Dive Brief:

• Fashion retailer ModCloth launched "Against the Current," a new campaign starring singer-songwriter Halsey and actresses Awkwafina, Dascha Polanco and Hari Nef, to celebrate International Women's Day, according to exclusive details shared with Marketing Dive.
• A 30-second TV spot, directed by Alex Prager, shows each of the women battling against the natural elements of earth, wind, water and fire. The campaign, created with media agency Wavemaker and creative agency Observatory, also includes short documentary clips featuring each woman sharing intimate stories about their personal journeys and overcoming challenges.
• The videos will be available online with the full documentary featuring all four women available at ModCloth.com on March 10. The campaign also includes out-of-home takeovers in select New York City locations.

Dive Insight:

In what it says is its largest campaign to date, Walmart-owned ModCloth is celebrating diversity and women who "live and dress with distinct spirit." The campaign messaging and diverse cast of familiar faces could resonate with consumers, who tend to appreciate and support brands that focus on breaking gender stereotypes and helping them live out their own identities.

Brands continue to experiment with different digital video styles that feature celebrities and others sharing real-life stories. For example, as part of its ongoing digital and social series, "Money is Changing," Visa recently debuted spots around the Oscars spotlighting female designers, directors and producers discussing how they've grappled with and overcome the Hollywood pay gap. The authenticity of these efforts helps to foster deeper emotional connections with consumers, especially younger demographics, than traditional marketing and advertising efforts.

Individuality is a theme ModCloth has previously embraced. Last summer, the retailer launched a somewhat similar campaign, "Say It Louder," showcasing modern female icons, including rapper Lizzo, country star Cam and emerging artists Victory Boyd and Kacy Hill. The campaign messaging also centered on individuality and featured videos of the cast sharing their stories and passions. "Say It Louder" was part of ModCloth's brand revamp, which included a new logo.

The bigger push with "Against the Current," which includes a TV ad buy, comes as ModCloth is expanding its "Fitshops," retail locations that don't carry sellable inventory but where shoppers can get styling advice and try on samples for online ordering. The company recently opened its flagship Fitshop in New York City's Soho neighborhood, and has locations in Austin, Texas, and San Francisco. More locations are planned for Los Angeles, Boston, Salt Lake City and more. The company also recently launched select products on Nordstrom.com and in some stores.

Similarly, Walmart-owned menswear brand Bonobos has also created bold marketing efforts aimed at depicting more modern and positive portrayals of gender, while promoting diversity. The brand's #EvolveTheDefinition featured a "micro-documentary" showing a group of men sharing their definition of "masculine." The campaign delivered positive results for the brand, including sentiment and purchase intent, despite some online backlash.