Kohl's is launching a “By Kohl's” campaign highlighting the “Next Era” of its proprietary brands.
The effort marks a fairly rare marketing push by a retailer directly calling out their private labels or exclusive brands as many try to attempt to improve allocations in national brands.
Christie Raymond, chief marketing officer, in a Q&A posted on Kohls.com said that while Kohl’s has many fans of its owned brands, others underestimate their value.
“At its core, ‘By Kohl’s’ is about giving the proprietary brands we’ve created for our customers a stronger voice and greater visibility,” said Raymond. “We want shoppers to have confidence in choosing these brands, because they understand what they offer -- style they love, quality they can trust, and value that fits their lives.”
The campaign will play out in broadcast spots featuring “Kohl’s Mom” -- played by actress Ellie Kemper, known for her roles in "The Office" and "The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" -- along with celebrity guest appearances, as well as through social, digital, and in-store experiences.
“Our creative brings each brand’s personality to life under one connected platform,” said Raymond. “For example, the broadcast spot for FLX apparel shows how the brand moves seamlessly from work to the golf course, combining comfort, performance, and polish. Online, we’re reinforcing each brand’s distinct attributes, like reinforced knees on Jumping Beans kids’ pants or the thoughtful design of an LC Lauren Conrad dress. In-store, prominently placed By Kohl’s signage makes it easier for customers to recognize and navigate our owned brands throughout their shopping experience.”
Chief Merchandising Officer Nick Jones added, “By spotlighting our own brands alongside our national brand favorites, we are curating a purposeful mix that gives our customers exactly what they want.”
Kohl's Has Sent Mixed Signals in the Past on Store Versus National Brand Assortment
Kohl’s private-label penetration had declined to 31% of Kohl’s mix in 2024, down from as high as 36% in 2022, as the chain had been introducing more national brands to draw new customers. Over the last year, Kohl’s has shifted back to prioritizing house brands to make opening price points more attractive to increasingly budget-conscious customers.
“As our customers continue to be more choiceful and remain under pressure, we have the opportunity to meet their needs and offer more value with elevating our proprietary brands,” said Michael Bender, CEO, on the company's third-quarter analyst call.
In the third quarter, proprietary brands delivered its first positive sales performance for Kohl’s in several quarters -- led by brands like SO in juniors, LC Lauren Conrad and Simply Vera Vera Wang in women's, and Tek Gear and FLX in men's. The private brand strength also helped support improved gross margins.
Bender said Kohl’s has no target for the ideal mix of private to national brands. He said, “We're committed to moving where our customer is leading us.” Target, Walgreens, and Save A Lot are among retailers that have run campaigns in the past highlighting private brands.