Dive Brief:

• J.C. Penney debuted a new private label brand named Peyton and Parker that was inspired by Instagram moments and designed to help moms discover stylish looks for their families that can be shared on social media, the company announced in a news release. The family lifestyle brand, the retailer's first new cross-divisional private label in years, will be displayed in stores next to the women's department. 
• Peyton and Parker will offer limited-edition capsule collections. The label kicks off with a holiday line featuring coordinating family apparel, accessories and shoes in mix-and-match designs.The holiday collection will be available at about 400 locations and on JCPenney.com starting Oct. 19.
• The retailer is working with "savvy mom" Instagram influencers to promote the new brand. The marketing push also includes email, social media and digital marketing channels. Rewards members can get an advance look at the collection on the retailer's site Oct. 16-17, as well as receive a 50% off coupon. 

Dive Insight:

J.C. Penney is betting that tapping into the popularity of "mommy bloggers" with large Instagram followings will help drive holiday sales. Launching the collection and Instagram campaign in mid-October is a strategic move that could help boost results. Holiday ad campaigns that start in October have a 7% increase in ad impressions, 12% drop in cost-per-click and 20% boost in CPM, compared to other months in the holiday shopping season, according to recent research by AdRoll. Marketers also had a 400% increase in click-through-rates on Instagram compared to display campaigns.

The new private label brand and influencer partnerships could also help the retailer gain favor with younger consumers, a group that has shown little interest in destination retail. J.C. Penney has struggled to find its brand identity and key consumer base, and has seen several disappointing quarters. 

Instagram is a key platform for fashion and lifestyle inspiration, with 72% of consumers saying they've made a fashion, beauty or style-related purchase after seeing something on Instagram, according to a study by Dana Rebecca Designs. More retailers are working with influencers on the platform to reach consumers, especially millennial and Gen Z consumers, with authentic messaging and showcasing products in real-life situations. Instagram recently expanded it Shopping tool to Instagram Stories. The shoppable Stories will have a shopping bag sticker, and users can pause a story and see more details, including more product images, related products, descriptions, price and a link to make a purchase.