Dive Brief:
- Leaning further into its brand ambassador strategy, Express has tapped Ohio-based student quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer to serve as its new collegiate athlete style ambassador, the fashion retailer announced Thursday.
- As part of the collaboration, Express will feature Grunkemeyer in a social media campaign across TikTok, Instagram and other channels.
- Express styled Grunkemeyer for his first press event on National Signing Day, when the athlete celebrated his commitment to Penn State University. He is the brand’s youngest athlete partner to date, the company said.
Dive Insight:
Express has been growing its roster of style ambassadors in recent years. In 2021, the brand piloted its Express Community Commerce program, in which participants could earn commissions on special seasonal collection sales. Later that year, the retailer enlisted fashion designer Rachel Zoe to lead the initiative.
Earlier this year, the brand replaced Zoe with Tan France as the program’s new lead stylist and noted that Zoe would take another role later this year: Zoe was named a style mentor with Express in May. The company previously turned to Ohio to find its first two student football players, CJ Stroud and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, to serve as collegiate athlete style ambassadors. The brand also brought on basketball players Jahvon Quinerly of Alabama, Justice Sueing of Ohio, Keyonte George of Texas and Nick Smith Jr. of Arkansas as collegiate style ambassadors, per a February press release.
“We are thrilled to welcome Ethan Grunkemeyer into the Express Styling Community, expanding on our successful collegiate athlete style ambassador program with a local, talented athlete beginning his college football career,” Sara Tervo, chief marketing officer at Express, said in a statement.
In addition to Express, other major retailers have relied on influencers to drive sales via social media and shoppable content. Macy’s expanded its Style Crew ambassador program to fashion and beauty influencers in August 2020, enabling Style Crew members to make shoppable videos and photos to share on social media. About a year later, Nordstrom introduced its own ambassador program, in which members aged 18 and up can take part in paid styling and content opportunities.
Express is relying on style ambassadors to drive business amid its broader financial troubles. In September, the company reported a 6.4% decline in Q2 net sales to $435.3 million. The following quarter, the company reported a 7% year-over-year drop in net sales to $402 million. Late last summer, the retailer also announced plans to eliminate 150 jobs by the end of Q3.
As Express tries to turn itself around, its parent company, WHP Global, is plotting an international expansion. In November, Express announced plans to expand into Indonesia and Paraguay and widen its reach in Central America and Mexico.
