Founded in 1933 by French tennis player René Lacoste, the brand has a long, rich history and association with lifestyle and sport. Today, Lacoste’s marketing strategy continues to evolve across every channel.
In 2017, we previously examined how Lacoste’s branding pivoted toward a digital-first approach; using social media and influencers to refresh its image, re-engage loyal customers and become more relevant to a new generation of consumers.
At the time, Joelle Grunberg, previously President and CEO of Lacoste North America, explained, “It’s important for us to do two to three collaborations a year. It’s not that people don’t know us, but these partnerships bring something different to the table that’s difficult for us to do by ourselves.”
Today, that mindset has evolved into the backbone of Lacoste’s strategy. By honouring its tennis heritage while innovating through cultural storytelling and meaningful collaborations with influencers and celebrities, Lacoste has extended its influence across both fashion and culture.
In this blog, we explore how Lacoste’s branding and marketing strategy are driving modern relevance, while keeping the iconic crocodile at the top of its own game.
Lacoste’s French Roots Continue to Drive Global Visibility
To assess Lacoste’s brand positioning and the performance of its global campaigns, we used Media Impact Value® (MIV®) : Launchmetrics’ proprietary metric that measures the impact of brand coverage across regions, channels and Voices (Owned Media, Partners, Media, Influencers and Celebrities). It gives a clear view of how a brand’s performance stacks up across PR campaigns and marketing activities.
Between January and October 2025, Lacoste generated $272M in MIV worldwide, reflecting a strong overall performance. France led with $67M, which comes as no surprise given the brand’s deep French roots and its position as the third top performing sportswear brand in France. This shows that while Lacoste continues to expand globally, its branding remains firmly anchored in national heritage.
From fashion week moments to global ambassador campaigns and product innovation, Lacoste’s marketing evolution is visible across every channel, showing how the brand continues to define its position as a brand strategy example for heritage labels worldwide. Below, we explore the key activations shaping Lacoste’s momentum today.
Key Campaigns Driving Lacoste’s Marketing Strategy
Ambassadors Assemble in “Play With Icons”
Offering a new eye on the essence of Lacoste’s brand identity, “Play With Icons” celebrates the symbolic pieces and “the icons that lie at the heart of the Lacoste brand today”. Shot by Tyler Mitchell, it features the brand’s diverse ambassadors: Novak Djokovic, Adèle Exarchopoulos, Pierre Niney, Venus Williams and Wang Yibo. Each featured ambassador makes a bold statement through their craft, culture and values—a diversified mix mirroring Lacoste’s evolution. Through that very narrative, their evolution is embedded within the product itself, reimagining the brand’s classic polo through a modern lens that turns heritage into a statement of individuality and cultural relevance.
While the campaign itself celebrates timeless style, the performance of each ambassador throughout the year reflects its wider impact. From January to October, Lacoste’s ambassadors collectively drove significant visibility, with Adèle Exarchopoulos generating $1.89M in MIV, Wang Yibo $1.79M, Pierre Niney $1.34M and Novak Djokovic $889K. This underscores how each ambassador amplifies the brand’s reach across markets and audiences.
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Paris Fashion Week: A Nod to its French Open Roots
Opening on the final Sunday of Paris Fashion Week, Lacoste transformed the clay courts of Roland-Garros into a runway as a nod to its French Open roots. According to our Paris Fashion Week report, Lacoste ranked 7th among the top 20 brands, generating $17.9M in MIV.
The front row fuelled even more buzz, with Oscar-winning actor Adrien Brody making headlines that extended the brand’s reach. Through Voice Echo—our framework measuring the indirect impact of a campaign or ambassadorship through media, influencers and communities that amplify a moment—his presence alone contributed an additional $2M in MIV.
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Lacoste Entered its GOAT Era with Novak Djokovic
Ahead of the US Open, Lacoste paid tribute to its long-time ambassador Novak Djokovic, transforming its iconic crocodile into a GOAT ( Greatest of All Time) emblem. The limited-edition capsule sparked global conversation, celebrating Djokovic’s extraordinary career and eight-year partnership with the brand.
Launched globally with the capsule exclusively unveiled by Djokovic himself at Lacoste’s new Fifth Avenue flagship in New York, the capsule included five exclusive items: polo, T-shirt, tracksuit jacket, cap and trousers.
Lacoste CEO Thierry Guibert noted, the tribute reflects the brand’s ability to reinvent its codes while staying true to René Lacoste’s legacy: “Transforming our Crocodile into a GOAT today to pay tribute to him, and unveiling the collection here, where René built his legend, was an obvious choice. This initiative reflects our ability to reinvent our codes while staying true to René Lacoste’s heritage.”
The moment resonated deeply with audiences, as René Lacoste first earned the nickname “The Crocodile” and conceived the original polo on American soil. The moment also generated strong online traction, with media outlet Drip’s posts alone earning $1.29M in MIV. This demonstrates that by turning a sports milestone into a product and brand story, Lacoste reaffirmed its unique ability to merge heritage, innovation and emotion.
Lacoste’s Winning Formula: Heritage, Culture and Creativity
The power of three is evident in Lacoste’s success, turning legacy into lasting relevance.
- Heritage: Celebrated through its tennis DNA, from the Roland-Garros runway to the GOAT capsule honouring Djokovic’s record-breaking wins.
- Culture: Amplified through ambassadors who bring distinct perspectives, from Adèle Exarchopoulos and Wang Yibo in “Play With Icons” to the key Voices in a star-studded front row at Paris Fashion Week.
- Creativity: Expressed across all campaigns, blending visual storytelling, bold collaborations and product innovation to keep Lacoste’s identity both consistent and contemporary.
Together, these elements position Lacoste as a benchmark in modern brand strategy of how heritage labels can reinvent themselves through creativity while staying true to their DNA.
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By Pawandeep Kaur
