Cotton Traders, the clothing brand founded by two former England national rugby union captains, has turned to the power of celebrity to help target a younger audience.
Traditionally seen as a retailer more focused on an older demographic, the Altrincham-based company has recently signed up the likes of actor Will Mellor, broadcaster Alex Jones and A Place In The Sun star Jasmine Harman in a bid to appeal to Millennials.
The pivot comes after the business, which was set up by Fran Cotton and Steve Smith in 1987, posted a turnover of £111.4m for 2022, up from the £100.7m it achieved in 2021. Its pre-tax profits also rose from £10m to £10.3m. Its accounts for 2023 are expected to be filed with Companies House by the end of September.
As well as a hoped-for revenue boost, Cotton Traders will also see a year of change on a corporate level as its parent company edges closer to a $1.6bn merger which will see it list on the New York Stock Exchange.
Actor Will Mellor works with Cotton Traders.
‘Key celebrity figures have strengthened our position’
Cotton Traders’ chief marketing officer Shona Jameson said: “Over the past year we have invested heavily into our celebrity ambassador strategy to maximise brand awareness and reach a new, younger demographic.
“Our partnerships with key celebrity figures have strengthened our position on social media with credible, authoritative content and a cross-fertilisation of followers.
“Our ambassadors, TV star Will Mellor, broadcaster Alex Jones and A Place In The Sun star Jasmine Harman, have successfully elevated Cotton Traders’ awareness and relevancy.
“Not only do they look fantastic in our clothes and help to increase the quality and appearance of our collections, their public profiles have elevated our press relations and brand perception.
“Each of our ambassadors has been carefully selected to bring a different quality to Cotton Traders, each with their own style and personality, to appeal to different audiences and demographics.”
A ‘younger, more digitally savvy customer base’
Shona Jameson added: “Our male ambassador Will Mellor, has wide appeal with both men and women. This is particularly important as our data shows that 45 per cent of our female customers are also purchasing our menswear product so it’s vital that we’re reaching both audiences.
“In addition, Jasmine Harman has been chosen to fit our colourful summer ranges and unique patterned collections, and Alex Jones’ well-known national profile has helped drive customer consideration for the brand, whilst conveying the quality of the clothing.
Cotton Traders has moved on from the days of being ‘just’ a rugby brand
“As part of our strategy, we selected partners who felt authentic and representative of our brand, and this has been evident through the celebrities posting organic content in real-life moments, outside of their paid deliverables.
“We have seen increased new customer acquisition, with prospective customers and prolonged customer retention.
“Web sessions have also increased by 17 per cent, showing the success of the celebrity strategy we have adopted.
“The brand strives to continue to bring in a younger, more digitally savvy customer base and we will continue to adopt this strategy through our celebrity partnerships moving forwards.”