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Can a rebrand popularize Saks Off Fifth with a new generation?

March 23, 2022Written by Tom Ryan

In hopes of appealing to younger luxury shoppers, Saks Off 5th has undergone a rebrand that includes a new tagline — "Where Fashion Takes Off” — and visual identity that embraces a more vibrant color palette. Off Fifth said in a statement that it surveyed some 5,000 shoppers over the past year and discovered a “significant opportunity to appeal to a younger, fashion-minded core customer.” The research further showed Off Fifth had an opportunity to reach new customers who see fashion as a hobby. “They don’t wear designer from head to toe,” Sara Griffin, SVP, marketing, Off Fifth told Adweek. “It’s about mixing and matching pieces as a way to curate their identity and their unique look.” [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EE-D7xvV7RM[/embed] The "Where Fashion Takes Off” mantra — replacing “Saks Style, For Less” — and related campaign “is really all about self-expression and encouraging our customers to chart their own course and crafting their own identity,” Ms. Griffin told Forbes. Following two years of pandemic-related restraint, she believes there’s a “real moment right now in our culture about celebrating the individual and allowing people to be whoever they want to be.” The updated positioning comes following a year in which Off Fifth shifted pricing away from high-low to an everyday low strategy. The chain also added Activewear and casual assortments during the pandemic to add more balance to its traditional dress-up mix. Over 500 brands have been added over the past two years with plans for 300 more in 2022. “We want to be in the mid-tier branded space as well as in that contemporary and designer branded space,” chief merchant Molly Taylor told WWD. “Madewell and Adidas are good examples of mid-tier limited distribution in off-price that really matter to our customer. Our customer still wants brands. They want fashion. They want newness, but we want to serve all occasions as well.” The campaign is the first update since HBC and private equity firm Insight Partners separated Saks’ e-commerce and store operations last year. Off Fifth’s e-commerce sales surged 50 percent in 2021, boosted by the launch of its first mobile app. Off Fifth also has about 100 locations.

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