Ariat Case Study

Growth Spotlight

How Ariat Rounded Up New Audiences through a TV-Focussed Multi-Channel Strategy

How Ariat Rounded Up New Audiences through a TV-Focused Multi-Channel Strategy

Ariat, the heritage brand founded in 1993 to bring athletic shoe technology to cowboy and equestrian boots, had built strong early momentum through digital and DTC channels. But as the business expanded into lifestyle footwear, workwear, and broader outdoor categories, leadership saw an opportunity to reach audiences that traditional digital alone couldn’t access efficiently.

The team recognized TV as a medium uniquely suited to tell their brand story in a visually immersive, emotionally engaging way. With 15– to 30-second spots, they could connect with consumers far more deeply than a half-second scroll through social. In 2024, Ariat ran their first TV campaigns across linear, streaming, and OLV, pairing contextual brand alignment with high-quality creative and strategic partnerships—like their Yellowstone collab and premium NFL placements.

The impact was immediate. Ariat saw a surge in brand awareness, evident even in Google Trends, and discovered new audiences who hadn’t encountered the brand before. This TV-first approach also lifted performance across other channels: paid search, Meta campaigns, and e-commerce all benefited from the halo effect. By integrating TV into the broader marketing mix, Ariat amplified both direct and indirect conversions and strengthened in-store and online recognition.

Today, TV is a core part of Ariat’s media strategy, with a blended approach across linear, streaming, and online video. The team continues to optimize creative and contextual alignment, ensuring that TV contributes to both brand awareness and measurable business outcomes.

Unlocked Audiences Beyond Digital

TV-First, Multi-Channel Impact

Campaign Objectives

Reach New Audiences Beyond Digital

Leverage TV to connect with high-value consumers who are difficult to access through Meta, Google, or other digital channels.

Build Brand Awareness and Emotional Connection

Use immersive 15–30 second TV spots to tell Ariat’s story, build familiarity, and strengthen emotional engagement with new audiences.

Measure and Optimize Performance Across Channels

Validate TV’s impact through Tatari’s platform, next-day reporting, baseline lift methodology, and integration with broader marketing metrics to inform strategy and optimize spend.

Solutions

Ariat partnered with Tatari to ensure measurement, optimization, and strategic guidance. Linear TV was paired with premium spots in sports and award shows, while streaming and OLV expanded reach to younger, cord-cutting audiences. Tatari’s platform enabled the team to monitor response rates, cost per visitor, and efficiency in real time, giving the confidence of digital-like attribution and insight.

Creative strategy was a key pillar: Ariat ran high-quality 30-second spots aligned with Yellowstone and NFL partnerships, including collaborations like Ariat X Yellowstone, to drive both awareness and direct response. Weekly optimization and contextual alignment across placements ensured efficient, measurable campaigns while supporting the broader marketing ecosystem.

“The speed of measurement and results is incredible. Tatari’s digital-first, analytical approach gave us confidence to lean into TV and see real-time performance.”

— TRICIA LEBARGE, SR DIR OF BRAND MEDIA & DIGITAL MARKETING, ARIAT

Results

TV quickly became a strategic lever for Ariat. The brand saw a measurable surge in awareness, with search interest and first-time exposure spiking as new audiences discovered Ariat for the first time. This exposure also created a halo effect, lifting performance across other channels: Meta, Google, and e-commerce all benefited from the increased brand recognition and engagement driven by TV. Premium placements in sports and shows like Yellowstone enabled the brand to connect with high-value audiences in a contextually aligned way, amplifying both emotional engagement and direct response. By combining linear TV, streaming, and OLV, Ariat established a scalable and data-driven approach to television advertising, optimizing placements and creative in real time while supporting broader brand and performance goals. With this strategy in place, TV continues to be a foundational part of Ariat’s marketing mix, driving awareness and demand while informing ongoing improvements across all channels.

“TV helped us reach audiences we simply couldn’t get to before, and it lifted performance across our entire business.”