday activity for most people. But, the story is captivating
and leads you to think the fire hose work pants could protect you from just about
anything. The company definitely keeps its promises and if you happen to not be
happy with a product, there’s a 100% no bull satisfaction guarantee. By Duluth
providing such a strong guarantee it builds trust and minimizes risk when buying
from the company. This is especially important for first time buyers. Duluth is telling
their customers that they stand behind their products.
Their ads and commercials are solely based on functionality and how these
products can help you immensely. The simplest change of work pants can make a
huge difference in your comfort, flexibility, agility and overall work performance.
Duluth Trading Co.’s brand mandatories would be the illustrations drawn by friend,
Rick Kollath and the tag line “get a pair”. These brand mandatories are very helpful
for this company. The illustrations are unique to the brand and are custom made for
Duluth, you won’t see these illustrations anywhere else. When a commercial comes
on and you see the character appear on screen you know you’re watching a Duluth
commercial. Also the deep manly voice behind the animations would also be a staple
for Duluth advertisements. Last brand mandatory, and most important is the closing
phrase, “Get a Pair”. The line is easy and simple, even though it’s a demand it’s not
too pushy. It’s the way your friend would speak to you- just get a pair. I also like that
it’s a play on word. Obviously this is a very masculine brand and if it’s one thing you
need to be manly- you need a pair. The ads are consistently short, sweet and to the
point while being visually appealing and fun. They seem low budget and give you
the information you need to understand the product and its benefits without a lot of
copy or fancy effects and graphics.
There are various workman related brands on the market. Whether private
labels like Timberland or lines in major retailers like Bass Pro Shops, there are many
different types of retailers Duluth’s target audience can buy work clothes from.
However, these work clothes aren’t always as high quality as they need to be for the
extreme conditions these people work in. Duluth Trading Co. ‘s most serious
competitor is Carhartt. Carhartt is another American apparel brand with the same
target audience and mission as Duluth. Both companies’ ads are relatable, quality
focused, show trustworthiness, and tells the consumer that you don’t have to worry

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about your clothes at all—you do your job well take care of the rest. Quality is one of
the top factors in both brand’s advertising, price is never mentioned in either ads.
Carhartt and Duluth’s clothes are not cheap but instead of mentioning price they go
the extra mile to prove the great durability of their goods. Although the brands are
similar and have similar qualities to their ads, there are many major style
discrepancies and personality differences.
Duluth Trading Company has become popular for their funny engaging ads. The
brand does a great job of reaching their target audience and keeps their message cut
to that one group. The ads are light, simple, low budget cartoons that demonstrate
the product features. The memorable and recognizable ads show you solutions to
the problems you face at work. Visually Duluth ads are unique. With minimal colors,
cartoons and one voice and character, when the ad appears on your screen you
probably know its Duluth. A major contrast Duluth has with Carhartt’s ads is the
personality and attitude. Duluth’s personality is fun, light, a little silly but practical.
The company’s personality is also more individualistic. Their ads do not show
groups, just one person at work and how the product helps them. The Longtail T ad
shows a man fixing pipes. His shirt is too short when he bends so he experiences
embarrassing plumbers butt, Duluth’s longtail T’s got you covered. It’s such a simple
ad with a very clear message, there’s nothing to confuse or over analyze. You need a
longer shirt, they added 3 inches, you give them a problem and they will give you a
solution. The commercials don’t go into deep emotions or controversial topics. The
product features are the whole of the ads and that is all. I like this about Duluth and
wish more companies did this. Ads can get so confusing and convoluted that you
don’t even know what you’re watching an ad for anymore. With Duluth you never
forget the brand and the funny relatable characters you remember. The point of an
advertising budget is to make likable ads that stay in the consumers’ minds and
increase brand recognition, and these certainly do.
In contrast, Carhartt ads are a lot more emotional, serious and dark. The ads
show the products actually being used in the work site and demonstrate the
durability of the apparel. The ads are very well done and seem to be much higher
budget than Duluth’s. Also contrasting, Carhartt’s ads have mentioned heavier topics
like products being made over seas, family and patriotism. The commercials use
minimal or no words at all but what is typed is powerful, “no one ever saved a life by
running for cover”, “Paying it forward is better than a paycheck” Carhartt ads talk
about so much more than the pants, boots and jackets. The brand promotes bravery,
teamwork and accomplishment. The commercials use group words “they” and

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“united we work”. The type in the ads also tells the consumer that people who wear
Carhartt are different. They aren’t the typical guys around the block who takes spin
classes. These men are strong; they build and create. The commercial tells it’s
consumers that they make up the backbone of society, that without the stadiums
they build, pro athletes would have no where to play and dads would have no where
to take their sons. They make customers feel proud and needed. The ads show real
people, real emotions and real work. Carhartt music and visuals make you feel, but
when watching them the only way you know it’s a Carhartt ad is by seeing the logo
here and there. Duluth Trading Co. doesn’t go deeper and doesn’t go behind the
scenes; its ads are not as personal as Carhartt.
Duluth will show you solutions but Carhartt shows a lifestyle. Duluth’s
advertising strategy is to directly sell you a new pair of pants by showing you its
product benefits. Carhartt will sell you a new pair of pants indirectly by showing you
a hard working team of construction workers who happen to be wearing those
pants. It’s not better or worse it’s just different styles and approaches to reaching
their target audience. I think it’s a good thing the brands have such different ads
because it distinguished themselves from each other. Although Duluth Trading Co. is
a fraction of the size of Carhartt I’m happy to see they did not try to copy and
compete with similar advertising. Selling the same products to the same people,
with other competition, is challenging enough.
Duluth Trading Co. has implemented advertising on television, radio, print,
out of home ads, has sponsored events and has an up to date Facebook page where
they frequently respond to customer posts. They also have a active Twitter,
YouTube and LinkedIn accounts. Duluth does not sponsor events often and are
picky to associate themselves with companies that send the right message for the
brand. However, the have co-sponsored an event with Stihl (tool company,
specializes in chainsaws) in the Timbersports athlete competition for those in
lumberjack disciplines. I think this is a fantastic idea for Duluth. It gets the brand
seen in the community and promotes the local store. Duluth should continue
partnering with companies of similar interest in events like this. I think Duluth’s
target audience would be better reached at a local event like this than on Twitter.
Duluth has also worked with Stihl on the “bigger dam sweepstakes” giving away
Stihl products and Duluth’s fire hose pants.
Larger competitor, Carhartt also employs all media channels. Carhartt is also
a sponsor of anything from a Helmets to Hardhats: transitioning veterans into the
construction industry, the Country Music Association, and even Brewers Association

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looking to protect craft breweries. Carhartt’s sponsorships seem to be much larger
and incorporate target audience’s interests but do not include their direct
customers and their communities. Carhartt being a larger and more popular brand
has more money to advertise where they need to be. They may have more ads and a
higher budget but Duluth is right there in the same media channels they are. I think
Duluth is in all the places it needs to be, and where its consumers will see them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSxF1KG_b68&index=2&list=PLOxd7siHiZB7TvysFZ
nYeiJ-8LM_VU0pF flannel

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jai_flUIC9Y&list=PLOxd7siHiZB7TvysFZnYeiJ-
8LM_VU0pF&index=3 ballroom jeans
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGn0WfKol3E longtail t
https://youtu.be/AXVQo2w rRLk?list=PLqiPlfrzyAhUVJ32VHRtQFIjb7QFCRhhx radio ad
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T277ZzlFlhc&list=PLqiPlfrzyAhUVJ32VHRtQFIjb7QFCRhhx&index=2 radio
ad

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxB_8Bp-pf4&list=PLOxd7siHiZB7TvysFZnYeiJ-
8LM_VU0pF fire hose pants
Carhartt:

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnfG5G4jmhA carhartt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAVXgjg93BE carhartt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4xnLYkA0FE radio ad