Will the Carter’s Brand Revamp Successfully Reignite Interest From Younger Parents?
Photo courtesy of Carter's
With Carter’s enjoying a long retail legacy of 161 years (being founded in 1865, as Modern Retail’s Anna Hensel noted) and the last significant rebranding taking place over 25 years ago (in 2000), it should come as little surprise that a new revamp is now in the works.
“The brand refresh involves a new brand commitment: “to let every child’s light shine,” as well as a new logo and visual identity. Carter’s is also investing in some new marketing tactics as part of the rebrand, like a dedicated creator program, and a new partnership with Outward Bound,” Hensel wrote, pivoting to include remarks made by newly minted CEO Sharon Price John – formerly chief exec for Build-a-Bear.
“We continue to add new consumers, including the important Gen Z demographics, which grew mid-teens in the [second fiscal] quarter,” Price John said during a July earnings call.
Among the major elements hinted at concerning the brand refresh:
A focus on child-driven product selection at the shopper level: Carter’s CMO Sarah Crockett highlighted research that self-expression and allowing children to select their own clothing items from what’s available were thematically resonant with younger parents. “It was a very obvious theme in a lot of the consumer research that we had an opportunity to ultimately contribute to a childhood that is shaped more by encouragement than comparison,” Crockett said.
On the other hand, legacy matters: Part of the brand makeover includes the distribution of a commercial titled “Watch Them Glow,” which Crockett framed as a reintroduction of Carter’s to audiences which may be unfamiliar with the brand’s history – or its new promise to today’s and tomorrow’s parents. “For generations, Carter’s has had the honor of making clothes that let children shine,” a narrator intones over the commercial’s visuals.
Non-profit partnerships and the no-screens movement: Carter’s plans to bring in an influencer marketing program called Light Makers, its first dedicated creator program – a program which also advances grants up $2,000. Also, new and more expansive partnerships with non-profits, including Outward Bound, pushes the angle of participation and advice in an outdoor space, “another area that Crockett said is increasingly important to young parents as they look to get their kids invested in activities that don’t involve screens,” Hensel reported.
And while the new brand identity takes hold immediately within Carter’s owned channels, deployment across retail, packaging, and product streams is expected to conclude by the end of next year. A reconsidered and refreshed sleepwear section – described as already “famous” with existing shoppers by Crockett – is in the works for the retailer.
Additional questions for discussion:
Do you believe Carter’s has the right idea when it comes to its major brand revamp?
What advice would you give to executives shaping the new brand identity? What needs to stay, and what needs to change for the retailer and its brands?
How meaningful do you think allowing children to guide purchase decisions within this segment is?