American Eagle Marketing: 5 Ways “The Summer I Turned Pretty” Collaboration Did It Best

The summer of 2023 was the summer of women with things like the Barbie movie, the Eras tour, and season two of the show The Summer I Turned Pretty being released.

All which made many collaborations and marketing campaigns possible.

The Summer I turned Pretty’s second season had people everywhere keeping up with Team Conrad and Team Jeremiah whether they were watching the show or not.

The show also had younger generations using it as inspiration for their clothing.

American Eagle marketing took this opportunity and ran with it as they advertised the collaboration everywhere.

Here are five ways they did that:

Buying during the show

Amazon Prime added a unique feature where viewers can tune into the show and see exactly which items the characters were wearing and buy the items that way.

When they click pause, some of the clothes that the actors are wearing in that specific scene will appear at the bottom or on the side of the screen with a link to buy it.  

American Eagle marketing nailed this because there are less steps involved to get people to buy their clothes.

They are immediately taken from the scene where they first saw the item that they want to that specific item instead of having to figure out where it’s from, look up the website and then that specific piece of clothing and going through the checkout process. 

The key to getting people to buy your product is ease!

An easy process makes people more likely to buy the product. If there are too many steps people will lose interest. 

Promoting an aesthetic

Gen Z is all about figuring out your aesthetic and dressing to fit the part. An aesthetic is not only a form expression but for Gen Z it is also a group of people or traits that you are associated with. 

The American Eagle marketing team definitely knows this because The Summer I Turned Pretty fits the brand they have projected for years and by dressing the characters in their clothing, they are reaching a new generation that may have forgotten about their brand.  

Anyone who knows the show can tell that all of the characters fit into the same beachy boho all American style that American Eagle is known for selling and it has helped make it very popular again.

Fans of the show will take inspiration from the characters for their own wardrobe and American Eagle’s collection will be the first place they look at.

They will also start to develop a sense of style that is similar to that of the show which creates loyal customers for the store.  

American Eagle marketing has not only done well by aligning itself with a show with a similar aesthetic but also by creating merch around the show.

Referencing the show

Whose team are you on? Conrad or Jeremiah? 

By now, most people that have spent some time on TikTok know about Belly, the main character, and the decision she faces to pick between two brothers.

American Eagle gives people the opportunity to choose and let everyone know with their Team Conrad, Jeremiah and even Belly shirts. 

The store has also released some show specific merch that the characters have worn on the show like their Cousins Beach shirt.

Again, these merch pieces are still part of the show’s aesthetic, but they are explicitly about the show which means that the most intense of their fans will be able to find their favorite show’s merch and personal items in the same space.

Involving the actors

Who hasn’t bought something simply because a celebrity they like has said they use it? 

Let’s be honest, in today’s world, it is not enough to promote your clothing brand just by making ads and hoping someone sees it. 

In the world of influencers and celebrities it is so important to get these people to help you promote the brand!

With this collaboration, the American Eagle marketing team has actors that are guaranteed to work with them. 

On the off-chance people haven’t seen the clothing advertised on storefronts and linked on the show, they will definitely notice the stars wearing the clothes on their socials and in campaigns.

Their pictures are on banners in front of the stores, as models for some of the items and many other places. 

We all know how powerful fame is and how celebrities and influencers can make clothes and other products trend just by using them.

A collaboration is an ad on steroids which is why they are so effective. The pieces are unique to one celebrity which makes them much more interesting to their followers. 

 Using Social Media

Like we said in the part before, using social media is a very effective way to get your product out there. Especially if the person posting it is a celebrity or influencer.

In this case those people are the actors from the show.

Everyone has some form of social media and Gen Z tends to be on multiple platforms. Most of them follow celebrities from shows or movies that they like on these apps and will take most recommendations they give.

Also, because of how feeds work, celebrities and verified accounts are often booted up to the top of a person’s feed which makes it more likely for them to see the post.

The goal is that people will say “I like that shirt” and look at the caption telling them where to get which drives up sales.

For example, if the main actress from the show, Lola Tung posts a picture in American Eagle clothing, the hope is that people will want to shop there.

The American Eagle marketing team is counting on the fact that people want to copy their favorite celebrities and feel like they are part of something.

Key Takeaways from American Eagle Marketing

If there is one main point that we can take away from this campaign and the American Eagle marketing strategy is that you have to sell a feeling, a sense of belonging. 

These may all feel like obvious things but it is important to remember why you are doing something in order to do it as best as you can and creating a community around a show like The Summer I Turned Pretty is one of the best ways to do that.

Remember, everything has a specific intention…

✍️ Written by Alexandra Hayek