Branding like VELCRO: Gucci Tailoring

Scratchy, rough, sharp, angular. All words that are associated with VELCRO.  

It hooks, it catches, it grabs, and it holds. If it didn’t it wouldn’t work and our bags would fall open, our luggage would become detached, and even our parachutes might fail. 

However, this is not a celebration of the wonderful brand itself, but instead, thinking about the hook and loop product and its relevance to branding.

We, Elephants, have a view that branding has become too polished, too soft and silky, too pared-back, stylized to the point of sterility. An overly smooth brand is in danger of not being seen as consumers can slip right over it. A brand needs an edge to grab on to, a hook on which to hang our hopes and dreams; an awkwardness to force being considered, thought about and talked about.  

Cue A$AP Rocky, Iggy Pop and Tyler, The Creator in the New Gucci Tailoring Campaign.

Talk about awkward stand out! Iggy Pop is visited by A$AP Rocky and Tyler, The Creator in his bizarrely 70s home. It’s left a vivid image in my mind and a million questions…Why? What brought them together? What happened next? Who filmed it? Who had the idea? What’s it got to do with Gucci’s latest tailoring range? How many pet birds does Iggy Pop have!?

But isn’t that just the point?

Those questions, me writing this, you reading this. Isn’t that all part of the hook and the bait? It’s risky, challenging, awkward and wonderful. And are Iggy Pop’s trousers held up with VELCRO?