The apparel brand is known for its alternative style playlists heard throughout its bricks-and-mortar stores that embody the American Eagle Outfitter style. These playlists are now available to stream through its mobile app, functioning as music services such as Spotify and Pandora, for a further connection to music lovers and to encourage app loyalty. 

"This feature will enable American Eagle Outfitters to have a constant presence on their users' mobile device and change their perception regarding the app," said Guillaume Lelait, general manager at Fetch, San Francisco. "By adding a feature that is not commerce-focused, the app will become more trusted amongst users and will not be seen as a simply a promotions tool.

"This will also allow American Eagle Outfitters to receive user feedback on their playlists and adjust accordingly for both the app and in-store to improve the shopping experience," he said. 

American Eagle Outfitters? app now allows users to stream while engaging with the app, but also while running in the background of users? devices. This is important for American Eagle, as it allows consumers to use the app as another streaming music service. 

While the feature offers a finite amount of songs compared to large streaming platforms such as Spotify and Pandora, the playlists still offer a sizable amount of content. The app feature can retain fans of music and American Eagle, increasing app launches and use. 

To listen to its playlists, users download the American Eagle app and click on the radio button on the homepage. The player pops up on the app and users can minimize it to continue running in the background. 

New playlists are released monthly and through multiple channels. Through the American Eagle blog, the monthly playlists are announced and also available for streaming through Spotify. 

Music has been an important facet of American Eagle?s image, and the brand has celebrated it in various forms. Its playlists are an important part of the American Eagle brand. 

Through the store a collection of music specifically curated by American Eagle is played for customers while shopping to get the all-around brand experience. The brand celebrates artists and attempts to connect with consumers over a shared love of music. 

A section of the brand?s blog is devoted to music and its playlists. Many sneak peaks of upcoming playlists are shared, along with music festival footage, interviews  and other content related to music. 

American Eagle Outfitters attempts to connect with its demographic through various marketing tactics. Its lingerie brand, Aerie recently launched its Love Your Selfie campaign complete with a hashtag and the world?s largest un-retouched selfie (see more). 

Also, users of American Eagle Outfitters? application got first crack at trying a new service enabling items to be reserved online and then tried on in-store, reflecting the growth in mobile-enabled omnichannel shopping experiences (see more). 

"Adding this new feature to the app increases its capabilities, and in turn will drive app engagement," Mr. Lelait said. "The new functionality will take on the role of a friend, as the app will refer users to music with curated playlists. 

"It will help promote overall brand sentiment by making the overall app experience feel more organic and natural," he said. 

Final take
Brielle Jaekel is editorial assistant at Mobile Marketer