• by Larissa Faw , April 30, 2018

Men’s apparel company Destination XL (DXL) is launching its first brand campaign under agency Taxi New York.  

The "Built XL" creative originated from consumer feedback about shopping at the store, suggesting the “wow” factor that consumers experience when they shop DXL for the first time.  

“This is truly an insight-led campaign,” stated Jim Davey, executive vice president and chief marketing officer, Destination XL Group, who recently joined the company from TImberland. “We know that what makes DXL special with bigger guys is the in-store experience — from the vibe of the store to the wide range of brands to highly trained associates who will ensure a perfect fit every time.”

A TV spot launched on ESPN during the NFL draft on April 26, and will air for six weeks in the spring season and five weeks in the fall. The integrated media buy includes broadcast and cable TV, digital advertising, direct mail, and in-store messaging. "Built XL" will also have a presence on radio including on-air highlights from Howard Stern (SiriusXM) and Golic and Wingo (ESPN). 

The branding campaign comes after president/CEO David Levin expressed disappointment over the brand's holiday campaign, bolstered by an $7.1 million investment. “‘Time to XL’ was a stretch for us,” he said during a call with investors. "It did not quite live up to our expectations." 

The campaign, however, made executives realize “we still need to be more focused on our strengths when we run TV commercial” and "our strengths are brands, broad assortments, a great customer experience and being fit experts."

He adds, although "the ‘Time to XL’ ad did increase our aided brand awareness scores from 38% to 42%, which is a historic high, we believe we can and must do better."