Thompson (l) and Dillashaw filmed an ad this spring wearing the Van Heusen Flex collectionVAN HEUSEN
Van Heusen will become UFC's first official men's dress and furnishings provider as part of a deal that includes "arena branding, commercial spots on YouTube, a strong social and digital campaign that will run through the end of the year and in-store signage at various retailers that will include images" of fighters T.J. Dillashaw and Stephen Thompson, according to Jean Palmieri of WOMEN'S WEAR DAILY. Dillashaw and Thompson were "filmed this spring" at a studio at Chelsea Piers in N.Y. "wearing the Van Heusen Flex collection." The video shows them "sitting across from each other in an office setting, wearing suit pants and dress shirts from the Flex line." But when Thompson "refuses to stop slurping loudly through a straw, it is too much for Dillashaw, who lunges at him over the desk." A cage "comes down around them and it’s off to the races." Dillashaw said UFC fans are "going to love” the video. Thompson: “It’s going to be a huge hit. We’re bringing fight fans over to fashion." Van Heusen parent company PVH Heritage Marketing CMO & Chief Innovation Officer Mike Kelly said that he interviewed "more than 20 fighters who were interested in being featured in the campaign before deciding on Dillashaw and Thompson." The video, which is "campy and fun, is also intended to appeal to Van Heusen’s new target audience, the Millennial male." The campaign begins Saturday around UFC 227 at Staples Center, where the headline fight is Dillashaw taking on Cody Garbrandt. Van Heusen’s logo will be "featured in the Octagon ring that night" (WWD.com, 7/31). UFC is still in the middle of a six-year deal with Reebok, which serves as the exclusive apparel outfitter for fighters (THE DAILY).
