Simon targets Gen Z with influencer campaign
Simon wants to meet Gen Z shoppers – and their moms – at its shopping centers.
The real estate investment trust and shopping center operator is launching a national omnichannel promotional campaign, "Meet Me @themall," with significant integration of content from creators and influencers.
The campaign blends '80s and '90s nostalgia with participation from more than 250 Gen Z creators and influencers including Alejandro Rosario, The Pitman Sisters, Gym Tan, Mya Miller, Preshous Jordan and Dan Pelosi.
The ads feature a recreation of Simple Minds' 1985 number one single "Don't You (Forget About Me)" turned into "Won't You (Meet Me at the Mall?)," and are intended to be the first step in a broader campaign that features creator content to generate enthusiasm among both members of Gen Z and their moms to find new connections and experiences at the mall.
The campaign is now live on premium streaming services such as Netflix, Peacock, Hulu and Disney +, as well as on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Simon's owned channels and in its shopping centers throughout the country.
Simon also has launched @themall social channels on TikTok and Instagram. These channels will celebrate mall culture and fandom while highlighting experiences and offerings at Simon malls.
"While Gen Zers may find their moms cringey, it turns out that they have developed a love for many of the same things their parents did: from fashion to movies to music and the mall," said Simon chief marketing officer Lee Sterling. "At Simon, we are all about bringing multiple generations together to seek new connections, have fun and make shared memories along the way. While the mall experience has evolved over the years, it continues to capture the zeitgeist of each generation."
The spots were created in partnership with media content and production company SuperBloom House. Peacock is a member of the SuperBloom House Creative Collective.
Simon partners with influencers
This new campaign is not the first instance of Simon collaborating with influencers in an effort to reach a younger, technologically savvy consumer base. Shop Premium Outlets, a digital shopping platform Simon co-launched with e-commerce site Rue Gilt Groupe to provide an outlet center-type shopping experience online, connects stores at its centers directly to consumers via livestream events that often feature influencers helping to run the events.
[READ MORE: Exclusive Q&A: Simon brings outlet shopping online]
Simon is a real estate investment trust engaged in the ownership of shopping, dining, entertainment and mixed-use destinations with properties across North America, Europe and Asia.
