Pacsun continues to aggressively court what’s new and what’s next with its leveraging of social media, most recently via the launch of its crowdsourced Collective program.
The retailer this month rolled out a new initiative, called the Pacsun Collective, which taps its follower base for help with future marketing campaigns and merchandise. The first of that work appears in the company’s Spring/Summer 2024 campaign, which reflects a collaboration between Pacsun’s marketing team and creatives ranging from a stylist to photographer.
Pacsun Associate Director of Brand Tyler MacDonald said Pacsun’s in-house marketing team used its TikTok and Instagram channels to source U.S. creatives to work with for its Spring/Summer 2024 campaign. It also touted the program and applying for it on its website and physical stores.
“Following the success of our Holiday ’23 campaign, where we invited consumers, employees, and our followers to be featured in the campaign as models, we quickly realized the importance of authenticity, and the need to continue the two-way dialogue between our community members and the in-house creative team,” MacDonald told SES.
Pacsun in more recent years has gone after the Gen Z consumer with its investments in digital marketing. That’s been most notable through its use of TikTok, where it managed to exceed 2 million followers in 2022 within a two-year period. It’s also ramped work with influencers online, collaborated with individuals such as Storm Reid and Emma Chamberlain on livesteams, and established a presence in the metaverse.
The Pacsun Collective aims to continue that digital work, using its online presence to continue finding partners for the Collective given that’s where the majority of the retailer’s audience is, according to MacDonald.
The executive added how the work with Collective members appears moving forward will continue “to grow and evolve with each season.”
“We are consistently looking for new ways to include our community into upcoming initiatives, the most recent example being a takeover of our DTLA store windows with a local artist who helped create a mural for the season,” MacDonald said.
Pacsun Spring/Summer 2024 campaign. Photo courtesy of Pacsun.
Understanding the Consumer
Currently, all of Pacsun’s creative is done in-house with no agency of record partner.
That work places the marketing and branding team closer to the consumer and current trends.
“The (marketing) landscape is ever changing and we are constantly finding new ways to build a strong, emotional resonance as a brand,” MacDonald said of the current operating environment impacting his work. “Currently, the power of community and authenticity continues to be more and more important. People seem less interested in following corporate brands, and instead are more interested in following the faces and people that make up a brand’s DNA. They are not just buying things; they are buying into things.”
That reality will continue to drive future marketing initiatives, MacDonald said.
“This year, we are dedicated to strengthening our identity as a purpose-driven brand at the intersection of sports, fashion, music, and art,” MacDonald said. “We’re continuing to form deeper connections with our customers through exclusive brand and talent collaborations, immersive experiences both in the physical and digital worlds, and captivating storytelling with the goal of creating exceptional experiences that not only resonate with our community but also further brand loyalty and advocacy.”
