Case Study: Paul Frank reignites Gen Z relevance with NinetyEight's organic social strategy

Paul Frank reignites Gen Z buzz with NinetyEight, launching a DTC line in 2025

Paul Frank, a nostalgic fashion brand, faced the challenge of reigniting its cultural relevance with Gen Z without a paid media budget. The vendor, NinetyEight, was tasked with using only organic social media to move the brand beyond being a mere throwback and make it relevant for the moment.

NinetyEight built an organic-first content strategy across Instagram and TikTok focused on character storytelling and community-driven humor. This approach successfully built a dedicated fandom, leading to Gen Z-fueled collaborations with brands like Jaded LDN and Dolls Kill. The organic groundswell created by NinetyEight ultimately contributed to the launch of Paul Frank’s direct-to-consumer line.

Paul Frank