Haggar Seeks the Swing Vote in Khaki Spots

Advertiser: Haggar Clothing Co.

Agency: GSD&M;, Austin, Texas

Challenge: It is twofold: Launch a new line of men’s khakis and convince consumers that Haggar makes contemporary clothing.

The Ad: A hepcat from the 1930s wearing Haggar Black Label slacks makes a splash at a present-day swing dance club, where he’s admired by attractive women. One of the beauties says she’d like to buy the 1930s guy a drink. (Hmmm . . . Johnnie Walker?) The guy appears in black-and-white in the otherwise color television ad, which uses the slogan, “Cool comes around.”

Comment: Haggar wants to create a stylish image for its pants, viewed by consumers as functional and a bit stodgy. In this commercial, it is leveraging its heritage to claim a place in contemporary culture. As the No. 2 maker of khakis for men, with 20% of the market, Haggar has a long way to go before it catches up to Levi Strauss’ Dockers, which account for 43% of khaki sales. And it needs to persuade consumers who view Haggar as a downscale brand to pay $46 for the Black Label khakis. The kitschy commercial should help. (Though Haggar gets a demerit for using swing dancing on the heels of a well-received Gap ad.) As for the name of its clothing line, Haggar says a consultant came up with Black Label and it has no connection to the scotch. $$$

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