PALM SPRINGS — DSW Shoe Warehouse CMO Sarah Crockett has been maintaining a tally of the flurry of brand refreshes and rebrands in the recent past for lessons about what works and what doesn’t. She hopes to use these to the brand strategy overhaul she is spearheading and which is being undertaken at a time when consumers are pulling back on some purchases as a consequence of an uncertain macro environment.
One key takeaway from Crockett’s observations is that the best refreshes are frequently organic evolutions of the brand moderately than drastic changes that may turn off a core customer base, the executive said during a keynote presentation at the eTail Palm Springs conference on Feb. 25.
“There’s a lot goodness at DSW from our past, we could be silly to throw that in the trash,” Crockett said. “We’re taking the goodness — that value-based model, the self-service model that broke the industry at the time — and we’re going to modernize that.”
DSW CMO Sarah Crockett
Courtesy of DSW
The overhaul of DSW’s brand strategy will take time, stretching from research to implementation, but has been an early priority for Crockett in her first nine months on the job. The marketing executive has also worked to utilize celebrities and influencers and curated a back-to-school guide that drove 26.1 billion media impressions during the third quarter in comparison with 15 billion the yr prior.
She spoke during the presentation about the importance of leveraging her own nostalgic connection to the brand, where she shopped for shoes at the start of her skilled profession, and recognizing that it is a feeling shared by many consumers.
“The biggest challenge is: How do I maintain concentrate on this midterm, long-term journey that we’re on to reimagine that emotional response but additionally drive the business on a each day basis?” Crockett said.
The big picture
Designer Brands, the parent company of DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse, began Q3 2024 on the right foot before stumbling as a consequence of aspects outside its control. After a strong back-to-school season, DSW saw boot sales hit by unseasonably warm weather and overall sales affected by a consumer pullback as a consequence of an uncertain macro environment, resulting in total comparable sales decreasing by 3.1%.
Amidst the recent struggles of Designer Brands, marketing has been a source of several wins and stays a key piece of the company’s future growth plans, CEO Doug Howe said on a December earnings call.
For Crockett, that marketing focus means starting with a deep understanding of the brand’s consumer base and the way its assortment has evolved from its fashion footwear roots to the athleisure styles which have develop into more commonplace.
“[The DSW shopper] tends to be more female. She does are inclined to be the purchaser in the household, for her kids, for her partner, whomever it could be,” Crockett said. “We’re continuing to evolve … our future is maintaining that customer, but additionally, of course, attracting a new customer, as well, with Gen Alpha and millennial generations.”
Because of the breadth of its assortment and its status as a brand group with a distinct retail presence, DSW doesn’t have a single competitor. Its identity gives it a very broad customer base that spans demographics.
“What we found is a shared mindset that may link everyone, from a boomer to a Gen Alpha [consumer], and by tapping into a shared mindset beyond demographics, we’re hopeful that we will maintain a really wealthy relationship with our customer base who’s been with us for years, while also [bringing] in a whole new era of consumers,” Crockett explained.
To support the brand’s marketing, Crockett is combining internal and external teams, including Stagwell agency Crispin, which was named agency of record for DSW in November 2024. The union of internal teams that live and breathe the brand and its consumers every single day and an agency that understands the brand’s guardrails is the best approach to create marketing “sparks,” based on Crockett.
Digital-physical connection
DSW’s retail footprint of greater than 500 stores across the country not only helps the brand engage consumers who still prefer to try on shoes in person, but additionally serves as a billboard for the the company’s brands.
“Our brick and mortar is my primary Most worthy marketing vehicle,” Crockett said. “Once you pass that threshold, what higher tool is there to speak what we’re all about?”
However, as the retail experience becomes an increasingly phygital one, omnichannel capabilities are a must. For DSW, meaning using its loyalty app to interact consumers with discounts, advantages and content while making the process between browsing online and buying in store more seamless.
“Our top customers shop each channels, digital and physical, and so they engage with our app very recurrently, and that is something that we’re repeatedly innovating upon,” Crockett said.
Along with its omnichannel approach, DSW has relied on celebrity partnerships and influencers to drive word-of-mouth at scale. The recommendations from friends, family and coworkers which have long driven sales aren’t being replaced but moderately augmented by influencer storytelling. As with every partnership, Crockett is seeking to make certain DSW is leading with the customer first.
“I’m a big believer that not each asset that a brand puts out has to work hard for each KPI that you just’re going after,” the executive explained. “It’s really a mix, and specializing in the richest ecosystem that we will develop to develop into magnet for our goal consumer, that is the day job.”
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