CSA EXCLUSIVE: American Eagle targets Gen Z on Snapchat
American Eagle Outfitters Inc. is leveraging a popular social media channel to promote its products to the crucial 13-to-24-year-old consumer demographic.
In a recent discussion with Chain Store Age, Ashley Schapiro, VP - marketing, media, performance & engagement for American Eagle, explained how the apparel retailer utilizes customizable technology from Kargo to automate design personalization and create distinct ads tailored for its core Gen Z consumer base that it delivers via Snapchat at scale.
[Read more: American Eagle to run immersive New York City jeans promotion]
What drew American Eagle to Snapchat?
As a top jeans brand for Gen Z, we need to be present where our audience is spending their time, and that is on social media. We know Snapchat reaches 90% of 13-to-24 year-olds, which is why we have been partners since 2018.
Our customer wants more immersive and more engaging shopping experiences than ever before. Snapchat provides these opportunities for us to engage with our audience throughout the funnel in a fun and dynamic way that captures their attention and drives action.
The full-screen shopping experience on Snapchat lets us run ads that showcase our product while highlighting elements like price, discounts, special and product features. The partnership between (Snapchat parent company) Snap and Kargo has taken this capability to the next level.
Why did you select Kargo technology?
Kargo was one of the very few partners that allowed us to quickly implement a lower funnel sales strategy by unlocking the power of personalization through their dynamic product ads technology.
Kargo's data and creative technology works in tandem with our products, specifically promotional pricing, offers and customer ratings, to ensure a personalized ad experience for each user. This unique combination has helped us maximize the value of our consumer interactions on Snapchat.
How does your Snapchat marketing program work?
American Eagle utilizes Snapchat as a full funnel, ‘always on’ partner for everything from awareness to consideration to conversion and ultimately, loyalty. Kargo helps us drive users down the funnel, encouraging conversion on the American Eagle e-commerce site to support heavy promotional periods and seasonal product launches.
Innovation is a given in media today- but it also plays a role in content creation. We are always experimenting with new overlays and finding ways to make our creative content more engaging to cut through the clutter.
What benefits have you received (metrics if possible)?
In previous campaigns (last year’s back-to-school program) we saw an increase in click-through rate and a lift in sales by utilizing Kargo’s creative overlays and borders to develop dynamic content enhancements.
In a recent study with Kargo, we learned users were 60% more likely to click ‘shop now’ after being exposed to a Kargo-enhanced ad on Snapchat. The addition of Kargo overlays to the American Eagle shop has resulted in a 38% lift in purchase intent compared to standard ads.
Are there any future plans you can discuss?
By experimenting with various creative elements such as branding, pricing and clear messaging, we can assess what has the strongest impact on incremental revenue. At American Eagle, we are always evolving with our customers and this means consistently testing and learning to explore new and innovative ways to interact with Gen Z.
American Eagle Outfitters Inc. (AEO) operates stores in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Hong Kong and Japan, and ships to approximately 80 countries worldwide through its websites. American Eagle and Aerie merchandise also is available at more than 260 international locations operated by licensees in approximately 30 countries.