Dive Brief:

• Express is launching a holiday campaign with a cast of influencers deemed “Expressionists,” headed by brand ambassador Karlie Kloss, according to a company press release.
• The retailer described the effort as an integrated marketing and advertising campaign that will include digital, social media, broadcast and in-store promotions.
• The Expressionist cast also includes a bartender, beauty vlogger, wellness expert, chef and more in a bid to present a diversity of lifestyles well suited to the brand. The team is pushing an #ExpressLife tag to raise awareness for the effort. 

Dive Insight:

Influencer marketing remains a popular way for brands to give off a sense of authenticity, especially with younger demographics, and Express's latest tapping social mavens like vloggers shows the retailer has its finger on the pulse of the trend. As distrust of "manufactured" looking marketing grows among groups like millennials and Gen Z, influencers can feel like a genuine product recommendation from a trusted source rather than an intrusive spot by a faceless company.

This approach has inevitably run into its own issues, particularly in regards to proper disclosure that influencer promotions are paid for by businesses. Express coming up with its own mini-branding for the team through the Expressionist and #ExpressLife labels is a clever way to ensure that the brand's presence in the effort is clearly communicated. 

Express’s latest campaign is also smart in utilizing social media, including behind-the-scenes access to consumers on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat. As traditional holiday marketing pushes like print catalogs lose some of their appeal with those key young demos, it becomes increasingly essential for retailers to figure out ways to connect through digital channels.