Five Questions
The Original Muck Boot Co.’s chief marketing officer on appealing to the whole family, from outdoorsmen to kids.
Inside The Original Muck Boot’s plan to appeal to the whole family.
Muck Boot marks 20 years in 2019. What are the company’s biggest opportunities?
“The majority of our distribution is in North America, so we see going beyond that as an opportunity. We also see the [chance] to trade more people up to our quality boots. Since 2008, people haven’t necessarily been buying 20 pairs of shoes; they’re buying five quality pairs a year. [Their choices] have a story behind them and signal something about the wearer. A brand is about [wearing] a little flag that says, ‘This is who I am and what I stand for.’ People choose our brand because they know it will stand up.”
As a performance weatherproof brand, how do you educate consumers about your assets?
“We use hangtags but also go above and beyond traditional box labeling [by indicating] the features and benefits particular to a style. A lot of stores we sell are not just footwear retailers; they’re farm and ranch or hunting stores. So they don’t necessarily have room to store [our large boxes]; they use an opensell environment. So our box needs to support the product [since] there may not be a sales associate who’s knowledgeable about the differences between one style versus another.”
How important is technology?
“Muck boots were created to protect the wearer from muddy, wet and sloppy conditions. We work closely with the materials innovation lab at MIT as well as engineers from our parent company, Honeywell. It started with a rubber and neoprene design, and now most of the line features a full neoprene sock with antimicrobial [properties]. Next, we overlay rubber for durability and structure. [We also offer] multiple outsoles, depending on the usage application, such as for a hunter who’s creeping through the forest on a hard, packed surface. We extend beyond classic chore boots into leather [styles] but always carry that waterproof durability in our products.”
Muck covers multiple categories. How does it balance the lifestyle, kids’ and outdoor markets?
“We make the same promise to farmers as we do kids, to make boots that keep feet dry, warm and protected in the harshest conditions. My girls run around and beat their footwear down hard. They’re climbing on jungle gyms, jumping around, and need a boot that’s athletic but also waterproof and insulated. We engineer our kids’ boots the same way we would a boot for someone who is bowhunting. They need the same agility and protection.”
Where have you seen the most success in women’s?
“The Muckster II mid, a rolldown shaft style introduced a few years ago, blew up this year along with the growth of gardening. Urban and suburban gardening is growing, and gardening centers are flourishing around the country. When the Muckster’s shaft is folded down, people love the little pop of print. That style also does well in the U.K.”