How the YETI Brand Became Such a Success

When you see a YETI cooler you know you're in good company. YETIs are the trendiest (and most effective) ways to keep your beer cold. Oh, and they cost $300! Which makes them even cooler.

This company that makes beer coolers is potentially valued at $5 billion. That just might be the most Southern-cool thing we know.

The YETI brand has become a status symbol. It's as simple as that. The Austin, TX, company built by two brothers who just wanted to keep their beer cold while they fished creates products that have people hooked. "Oh, you have a YETI," is what every self-respecting host wants to hear.

Considering where YETI started, its success is ridiculously impressive. Crack a beer, kick off your Dubarry of Ireland boots, and put your feet up on that sweet looking cooler in front of you. You, know, the YETI you already dropped $400 on. We're here to tell you how Yeti's marketing set them apart.

How a Cooler Became Cool

If you're making and selling a product that already exists on the market, you better have a way to set your product apart. Price, quality, technology, and innovation are all examples of traditional ways that companies choose to make their products stand out. 

More recently, we've seen the rise of aspirational brands. These brands usually combine more than one of the traditional elements above. An aspirational brand is one that inspires a desire in consumers to own their product even though it may not be what they really need. In fact, the consumer can likely get a similar product for less. 

YETI combined high-quality materials with a little technological development to create coolers that did the job for those who really need their coolers to keep things cool. And then they charged a lot more than the competition. Sticking a high price on their "everyday" products grabbed the attention of trendsetters.

The combination of high-quality, field-endorsed products and outlandish prices fueled consumers' desire. It's a heady, magic combo that not many companies achieve. YETI unlocked the secret in less than ten years.

Marketing the YETI Brand

There's only really one way to achieve this kind of immediate success. Marketing. Companies don't become aspirational brands overnight without some serious marketing smarts. YETI's marketing strategy has been simply brilliant. 

Focusing on the outdoorsy nature of their coolers, YETI has dropped marketing hit after marketing hit. YETIs are grizzly proof. YETIs keep things cold for hours and hours, longer than pretty much everything else.

YETIs are the perfect seat. A YETI is in a Chris Janson song. The unbreakable utilitarian nature of YETI coolers is the foundation and the story they have built around that foundation is authentic to the max. 

Every cooler on the market keeps things cold. But YETI has a story that makes people want their coolers more than all the others. Brothers Roy and Ryan Seider have developed the outdoors origins of their coolers into a community. They use their marketing strategy to tell that story and engage with people who love to be outside and want the best possible equipment when they are.

From Fishermen's Tool to Hip Status Symbol

Social media has played a large part in developing the brand story. So has smart partnerships with creative agencies. Between the two, YETI has been able to tell its story so that people listen. From its origins of two brothers needing a cooler that could handle their fishing trips YETI now has a community of followers dedicated to its brand. Some of those followers don't even own a YETI cooler. 

SB Nation called this community the "Church of Yeti." The great thing for Yeti is that their churchgoers like to tell non-believers how wonderful Yeti is. The community surrounding YETI has taken the practical cool box to the level of status symbol. YETI only has to provide the elements of the story. 

There is a tribal nature to the YETI community. The dedication of fans to the products ensures more attention for YETI coolers because they are just so excited about them. On Twitter, YETI has almost 125,000 followers.

On Instagram, that number is 1.3 million! Its hashtag #BuiltForTheWild generates tweets from followers sharing their YETI experiences. In the seven days prior to this article being written, that hashtag generated a potential reach of more than 160,000 people. That's community.

The story the Seider brothers tell is authentic. They haven't had to create a narrative to suit their coolers. Their actual product story is genuine and so are the brothers.

The product works, but the brand that is now a status symbol is all about their community. The people who use YETI coolers keep writing new, authentic, chapters. YETI welcomes that engagement.

Influencers and More

YETI doesn't just wait for their loyal customers to tell their story. The company has actively sought influencers who have cache in their origin groups. The YETI marketing strategy has embraced outdoors "celebrities" to help drive the story that these coolers are cool because they work for people enjoying the outdoors. YETI's influencers include hunters, fishermen, snowboarders and more. They even have a name: YETI Ambassadors.

The company has also embraced women as consumers and community. That might seem obvious, but the outdoors and beer markets have traditionally been male-dominated. As a marketing strategy, it's just smart. More and more women are enjoying the outdoors for pleasure and adventure. 

We Love YETIs and So Should You

With that kind of story, what's not to love about the YETI brand. At Country Club Prep, a YETI cooler is what we want to keep our beer and wine cold in. When you dress for the good times, you need a cooler that matches. 

YETIs have been called the Range Rover of coolers. Who doesn't love a Range Rover? 

Grab your Chubbies, your Southern Tide polo, and your Costas. Just don't forget the most important thing when you're "outdoors." The YETI. 

Check out all of our products to find YETIs and other preppy gear you just shouldn't live without.