Poor strategy giving Wrangler 'Asia blues'

People the world over just aren't dressing the way they used to, to the consternation of necktie manufacturers -- but to the joy of jeans makers, well positioned to benefit from growing appetites for casual wear. In Asia, however, the denim brands getting the most out of this new trend are the pricey, niche labels rather than the more mass-market names -- dressing down hasn't taken hold in Asia the same way it has in Europe and the US.

Brands like Wrangler are facing a big problem in Asia, where a lot of the control over their brands lies with local franchises, more likely to chase the mass market. As sponsors of local marketing efforts, these franchises also have an effective veto over whether to run global ad campaigns in their respective markets, more often than not dropping promotions that don't fit with their own strategies.

Wrangler's main rival, Levi's, which pretty much dominates the category in most Asian markets, has been busy buying back franchises and regaining control over local marketing in order to make sure it doesn't lose too much ground to the upscale brands. Wrangler, ironically is in a better position to mount a concerted marketing drive in Asia than Levi's, which is burdened with weighty financial worries in its home market, needs to follow suit if it wishes to re-establish connections with consumers that have been slipping in recent years.

As ever, one of the key markets to watch is China -- one of the youngest denim markets in the world, where, for once, Levi's isn't leading the pack. In fact, no single make can claim any kind of leadership in a category that is just beginning to take shape.

In the rest of Asia, Wrangler may have just the same shelf space as its rival, but Levi's has a clear advantage by being first in Asia -- more people know the brand and more people are buying the product. Changing tastes create a window of opportunity for either brand to claim category leadership for years ahead -- but it is currently a prize for Wrangler to win, or Levi's to lose.