'The Book' is back as Neiman Marcus works to reintroduce itself post-bankruptcy

Dive Brief:

As it approaches the anniversary of its exit from bankruptcy, Neiman Marcus on Monday announced a fall marketing campaign, "Re-Introduce Yourself," featuring nearly 100 brands in women's, men's, children's, home and beauty, with more than "40 new luxury and emerging brands" in focus.
The campaign debuts mid-month with print and digital advertising, native content, social media, and store visuals and events. Its autumn "The Book," available last year only in digital form, returns Aug. 30 featuring Chloe's Gabriella Hearst, and Virgil Abloh of Off-White and Louis Vuitton.
Some images were shot on location in Art Omi's sculpture park in upstate New York and on the Million Air runway in Dallas. A video directed by Anais Larocca and produced in partnership with The Mill features dancers choreographed by Amy Gardner, per a company press release.

Dive Insight:

This campaign, and Neiman Marcus's announcement of it, is full of blue skies, clear paths and high hopes.

"The upward business momentum we've experienced has been an optimistic sign of new possibilities and a new world," Neiman Marcus President and Chief Merchandising Officer Lana Todorovich said in a statement. "This season calls for all of us to re-introduce who we are and what we've learned about ourselves. It's time for Neiman Marcus to do the same, and we want our customers to not only meet us again but know that we're in this together."

The company has spent the year scaling back its brick-and-mortar operations in favor of digital sales and marketing, a shift that began before the pandemic and its bankruptcy.

But there are some clouds intruding. The company continued to grapple with its debt load after its emergence from chapter 11 and is said to be mulling a sale of its Bergdorf Goodman unit, though the company denies this. Last month, the Dallas Morning News reported that luxury jeweler Van Cleef & Arpels will vacate its immense space at the NorthPark Center Neiman Marcus.

More widely, the delta strain of the coronavirus is threatening the return to normalcy and shaking consumer confidence.