How Bogg Bag is winning with Fanatics collab as it combats dupes

When Bogg Bags unveiled a collection of sports team bags last week, founder Kim Vaccarella expected its newest collab to be popular. The offering, part of a partnership with WinCraft by Fanatics, includes collegiate teams such as the Georgia Bulldogs and NFL teams such as the Dallas Cowboys. But Vaccarella, who created the brand of perforated washable tote bags 17 years ago, underestimated the extent of the fandom. “We put up a very simple ‘Don’t see your team?’ submit button at the bottom of the page and we didn’t think many would click on it, but wanted to give them the opportunity,” she said. As it turned out, Bogg got 2,200 team requests on its first day. "Everybody wants their team,” she said, noting that the collection includes teams from the MLB, NHL and NFL. Bogg is putting off other brand collab requests, including potential deals with Peeps, until next year to focus on its sports portfolio. View this post on Instagram A post shared by BOGGBAG (@boggbags) It’s a long way from Bogg’s roots. Vaccarella, formerly a commercial real estate lending executive, was simply looking for a better beach bag when she came up with the idea for Bogg, a washable tote made of ethylene-vinyl acetate. Her “graveyard” of straw and canvas totes were not able to withstand the dirt, juices, wrappers and crumbs of a family beach day with multiple kids. Despite the brand’s 17-year-old existence, it was not until the last two years that Bogg took off with mainstream awareness, thanks to new investments in marketing and exclusives with retailers such as Target. Bogg started with wholesale and now sells at 2,500 specialty shops, along with larger retailers such as Target, Nordstrom, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Buc-ees. Bogg has more recently expanded into direct-to-consumer and about 30% of sales now come through e-commerce and Amazon, Vaccarella said. Last year, Bogg’s sales hit $100 million, a figure Vaccarella forecasts will double this year amid new deals such as the Fanatics collab. The Secaucus, New Jersey-based brand is also expecting to open a second office in New York City. @boggbag We basically own this holiday…Which mood are you on Easter? #boggbag #easter #confessionals #easteregg #eastereggs #easteregghunt #easterday ♬ original sound - BoggBags Everyperson appeal Part of Bogg’s growth comes from its everyperson appeal—the brand has made inroads with several groups of customers, including moms, teachers and now sports fans and tailgaters. It’s also following the playbook of other successful brands such as Crocs, which offers Jibbitz charms as collector items for customers. Last year, Bogg began selling accessories including a tray topper with cup holders and a phone holder; it also sells keychains and charms for shoppers to customize their totes. “The personalization aspect is a big selling point for Bogg,” wrote Beth Goldstein, executive director and industry analyst at market research firm Circana, in an email, noting that the organizational attachments and customizable charms help Bogg merchandise well in stores. “The bags themselves are a blank slate—the options for colors, partnerships, accessories are practically endless. This is what provides the emotional connection for customers,” she added. Dealing with dupes Such distinctive options also help Bogg compete against copycats, or so-called “dupes,” a rising problem for many independent retail brands. A survey from Circana last year found that about half of consumers said they had purchased a fashion, beauty or luggage dupe, and of those, 40% had bought an accessory or handbag dupe, Goldstein pointed out. Though Bogg has four patents and trade dress protection, in which the look and aesthetic of the bag are protected under trademark law, the lookalikes still have a way of coming out of the woodwork, Vaccarella said. For example, retail chain Five Below is selling a cheaper alternative. “They’re not spending the money on the creative and really trying, they’re just blasting it out to try and pick up some of that creative and storytelling we’ve done,” she said, noting daily emails with her legal department. “In the beginning, you take it personally, but you have to pick and choose your battles.” To keep up with new sales demands, Bogg is investing more in marketing this year. The brand’s creative work comes from a six-person in-house team; Bogg has also found success with a lot of influencers and affiliate content, Vaccarella noted. Such posts resonate on Instagram and TikTok and many show the bags in an authentic, real-life situation. More: The top 5 brand TikToks to know about right now “It’s not just a beach bag, it’s a 365-day-a-year bag,” she said. “Anything that lends itself to messes with kids, without kids, a work bag, nurses and teachers—we show how Bogg is useful.” Yet despite the recent growth, Vaccarella is keeping an eye on the effects of President Donald Trump’s new tariffs on China, where Bogg manufactures its products. Currently, the brand has small, medium and large options for $60, $70 and $90, respectively, but some of the prices could rise as Bogg tries to meet the financial constraints of the additional 20% tax increases. The brand is exploring alternative manufacturing facilities in Sri Lanka and Vietnam. “It’s definitely put us in a bind and we’re contemplating a few things,” Vaccarella said, adding that the brand will still retain some factories in China. “We don’t want to disrupt our manufacturing and leave customers waiting for new product.”

How Bogg Bag is winning with Fanatics collab as it combats dupes

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