The retail outlet business is crowded, competitive and hyper-promotional, and my mandate was to bring the Saks Off 5th brand to life with a sense of individuality that would differentiate it from every other retailer in this space.

“Best Sellers” by Any Other Name

It’s a simple but effective framing: “best sellers” puts the focus on the brand, while “the popular vote” gives the power back to the customer. This is consistent with direction I’ve given to my teams over the course of my career: reflect the customer’s mindset, not the brand’s.

The Thrill of the Hunt

The outlet customer enjoys the treasure hunt aspect of shopping. This informed every aspect of our messaging, including here, where we enhance a simple pricepoint-based email with a covetable, brag-worthy spin. “It’s not just low-priced style,” we say. “It’s looks that will turn heads and makes you swoon.”

Catching Eyes, Stopping Thumbs

Prior to my arrival, Saks Off 5th messaging always led with a promotional headline. I challenged that strategy: our customers know they’re getting huge savings, so we should use our creative real estate to inspire them! That’s how we set ourselves apart. That’s how we build a relationship with our customers.

New metrics showed that this updated messaging strategy resulted in higher engagement, and a new strategy was born.

Every Wink Helps

I urge my teams to use every bit of real estate as opportunities for creativity and brand building. A shop-by-size email can come to life in fun, surprising ways by just redefining a common idiom.