A TOUR FOR THE AGES, FROM THE AGES

All over Dallas-Fort Worth, from corner stores to corner offices (well, at least the offices at The Star), you can find a common thread, or set of threads: a Dallas Cowboys hat. Known as a status symbol thanks to its polarizing place in sports and fashion, I’ve spotted the navy star on hats from Cabo to London to Barcelona. That’s how I knew a one-of-a-kind tour combining Cowboys headwear and history would make a lasting impact.

Four unique headwear collections combining a methodical blend of tradition and innovation.
A network of niche retail locations spread across Texas in search of increased marketing support.
One big idea developed to tackle two main goals: a multi-market tour driving sales and giving fans an unmatched shopping experience.
The first thing to establish was the format of the tour events. We decided to create custom patches to press onto hats right in the store.
In addition to the hat patch feature, we commissioned custom Cowboys art posters and printed limited quantities as a gift with purchase.
The final piece of the experience was probably the most formidable: a curated display of historic Cowboys artifacts including Super Bowl memorabilia, player-worn gear, and even Tom Landry’s original playbook.
Once the run-of-show for tour events was determined, the next step was to elevate the tour itself.
We tapped into a crazy talented internal collective of designers to create a unique poster for each tour stop. We also invited them to come meet fans at the event to discuss the inspiration behind their art.
We knew we needed stops in the north, central, and south corridors of the DFW metroplex, but added a fourth hotbed location outside our main home market: San Antonio.
We worked with football club staff to craft and send press releases to the media, get social media promo support, and integrate one tour stop as an activation during the filming of ESPN’s First Take debate show.
The Cowboys Collections on Tour proved to be extremely prosperous on numerous levels:
- Tour stops helped lift same-store sales year-over-year by 50-90%
- Activations earned multiple media placements, and the concept was extended to a second year even after I departed for a different role in the organization
- Near universally positive feedback from Cowboys fans
What more would I do today:
- Extend the memorabilia tour to locations of Cowboys corporate partners in exchange for the ability to also sell small amounts of merchandise on-site
- Activate around apparel collections featuring more than headwear
- Experiment with “watch party” editions that feature food & beverage and sponsored prizes during team road games