Lucky Brand Teams Up With Charlie Puth to Deepen Its Music Roots

Charlie Puth just became the newest face making his own luck for Lucky Brand.

The denim and lifestyle company named the Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, and producer as its newest brand ambassador.

The move amplifies a connection to music that Lucky Brand says has run through the label for more than 30 years.

It also showcases the brand's founding idea that Lucky Brand is for people who make their own luck.

The company points to Puth's career, built on original songwriting and production, as proof he fits that mold.

Marisa Thalberg, CMO of Catalyst Brands, the operating partner for Lucky Brand, tied the pick to that same identity.

"Lucky Brand has always been inspired by people who express themselves unapologetically and leave their mark on culture," she said.

She continues, believing Charlie embodies that spirit "in a way that feels effortless."

"His originality, curiosity, and passion for his craft make him a natural partner," she added. 

Puth described the fit in similar terms.

"There is a genuine appreciation for individuality and the confidence to do things your own way," he explained.

He concluded by expressing his excitement to be part of a brand that celebrates people who make their own luck.

Where the Rollout Lands

A 30-second hero spot sees Puth cracking open a fortune cookie that simply reads: "Make Your Own Luck."

The rest of the ad plays out like both an editorial shoot and a music video.

We see Puth snapping, clapping, and creating beats alongside the sounds of jean zippers and fortune cookies opening. 

Stefani Fleurant, executive VP of sports and lifestyle marketing at Authentic Brands Group, which owns Lucky Brand, sees the timing around Puth's reach across audiences.

"Just as music transcends generations, Charlie's artistry has a way of resonating across audiences and moments," she explained. 

The brand partnership will run across paid media, owned channels, organic social, in-store marketing and select wholesale partner activations.

This gives Puth's name a presence everywhere a shopper might encounter.

Lucky Brand also said the season will continue to spotlight other artists, creators and innovators tied to its independent-spirit positioning.

It sees the collab with Puth as one entry in an ongoing roster it will continue to build.

Music Ambassadors as the New Norm

Lucky Brand isn't alone in reaching for a musician's name over an actor's or athlete's.

Across industries, brands are now regularly recruiting musicians as ambassadors, and those deals continue to evolve into creative roles.

Case in point, beverage company Zevia recently enlisted Cardi B as its "Real Talk Interpreter" to promote its zero-sugar drinks. 

Trust is the harder variable.

While 76% of consumers are more likely to purchase a product endorsed by a celebrity, only 37% have a higher trust due to these product endorsements.

This gap is exactly what a decades-old artist tie-in is meant to close.

A few takeaways for marketers building similar plays:

• Route budget across every touchpoint: Lucky Brand's plan folds paid media, owned channels, organic social, in-store displays, and wholesale activations into a single push.
• Pick a face whose fandom already trusts the pitch: Given how skeptical younger consumers are of star power alone, an artist with a track record of writing and producing his own work carries more built-in credibility than a pure spokesperson deal.
• Treat the ambassador as one voice in a longer story: Lucky Brand's plan to keep spotlighting other artists through the season serves its ongoing platform.

Data can point marketers toward the right ambassador.

However, every denim brand chasing a music tie-in is reading the same reports on Gen Z trust and celebrity fit.

Our Take: What Does 30 Years of Music Buy a Denim Brand?

Lucky Brand is playing the long game here, stacking artist partnerships across three decades until the music connection starts to read as inheritance.

Puth's appeal here isn't fame, but that he still writes and produces his own material.

This is the same stubborn, self-directed instinct the "make your own luck" line is supposedly modeled on.

What we want to see next is whether those wholesale activations actually put a pair of jeans in front of Puth's audience.

A brand doesn't need a pop star to prove it has an identity.

Their role is simply to reinforce it.