Dive Brief:

• Nordstrom teamed up with four fashion-savvy comedians to promote its annual anniversary sale, which will be held July 20 to Aug. 5, per a company news release. 
• The retailer's partners include Liza Koshy, actress, "Double Dare" host and star of "Liza on Demand;" Daniel Levy, writer, producer and cast member of "Schitt's Creek;" Phoebe Robinson, author, actress and co-host of "2 Dope Queens" and Hannah Simone of "New Girl." The campaign was shot by Mary Ellen Matthews, known for her portraits of celebrity guests on "Saturday Night Live."
• Each of the comedians filmed short videos for Nordstrom's  "Show Us How You #NSale" sweepstakes. Consumers can submit an anniversary sale photo or video on social media or online for a chance to win a $500 Nordstrom gift card. Nordstrom will promote the full campaign on its website, social platforms and the anniversary sale catalog. The effort additionally includes digital, print, out-of-home, shopping bags, store windows and in-store displays. 

Dive Insight:

Nordstrom is taking a lighthearted approach to promoting its anniversary sale by enlisting the help of four popular comic personalities, including podcast hosts and actresses. By tapping some familiar faces and including a social media sweepstakes urging consumers to share photos and videos, the marketer could potentially generate some online buzz and user-generated content ahead of one of its biggest events of the year 

For last year's anniversary sale, the retailer also partnered with several celebrity ambassadors, including entertainers and professional athletes, but it took a more tech-focused approach. The 2017 campaign featured a Snapchat geofilter and lens, as well as a "Scan + Shop" element that gave consumers the ability to add items from the print catalog to their Nordstrom app using a smartphone camera. 

Putting less of a focus on mobile this year is interesting, especially since Nordstrom has made some strategic moves to build out its capabilities with the channel. The retailer announced in March that it was acquiring BevyUp, a digital selling tool for retailers, and MessageYes, which allows for conversational shopping. The integrations were positioned as allowing Nordstrom to create more personalized shopping interactions with consumers, including through artificial intelligence-powered product recommendations. 

As many other retailers have struggled with falling sales and declining store foot traffic, Nordstrom has been a stronger performer. The company reported record sales in 2017, partly due to its lower-price Nordstrom Rack, which added 6 million new customers last year.