Welcome to The Week in Direct-to-Consumer, a weekly roundup for marketers from Quad Insights that sums up the latest news in the DTC space.
Spanx launches first-ever brand campaign in London
DTC women’s apparel, activewear and shapewear brand Spanx just launched its first-ever brand campaign in London, Retail Dive’s Howard Ruben reports. The campaign, which is running in London’s tube (subway) stations, features English model, author and women’s rights activist Charli Howard, and was “created as a celebration of the multifaceted modern woman,” Ruben notes.
The takeaway: Just in time for London Fashion Week, this campaign positions Spanx as an inclusive brand.
See also: In October, Spanx debuted its first-ever retail pop-up series, which ran in New York City; Washington D.C.; Miami; and London, as we noted in an earlier installment of The Week in Direct-to-Consumer.
Lululemon is developing recycled nylon garments
DTC athleisure brand Lululemon has partnered with recycling-tech company Samsara Eco to develop the world’s first nylon recycled with enzymes, Fast Company’s Elizabeth Segran reports. Though fabric-to-fabric recycling is already available for polyester and cotton, Segran notes, Lululemon “tends to use a lot of nylon in its garments, which is more expensive than polyester but is also more durable and has more performance benefits.” According to the company, test garments made with recycled nylon perform as well as those made with non-recycled nylon.
The takeaway: Lululemon’s investment in this new process helps position it as a brand that’s thinking creatively about sustainability, which could give it a marketing edge with eco-conscious consumers.
See also: In November, several major footwear brands partnered with non-profit EarthDNA to launch The Footwear Collective, an initiative dedicated to the pursuit of a circular economy in the global footwear industry, as we noted in an earlier installment of The Week in Direct-to-Consumer.
Beyoncé launches haircare brand Cécred
Beyoncé Knowles-Carter just announced the launch of Cécred, a new DTC haircare brand dedicated to providing consumers with science-driven products. “As a Black founder, it was important to me to concentrate on where I saw the greatest need for healthy haircare and to place scientific innovation and product performance above all else,” Knowles-Carter said in the announcement. The debut products, dubbed the Foundation Collection, leverage “patent-pending keratin recovery tech” called Bioactive Keratin Ferment. Consisting of shampoo, conditioner, rinses, a treatment mask and more, the Foundation Collection is available at www.cecred.com.
The takeaway: With sales for celebrity beauty brands up 57.8% year-over-year as of November 2023, Beyoncé is adding her supernova star power to the mix while positioning Cécred as an industry innovator.
Junoco boosts repeat purchases with refill program
In an article titled “How Junoco’s refill system led to a 32% increase in repeat purchases,” Modern Retail’s Maria Monteros explores the impact of the skincare brand’s DTC refill program. Just three months ago, Junoco unveiled refillable packaging and lower-priced refill pods for three of its products, Monteros notes, adding that, with repeat purchases up 32% during the span, the brand now “plans to have 20 refill-friendly products within two years.” Beyond driving repeat purchases and DTC growth (refill pods are available exclusively on the company’s DTC website), the system aligns with the company’s mission as a sustainable business. Read the full story here.
The takeaway: Junoco’s refill program capitalizes on rising interest in sustainability among consumers. A recent survey from the U.S. Plastics Pact and Closed Loop Partners’ Center for the Circular Economy found that 56% of consumers think it’s important for brands to offer reusable products and packaging, as we noted in a recent edition of “10 marketing, media and industry statistics to know now.”
Further reading
DTC retail strategy:
DTC growth strategy:
- “DTC brands look abroad for further growth” (Modern Retail)
- “SNP debuts direct-to-consumer seafood program to boost online grocery sales” (Seafood Source)
- “Workwear brand Brunt adds nearly 2 dozen wholesale partners” (Retail Dive)
DTC trends:
DTC celebrity partnerships:
