HUT, HUT, HIKE: Wrangler couldn’t have timed it better when it comes to Brett Favre. The news of the 39-year-old quarterback joining the Minnesota Vikings comes just as Wrangler is unveiling a new fall ad campaign for its Five Star Premium Denim label, featuring Favre.

“For Wrangler, whatever Brett’s decision is on whether or not to retire doesn’t matter to us either way,” said Jenni Broyles, senior marketing communications manager for Wrangler’s mass business. “Brett makes a great spokesperson for Wrangler because he truly is a Wrangler guy and lives the Wrangler lifestyle. Our partnership is effective because it’s based on this sincere connection to the Wrangler consumer and his career decisions are not changing that.”

The new campaign, which features the theme “You Can Count on Wrangler: Comfort, Quality, Value,” includes television, print, radio and online components. The first television ads break this week. Along with a campaign for the Wrangler Jeans Co. label, featuring NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., Wrangler expects to make 3.4 billion media impressions this fall.

The company, a unit of VF Corp., declined to divulge its fall ad budget. In 2008, Wrangler spent $23.4 million on television, $11.5 million on magazines and $1.7 million on radio, according to TNS Media Intelligence.

The print campaigns begin this month, with the buy including Sports Illustrated, People, Popular Mechanics, The Sporting News, Field & Stream, NASCAR Illustrated, Country Weekly and Lindy’s Football. Both Wrangler Five Star Premium Denim and Wrangler Jeans Co. product sells for less than $20, with distribution in the mass channel, including Wal-Mart, Kmart and Target.

— David Lipke