EXCLUSIVE: American Eagle, WhatsApp team on Gen Z-focused holiday pilot
American Eagle is expanding its efforts to target Gen Z shoppers on their favorite communication apps.
The specialty apparel retailer, which has been utilizing technology from Kargo to automate design personalization and create distinct Snapchat ads tailored for its core Gen Z consumer base, is now piloting an AI-generated, personalized gift-finding experience on WhatsApp this holiday season.
In an exclusive email to Chain Store Age, a spokesperson for American Eagle said that since the beginning of November 2024 the retailer has been leveraging Meta ads (Meta is WhatsApp’s parent company) to drive users to its shopping experience on the app.
American Eagle is targeting two key demographic personas with this pilot: Gift givers (age 15-25) and gift receivers (25-55). Once users engage, they have a one-on-one conversation with an AI consultant, receiving personalized gift recommendations based on their answers to a series of questions such as ideal budget, type of product, and specific preferences of the gift recipient.
Customers can make a purchase from American Eagle directly within the app, creating a seamless conversion path.
"We're not just selling clothes; we're creating an entertainment-driven, personalized shopping experience that meets our consumers where they are," Craig Brommers, American Eagle chief marketing officer, said in a statement emailed to Chain Store Age. "WhatsApp offers us a unique opportunity to connect with our shoppers through an innovative one-to-one conversational approach that feels humorous and authentic to our brand voice."
According to American Eagle, it decided to partner with WhatsApp based on 50% of the Gen Z population currently being on the app and expectations it will exceed 100 million U.S. users. WhatsApp was listed as the fifth-most-popular social platform among U.S. teens in 2023 by Pew Research, with 21% usage and ranked behind YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram.
[READ MORE: YouTube, TikTok top list of teens’ most used social platforms]
"By being the first fashion retailer in North America to partner with WhatsApp, an app that is rapidly growing its GenZ consumer audience, we're continuing our tradition of taking calculated risks to drive meaningful connections with our target customer," said Brommers.
American Eagle parent 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.
