Australian fashion group Brand Collective has tapped into Champion’s global marketing campaign, running its own localised version that has boosted engagement and sales for some key styles.
Brand Collective manages 20 brands across Australia and New Zealand, including the likes of Champion, Reebok, Hush Puppies, Black Pepper and Canada Goose.
Champion, which is currently owned by Authentic Brands Group after being sold by HanesBrands in 2024, launched a global campaign last month that was fronted by K-pop figure V – singer, songwriter, dancer, actor and a member of the boy band BTS.
Brand Collective anchored the campaign for Australia and New Zealand, which included increasing investment in out-of-home and paid digital. V posters went up across Melbourne and Sydney metro areas through August.
Each site doubled as a competition entry point: a QR code linked straight to the V x Champion Australia competition, a national fan activation running from 10 to 30 August, with a total prize pool valued at over $5,000, headlined by a BTS experience for two.
Alastair Davies, managing director of licensed brands at Brand Collective, said the campaign also expanded emphasis on community-led amplification.
“For the V campaign, this has included product seeding and engagement across local K-pop and dance communities, helping us translate a major global partnership into something that feels relevant and authentic to Australian and New Zealand audiences,” Davies said.
Brand Collective CEO Dave Thomas added that V is one of the most influential artists in the world.
“This partnership connects Champion with a generation of Australian and New Zealand audiences who live and breathe global culture,” Thomas said. “Being part of that culture, not watching from the sidelines, is exactly where Champion belongs.”
According to Davies, the local campaign launch through August delivered some of the strongest organic social results in Champion AU/NZ history.
One social post reportedly achieved a 19.2 per cent engagement rate by views, while another reached 48.5 per cent.
“Our strongest-performing content generated engagement equivalent to more than 300 per cent of our existing follower base, demonstrating how significantly the campaign has expanded Champion’s reach beyond its owned audience,” Davies added.
The cultural interest also translated into clear commercial results. Following the launch, online sales of the Reverse Weave range – which utilises a knitting technique that involves stitching the fabric horizontally rather than vertically – increased by 47.3 per cent. The navy Reverse Weave in particular saw a 58.7 per cent increase in online sales.
Reverse Weave hoodie sales also rose by 31.4 per cent.
“The key takeaway is how quickly the partnership has converted attention into both engagement and product demand,” Davies said. “V has introduced significant new audiences to Champion, while the focus on Reverse Weave connects that excitement directly back to one of the brand’s most iconic product franchises.”
Brand Collective funded the local media activation, while the V partnership and True Champion platform were developed globally by Champion.
Davies said the campaign was designed to feel like a genuine cultural moment rather than simply a global campaign adapted for the local market.
“This included a concentrated three-week out-of-home takeover across high-traffic locations in Melbourne and Sydney, supported by paid digital, social and community amplification,” Davies said. “The approach delivered immediate visibility while connecting the global partnership with local K-pop, dance and fashion communities already engaging with V.”
In Australia, Champion sells through direct-to-consumer channels, including premium stores, outlet stores and a local website, as well as selected wholesale partners such as Myer in Australia and Farmers in New Zealand.
For the first phase of the V campaign, the blue Reverse Weave hoodie has been made available through Champion outlet stores, online and selected wholesale accounts, including Myer.
Davies said the next collection drops will follow a more exclusive model, with product available only through Champion’s Australian and New Zealand websites.
The first exclusive collection will launch in mid-October, with customers already able to register for early access through the True Champion landing page.
“Rather than expanding distribution, this strategy is focused on building desirability and exclusivity around key drops,” Davies said. “It also gives us an opportunity to strengthen our owned digital channels and create a greater sense of anticipation around each release.”
Davies added the next major brand moment will be the upcoming National Basketball League season. Champion has renewed its partnership with Australia’s NBL for a further three years, which involves being the official on-court apparel partner, outfitting every team across the competition.
The next iteration will include new ambassadors, with Davies calling the partnership here an important part of its local strategy.
“It keeps Champion deeply connected to sport while we continue expanding the brand’s presence across music, culture and fashion,” he said. “Alongside the NBL, we will continue rolling out the True Champion platform locally, with further V product drops and exclusive online releases planned across Australia and New Zealand.”