Nihal Ranjan on crafting a brand voice for Jockey India that speaks to Gen Z
Since its entry into India in 1994, Jockey has held a strong foothold in the innerwear segment, largely anchored in its positioning as a dependable, quality-driven brand. But in a fashion-conscious, social-media-native era, dependability alone no longer guarantees relevance, especially among Gen Z.
After all, this young generation puts thought into their outfits even when stepping out for a quick errand. With the launch of JKY Groove, Jockey is making a calculated move to evolve from innerwear essential to lifestyle staple. The collection is built around the rising ‘two-mile wear’ trend; casual athleisure designed for everything from quick errands to work-from-home lounging. The collection leans into relaxed fits, earthy colour palettes, and a minimal aesthetic, elements that resonate with Gen Z fashion sensibilities both in India and globally.
Over the past few years, brands across categories have shifted their marketing lens towards Gen Z. So while this race isn’t new, Jockey’s timing is strategic. “Those two COVID years paused a lot of plans,” said Nihal Rajan, CMO, Page Industries - Jockey & Speedo.
“But last year, when we went to market with the Freedom or Nothing campaign, it was actually centred around Gen Z; we were amplifying their mindset. This is a continuation of that focus.”
Built on the insight that comfort doesn’t have to mean compromise, the campaign taps into Gen Z’s desire to look good without trying too hard. “Even when I’m lounging at home, I want to look trendy,” Rajan explained. “That was the intent, to bring trend into everyday comfort clothing.”
Crafted with creative agency Fundamental, the campaign’s core message is clear: your style, your rules. The name “JKY Groove” emerged organically from internal teams and younger staff, Rajan mentioned.
Digital-first marketing
As with any Gen Z-focused campaign, social media is leading Jockey’s marketing play here. “This generation is digitally native and shops heavily online,” Rajan said. The collection launched across the brand’s owned digital channels, including its website and mobile app, as well as select Jockey Exclusive Brand Outlets and a key partner marketplace, signalling a focused omnichannel strategy aimed at reaching digitally native consumers.
Even before the campaign’s official release, social media was used to roll out anticipation posts. With captions like “Mirror mirror on the wall, get ready for the grooviest launch!”, the language itself reflected a shift from how the brand usually communicates.
Influencers have also played a key role in bringing attention to the new collection. This time, the focus is firmly on Gen Z creators.
“We’ve always kept authenticity as the first lens,” Rajan noted. “The idea is to work with people who genuinely live that lifestyle. They bring the look together and make it aspirational yet attainable.”
This focus on authenticity extends to how the brand approaches influencer partnerships. “That influencer needs to come across as someone who genuinely believes in and lives that lifestyle. Not just chosen by the filter of how many followers they have.”
Rajan added that this isn’t just a one-off influencer push. Jockey aims to build a consistent network of creators who are ‘true evangelists’ of the brand, beyond just a seasonal shoutout.
While Jockey is widely positioned as a family-friendly, all-age brand, JKY Groove deliberately leans into younger aesthetics, lingo, and energy. “For Gen Z, the storytelling, settings, and even casting need to feel different,” Rajan shared. Unlike broader campaigns like Freedom or Nothing, which activate TV, outdoor, and all-media channels, this one is designed for digital impact.
That said, Rajan confirmed that JKY Groove is still part of the master brand. “It’s a collection right now, but we’re excited about the early response. Hopefully, we’ll build it into something larger, maybe even a sub-brand.”
Gradual pivot
Over the years, Jockey has built its brand voice around comfort, functionality, and everyday relevance. While recent campaigns like JKY Groove reflect a shift in tone to speak to younger audiences, the brand hasn’t completely changed its core, Eanjan mentioned.
“We’re just evolving with time and with the consumer,” said Rajan. “We haven’t changed who we are.”
Across past campaigns, Jockey has leaned into themes of functionality, everyday comfort, and self-confidence. The storytelling, however, has become more nuanced over the years, with sharper visuals, more relatable narratives, and messaging tailored for newer audience segments.
Rajan pointed out that even five to seven years ago, the brand’s campaigns had a clean, elevated approach, something the brand has continued to build on with each season. The idea is to stay consistent, but keep pushing things forward, both in terms of how the brand looks and what it says.
“We’ve continued to push the boundaries with every season, and we’ll keep doing that,” he added.
Beyond the metros
While the Groove campaign is tuned to Gen Z fashion and digital culture, the brand’s retail strategy goes beyond the metros. Rajan mentioned that Jockey has had a strong presence in Tier II and Tier III markets for over a decade, and that remains a focus.
“To assume Tier 2 and Tier 3 are not fashionable is a mistake,” said Rajan.
Jockey is standardising its brand presence across outlets, whether owned, franchisee-run or multi-brand, through store design, training, and visual merchandising. The goal is to deliver a seamless brand experience and ensure uniform product discovery, irrespective of location or retail model.
This is especially relevant in Tier II and III cities, where consumers are increasingly shopping both online and offline, and fashion preferences are rapidly evolving due to creator-driven content and rising brand awareness.
Looking ahead
While Jockey isn’t moving away from its core categories, it is looking to build lifestyle-led extensions in adjacent spaces. Future collections will continue to tap into fashion-led sub-categories like athleisure, loungewear, and soft fitness gear, with a strong push from both retail and influencer marketing.
“We will continue, both this year and in the near future, to push the brand as a holistic lifestyle brand, led by innerwear,” Rajan said.
Experiential marketing is also part of the brand’s strategy, with planned initiatives such as fitness-led collaborations, in-store activations, and colour-themed events aimed at generating offline engagement and amplifying brand buzz.
“There’s a lot of noise on digital platforms. The question now is, how do we stay focused and present something that makes sense and creates impact?” Rajan noted.
Jockey’s Groove campaign reflects a measured evolution in its approach, signaling a growing awareness of Gen Z preferences. Rather than a radical shift, the brand appears to be making incremental changes in design, digital presence, and communication, aligning itself with younger consumers while staying rooted in its core identity.
News