Another interesting fact highlighted in the Milo.com infographic is the statistic that 60% of girls ages 13-24 consider a store as a friend. The desire to connect with these ‘friends’ is evident in the way millennials so quickly jump on board to connect with brands on Facebook and via official Twitter accounts.
Some companies are now giving their brand a true face to the name. Unlike celebrity endorsements or customer testimonials, these individuals truly embody the brand because they often are the brand. It’s an interesting creative strategy.
Since 2008, J. Crew has actively promoted creative director, Jenna Lyons, as the face of the brand. Catalogs, emails and the website feature “Jenna’s Picks” from J. Crew’s “commander-in-chic.” The picks come with advice straight from Jenna offering advice on trends or how to style a particular look - similar to the advice you’d expect from a friend, and absent of the ‘authoritative’ voice that sometimes appears in magazines a la Glamour’s Do’s and Don’ts. That is the goal, as Jenna states:
“I think there is a need to make things feel a little more intimate and exciting and people are looking for a level of integrity, and a different level of interest, in something . . . I think people want that — most people don’t have the time to really shop and find things on their own, so being able to have something curated for someone well, nine times out of 10 you’re interested in the same things your friends are interested in. That’s how it works, right? So if you like the group of people who are making the clothes, chances are very good that you’re going to like some of the other things we’re looking at, whether it’s the best lipstick we think is out there or the right nail polish, the book, the sunscreen, the perfume or the record.” (Atkinson, 2011, para. 3)
The approach clearly resonates with J. Crew’s target market of 25-to-40 year old women (Krantz & O'Donnell, 2006, para. 7). The customer base is fanatical about promoting and discussing the brand online with multiple blogs devoted solely to the brand.
As always, it’s important to remember that authenticity is key. J. Crew succeeds for a few reasons:
1) Personality - Jenna is a real person offering personal advice that is true to her personal style.
2) Applicability – Jenna’s Picks are real advice that consumers could use as inspiration for any outfit, not simply ones from J. Crew (although subsequent purchases are a benefit.)
3) Accessibility – potential customers can get Jenna’s advice at any time of the day on J. Crew’s website, Facebook page and Tumblr page.
Who doesn’t love a friend who is there for you anytime of the day or night?
Atkinson, N. (2011, August 20). Q&A: Jenna Lyons, creative director of J. Crew.
National Post (Toronto, Canada). Retrieved September 13, 2011 from
National Post (Toronto, Canada). Retrieved September 13, 2011 from
Krantz, M. and O'Donnell, J. (2006, June 28). Investors show faith in J. Crew's
potential. USA Today. Retrieved September 13, 2011 from
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