It all started with the New York streetwear brand Supreme, which basically created the idea of the drop while ushering in the concept of FOMO that’s become so prevalent in contemporary culture.
A drop, as defined by Supreme, is a limited-edition, limited-time product line that has included everything from its iconic box logo shirt all the way back in 1995, to a key knife and more recently, a partnership with Umbro on a US$110 soccer ball.
These weekly drops played a key role in Supreme becoming a $2 billion brand, while turning the “drop” concept into a marketing strategy that has been emulated not just by fashion brands, but by everything from outdoor furniture to cookies.
According to Shopify, drops speak to the “always on” consumers that comprise the bulk of today’s shoppers, while leveraging the power of social media, and gamifying the shopping experience.
The clothing drop has been all the rage in Canadian marketing circles in recent months, with brands as diverse as the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Commission, Heinz and Tim Hortons all experimenting with limited-edition products. When Tims introduced its Drip Drop collection, a line of clothing inspired by its iconic double-double, it sold out within minutes.
The latest brand to experiment with a drop is McCain Foods Canada, which is promoting its new teen-focused Breakfast Pockets with a clothing line called the Breakfast Pockets Pockets Collection. All of the items—a chore jacket, hoodie and cargo pants—were inspired by what the brand describes as “of-the-moment” fashion trends.
Developed by Rethink, with media by UM, the clothing collection is being supported by long and short-form OLV, as well as paid and organic social and influencer marketing.
Each item in the collection—$60 for the hoodie, $70 for the cargo pants, and $80 for the jacket—features insulated pockets designed to keep the wearer’s Breakfast Pockets warm. “So many pockets. So much fashion,” says the accompanying release. Each item also comes with a redeemable voucher for a free box of McCain Breakfast Pockets.
The collection was designed by Hayley Elsaesser, a Toronto designer who incorporates elements from music, film, literature and childhood nostalgia in all of her prints. She is no stranger to the drop as marketing tool: Last year, she created a summer capsule collection featuring bucket hats, crewneck sweaters, shorts, T-shirts, tote bags, and insulated fanny packs for the cannabis beverage brand Little Victory.
“The branded merch trend is so big right now, and we saw a great opportunity to have some fun with it,” said Matt Kohler, managing director, Canada retail, with McCain Foods. “With their 90-second prep time, our Breakfast Pockets are a convenient and delicious choice for teens to start the day. But we wanted to up the convenience factor even more. That’s how the Breakfast Pockets Pockets Collection was born.”
And McCain isn’t pocketing any of the money from the Pockets Pockets collection. All proceeds from sales will go to Toonies for Tummies, which funds school breakfast programs.
