BoxLunch SVP Of Merchandise And Marketing, Rick Vargas On Giving Back To Local Communities, The Future Of Fandom Fashion And More!
Image: Fashion and Fandom
“We want to connect with our fans and get the word out there that we’re here for you. We want to listen to you. What do you guys like? What do you guys want? We’ll help you get that. ”
Some of the longest lines outside the San Diego Convention Center at San Diego Comic-Con this year were for the BoxLunch Treat Truck. The fandom first retailer brought their activation back to the show for the second straight year, and it was definitely a party atmosphere throughout the weekend. Fans got a chance to cool off with some ice cream, meet some new friends and walk away with a swag bag.
But the activation was also an opportunity for the brand to raise awareness of their long-standing partnership with Feeding America. Since it’s inception in 2015, the partnership has given away 200 million meals across the country to those in need. Fashion and Fandom had a chance to catch up with BoxLunch SVP of Merchandising and Marketing, Rick Vargas during the show. We talked about how BoxLunch gives back, how the label tries to stay connected with it’s fans, the future of fandom fashion and more!
Fashion and Fandom: Rick, tell me about the BoxLunch Treat Truck San Diego Comic-Con 2024
Vargas: We did did the Treat Truck last year, and it was a fantastic event for us. This year we kicked it up a little bit and brought it a block closer. We really want to raise awareness about what we do as a brand. We’re here for the fans. W'e’re here for your fandom, whatever that might be — anything from Disney, to Star Wars, to Harry Potter, to anime. But we also want to let people know about our meal program and what we do from a philanthropic perspective. For every $10 you spend with us here at BoxLunch we donate one meal through the Feeding America Network, and we localize that meal wherever you might be spending or wherever you may be shopping. So if you're shopping here in San Diego, we'll make sure that that meal goes to a San Diego-specific food bank. We want to make sure that people know that you can come spend with us but you are also helping your community.
Fashion and Fandom: That’s one of the things I love about BoxLunch as a company — is that you give back.
Vargas: Yes. It’s been a fantastic journey in partnering with Feeding America. We couldn’t ask for a better partnership.
Fashion and Fandom: How's the show going so far?
Vargas: It's been fantastic. It's great to see how engaged everybody is, not just with us here at BoxLunch, but also with all the other events that are happening around us. There are a lot of little activations here and there that really speak to the the fans, and obviously there’s the main event inside the Convention Center. It’s great to see people out there really finding their fandom and their community.
Fashion and Fandom: This is the second year you've brought the Treat Truck to San Diego. Is this something you’re considering doing every year? Even with the long lines it looks like everyone is having a great time.
Vargas: I think people be disappointed if we didn't do it, myself included, I think this is a great way just to put the word out there about our brand. But once again, we really want to bring awareness to Feeding America and helping people with food insecurity.
Images: Fashion and Fandom
Fashion and Fandom. The world of pop culture products has become a pretty crowded market these days. What are some of the other ways BoxLunch tries to engage with their fans? There’s a really passionate BoxLunch fan base out there, as you know.
Vargas: Definitely. Once again, I think the BoxLunch team are fans themselves first and foremost. They work on our team because they are super fans on multiple different levels, and they . want to make sure that the fans get exceptional products with exceptional quality. They listen to the fans. They listen to our customers. They want to know what they want, and they build that into the product. We want to make sure that we tell that story via social media, via email, however. We want to connect with our fans and get the word out there that we’re here for you. We want to listen to you. What do you guys like? What do you guys want? We'll help you get that. We'll try to build it for you. So I think that's important for us as a team to understand.
Fashion and Fandom: So you definitely listen to your fans if they reach out via your social channels?
Vargas: Oh yeah. We go through every bit of data and really connect with the fans as much as possible. We go through social posts, everything, every day. We look at that information, because we're not going to be here without the fans. We want to make sure that we make them happy, first and foremost. And you know, we want to make sure that we build a relationship with our fans.
Fashion and Fandom: What was your gateway fandom?
Vargas: Star Wars. Star Wars is my gateway fandom. I started off as a kid in the 70s standing in line waiting for the first film. And, you know, I'm still a fan — a huge fan.
Fashion and Fandom: What do you think the future of fashion and fandom is?
Vargas: You know, I think once again, we try to understand what the folks want, what what the fans want, and we understand that it's always a changing landscape. There's a lot of new content being released. You know, that you're building a lot of new fans via new releases. And we want to make sure we understand what that what that fandom looks like, and what they want. So, you know, it's always evolving. There's always a better way to create product for the fan. As long as we continue to listen to them, we're going to be on the forefront of making great product.
Fashion and Fandom: And finally, what advice would you give one of these young fans, and I'm sure there, there are plenty out there that would love to have your job and get into brand management, and marketing. Do you have any advice for them?
Vargas: Continue to be passionate about what you do, if you're a super-fan, find something that lends itself to that fandom. You know, I got lucky. I was a Star Wars fan. I kind of fell into this position because I was a fan. I understood how to really look at businesses in a different way. I understood what the fandom wanted because that's me, and it really helped my career. I think there's an opportunity for everybody to break into this world that we're fortunate enough to work in, and really create a career for yourself.
BoxLunch will be heading to the D23 2024: The Ultimate Fan Event in Anaheim August 9th-11th with new collections, giveaways and more. You can find them on the show floort at Booth S36. To stay up-to-date on all the latest BoxLunch releases and D23 merchandise reveals you can visit Boxlunch.com or follow the brand on Facebook, Instagram and X at @BoxLunchGifts. For more on the BoxLunch Gives partnership with Feeding America click here.
Marena Bronson is an award-winning journalist, a life-long nerd, and the Editor-in-Chief of Fashion and Fandom. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
