With J.Crew turning 40 this year, chief marketing officer Derek Yarbrough says this milestone is “not just about swimming in nostalgia, but it’s actually also about pushing the brand forward.”
Lauren Price, vice president of ecommerce & digital strategy, joined Yarbrough to discuss J.Crew’s legacy and future plans in the Variety Studio, presented by Canva, at Advertising Week. Price said J.Crew’s multigenerational reputation is one aspect of the brand that sets it apart. For instance, J.Crew’s spring campaign included Diane Keaton, Quinta Brunson, Aubrey Plaza and Michelle Yeoh, which allowed customers to resonate with each woman individually.
When asked about how the brand approaches messaging, Yarbrough said: “We look at it more from a creative lens, trying to capture authenticity in imagery, leading with aspiration in our styling, connecting with multigenerational stories about the brand, asking consumers to tell us your memories of J Crew.”
With authenticity becoming an increasingly important factor to customers, Price and Yarbrough discussed the importance of staying on top of trends to see how J.Crew can fit into what consumers are already interested in.
“For example, on TikTok when the coastal grandmother trends came back, there’s all these pictures of Diane Keaton floating around, and we’re like that is J.Crew,” Yarbrough said. “We own the cultural grandmother aesthetic, and so that was an exciting moment to jump on.”
Yarbrough said the brand’s 40th anniversary provides an opportunity to look to inspiration from the next generation, while still maintaining J.Crew’s heritage. But whether consumers resonate with the brand’s traditional looks or its new styles, Price hopes J.Crew can continue to make people feel “confident and excited.”
“No matter what’s going on in someone’s life, we can have a role in just bringing them a little bit of excitement, a little bit of joy and getting them prepared for what the day holds,” Price said.
