Tommy John's Nice Package
In the same vein as Old Spice’s ads that address the ladies from “The Man Your Man Can Smell Like,” Tom Patterson tried talking to the ladies about his undershirt line, Tommy John, after learning that wives and girlfriends do most of the unmentionables buying for their husbands and boyfriends. Hence, a modern package design with two colors that women love in box form, chocolate brown and Tiffany blue.
“We did a survey, and we couldn’t find any women that didn’t like Tiffany’s jewelry and chocolate. It was almost like a dessert color that kind of intrigued them,” said Patterson, who has been shipping Tommy John into department stores with this packaging design since July 2009.
The trap worked.
“We've had women that came in the stores that say, ’I’m just going to buy him one. He’s going to freak out if he knows I spent $36 on one shirt.’ They’ll come back and say, ’He loved it. Give me five,’” Patterson said.
The line has been selling like gangbusters at Neiman Marcus, owing some credit to the savvy package design that explains all the shirt’s enhanced features—an athletic, body-hugging fit, an extra-long length so the shirt stays tucked in, and super-soft Micro Modal/Lycra blend fabric that keeps the wearer cool and pit stain-free.
Patterson said seven out of 10 men that try on a Tommy John shirt will buy it. About 60 percent of those that buy come back for more. And, sometimes, boatloads more.
“A guy in Topanga’s Nordstrom last week tried one of our shirts on and ended up buying 35. I don’t think he does laundry,” Patterson joked. “We had a guy in Neiman Marcus in Houston—he tried one on and ended up buying 82 shirts. It’s insane. I didn’t think numbers like this were possible. ... That’s the challenge—getting [shoppers] to try your brand. Once they try it, you usually get a customer that becomes a very, very loyal customer.”
Before: a standard, boxy cotton undershirt. After: a slim Tommy John shirt. In other words, “Look at your man. Now back to me. Now back at your man. Now back to me...”
