Business is booming for one of my favorite clothing stores, Aerie. It continues to grow and generate more revenue than American Eagle, which Aerie is a branch of. I kept wondering, how come this store is doing so much better than AE? So, I decided to make this post about Aerie’s sales strategy and why they are one of the hottest clothing brands for women.
There are 3 strategies that Aerie focuses on that really brings in the sales. The first one is being true to diversity and inclusion. A spokesperson from Aerie said, “We left beauty marks, we left tattoos, what you see is really what you get with our campaign.” They feature models that aren’t “touched up” or edited because they market the true beauty of women. This company promotes body positivity and has been a real leader in empowering women through what they wear. They really target our generation, Gen Z, as we are known to be the biggest generation that is seeking authenticity from brands. And that means including everyone, no matter the ethnicity, BMI, or disability.
The second strategy is retailer turned activist. The company sees themselves as more than just a clothing store. They know that to be successful in this generation, your business has to have a meaning behind it. They empower and inspire the Aerie community to be the change they want to see in the world through leadership, advocacy, workshops and philanthropic partnerships. Instead of getting the hot model of the day to become one of its Role Models, Aerie chooses to focus on young activists.
Thirdly, they have a deep focus on Gen Z. We are one of the biggest generations and they know that. For example, 90% of Gen Z consumers believe an organization should be responsible for addressing social and environmental causes and would pay more to shop at organizations that are civic minded. Aerie’s civic mindedness is a natural fit with the desires of this young generation.
They are also strongly focused on staying ahead on trends. Marketing as casual and comfortable, yet stylish, brings many Gen Z’s to their doors, including me. I think it is inspiring to see how personal this brand is. Their selling and marketing strategies have been on point, and I’m excited to see how far they can go.
How Aerie Built a Great Brand, its Strategy for Success
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Jonnojr
I have definitely seen these strategies in place in Aerie stores. However, I don’t think the first two strategies you mentioned are what draws the most attention, but they can generate a certain population. I think quality plays a role in their products and their brand name. I can see how these strategies do appeal to others though.
I can definitely understand why Aerie is blowing up much more than American Eagle. Personally, I am a much bigger fan of Aerie due to their styles, quality, and overall attractiveness of the brand. I have noticed their brand image coming across as very diverse and inclusive, and I could see them adding more sizes in the future because of this. I think the main factor to their success is their style and quality,