OVERVIEW
Type: Brand Campaign
Brand: Men’s Wearhouse
In-Market Dates: January – July 2019 (Prom Season)
Target Audience: Male Teens Ages 16-18YO, Parents/Moms
BUSINESS PROBLEM
Gen Z teens saw Men’s Wearhouse as ”their dad’s store” — a literal warehouse that carried outdated, boxy, and boring tuxes and suits. Moreover, their parents (the ones who were typically responsible for footing the bill for their kids’ prom expenses) perceived Men’s Wearhouse to be much more expensive than other formalwear retailers.
INSIGHT
Prom was, unquestionably, the biggest event of the school year. But while teens were excited about prom and the typical trappings and traditions associated with this significant milestone (deciding who to go with, planning the after-party, and, of course, dressing up), they were also wired to break conventions. Based on the qualitative and quantitative youth/Gen Z customer research efforts I previously led, I knew that:
1) Rite of passage or not, teens didn’t follow the same rules for prom that their parents did
2) Self-expression was in their DNA — and they were willing to pay more (or beg their parents to pay more) to achieve their unique look for prom
3) Gen-Z was savvier than any other demographic when being marketed to — teens expected authenticity and required brand communications to reflect the “actual” world around them
For parents, their kids’ prom was just as significant to them. But while they wanted to help their kids express their individuality and style at prom, parents also felt pressured because self-expression often came with a considerable price tag (see #2 above).
SOLUTION
At a time when other brands across multiple categories and industries were beginning to be more inclusive and diverse in their advertising (Cheerios, anyone?), I realized that Men’s Wearhouse had the opportunity to reclaim prom by offering a fresh take on this very traditional rite of passage.
Armed with customer research and insights, I led the strategy and execution of ”Prom As You Are”: a campaign recognizing that teens valued individuality and gravitated to brands that understood why being unique was vital to them.
”Prom as You Are” celebrated self-expression and diversity and gave teens the confidence and platform to fully embrace — and show off — who they truly were. An integrated, creative, and strategic approach across all channels and customer touchpoints, this prom campaign stood out from the brand’s previous marketing efforts by featuring:
1) More realistic and authentic imagery shot in a documentary style and highlighted a cast of ethnically diverse teens in their natural settings
2) A branded video content series that starred real prom-going teens (not actors or models!) — each with their unique style and emotional backstory
3) More untraditional and fashion-forward formalwear options beyond the classic black tuxedo rental, such as trendy suits and dinner jackets in fun, vibrant colors and patterns
RESULT
“Prom As You Are” was one of Men’s Wearhouse’s most potent and emotional youth-targeted campaigns to date, contributing to positive prom business results and helping shift younger consumers’ negative perceptions of the brand. In addition, infusing more content and storytelling into Men’s Wearhouse’s prom marketing communications balanced the brand’s predominantly price and promotional-focused messaging, which resulted in higher engagement and conversion across multiple channels (particularly social media).