Chubbies Weekend Warriors are More Than Just Loyal Customers

Using Color to Define Your Brand

Author

NOBLE Writers
July 02, 2024

Welcome to The Retention Newsie by The Email Marketers.

Every week we bring you the best case studies, strategies, and tips around keeping more customers, turning them into raving fans, and increasing revenue.

Up this week:

  • 🩳 Chubbies Loyal Fanbase

  • 🌈 How Color Can Work For You

  • 📊 Rewards Programs Revamp, Klaviyo’s SMS Strategy, and 8 Email Marketing Tools.

Reading time: 4.5 minutes

How Chubbies Built Their Community of Weekend Warriors

In 2011, four Stanford grads had a simple mission: to make the perfect pair of shorts for the weekend. What started as a fun side project quickly became a multi-million dollar brand with a fiercely loyal following. 

Their unique approach to customer retention and community building allowed them to truly capture the essence of fun, freedom, and weekend vibes.

"From day one, when we first made those shorts for our friends, the way we told our friends about it was, my co-founder wrote a really funny email. And he said, 'This weekend, we're all going to wear these shorts. I'm going to show up with them. If you want a pair, you're going to owe me 50 bucks.' If you've ever gotten Chubbies' email, it was exactly the tone of that email that we send out — that's what he sent to our friends."

Rainer Castillo, Chubbies Co-Founder

This laid the foundation for Chubbies' approach: treat your customers like your friends. It's a mantra that permeates every aspect of the company. "We have a cultural tenet, which is 'customers greater than company, greater than self,'" Castillo explained. "And a lot of what we do is bring the customer to the forefront."

One of the key ways Chubbies does this is through their loyalty program, the Chubster Club. But this isn't your average points-for-purchases setup. Chubbies has put their own unique spin on it, perfectly aligned with their playful brand personality.

Customers can earn points for each purchase and climb the ranks from Weekend Connoisseur to Weekend Master. Each tier comes with exclusive perks and benefits. Even a one-time customer gets to experience some of the benefits, like a generous birthday gift of 100 points.

Chubbies makes it easy for customers to earn points, understanding that loyalty points shouldn't be as hard to earn as actual loyalty. A single purchase can offer up to 350 points, translating to nearly a $20 discount on their next buy.

But the Chubster Club is about more than just discounts. It's about making customers feel like part of an exclusive community. Chubbies does this through a combination of surprise gifts, early access to new products, and invitations to special events.

This sense of community shines through further in Chubbies' ambassador program. When the company was just starting out, Castillo personally reached out to leaders on college campuses, looking for the most vocal advocates to represent the brand. The response was overwhelming, with many stepping up to say, "I have somebody for you and that person is me."

These ambassadors became an essential part of Chubbies' community, participating in product decisions, photo challenges, and more. "It was never a sales mechanism, it was always part of community," Castillo noted.

This community-first approach extends to Chubbies' content strategy as well. Their social media posts and email communications aim to entertain and engage, rather than push for sales. The content is "from the community, for the community" and is designed to be enjoyed on its own merit.

Chubbies has shown you can build a brand that people don't just buy from, but buy into. It's a strategy that has propelled them from a basement startup to a $44 million brand, all while staying true to their mission of maximizing the weekend.

  • Treat Customers Like Friends: Treat every customer interaction with the same warmth and personality you’d share with your friends.

  • Make Loyalty Fun: Add fun to your loyalty program by introducing levels, special perks, and unique rewards that offer more than just discounts.

  • Empower Ambassadors: Find your most enthusiastic customers to help shape and spread your brand message.

  • Prioritize Entertainment: Create content that your community will love and want to share, even if it doesn’t directly lead to sales.

  • Blend Loyalty and Community: Use your loyalty program to deepen customer engagement and make them feel like part of an exclusive group that shares common values and interests.

The Psychology of Color in Email Marketing

Color is crucial in email marketing, evoking emotions, influencing perceptions, and driving conversions—93% of buying decisions rely on color.

By understanding color psychology and using your brand colors strategically, you can boost audience connection, retention, and brand trust.

Here are some key colors and their impact on email marketing:

Red

Red signifies urgency, excitement, and passion, making it perfect for sales and clearance events. It grabs attention and creates a sense of scarcity, driving quick actions. Use red sparingly to avoid overwhelming your audience—it's ideal for accents or call-to-action buttons, rather than large backgrounds.

Blue

Blue symbolizes trust, stability, and calmness, promoting security and confidence. Light blue feels refreshing and friendly, while dark blue conveys knowledge and power.

Financial institutions and tech companies use blue to convey reliability and professionalism in their communications.

Green

Green represents growth, health, and eco-friendliness, evoking freshness and harmony. Wellness brands, eco-friendly companies, and financial services use green in their designs.

Bright greens feel energetic and youthful, while deeper greens suggest prestige and wealth.

Yellow and Orange

Yellow and orange are energetic and optimistic, great for grabbing attention and conveying affordability. Use them for calls to action, promotions, or new offerings.

Be cautious with yellow text, it can be hard to read; use it for backgrounds or graphics instead.

Color is a subtle yet mighty tool in your email marketing arsenal. By being intentional with color psychology principles within your email designs, you can create a more engaging and persuasive experience for your subscribers.

Remember, the goal is to use colors authentically to strengthen your brand identity, evoke the right emotions, and guide your subscribers toward your desired actions. When done right, color can be a game-changer in building lasting customer relationships and driving retention.

We help 8-& 9-figure e-commerce brands increase revenue and build strong customer relationships through retention marketing: Email, SMS, direct mail, subscriptions, memberships, loyalty programs, and more.