Multi-pronged campaign underscores Urban
Outfitters' understanding of today's fast-paced shopping
landscape
PHILADELPHIA, July 10,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Urban Outfitters, the leading
lifestyle retailer known for its unique blend of fashion,
accessories, and home décor, reveals its new omnichannel campaign,
"Shift Happens", launching July 10th
through UO's marketing, social, and retail channels. This dynamic,
3-phase back-to-school initiative will focus on fueling the next
generation of consumers through compelling product priorities,
exciting campaign partners, creator driven content, and culturally
relevant activations, aimed at reigniting the passion of Gen-Z
consumers and empowering their journey of self-discovery and
individuality with style and storytelling.
The Shift Happens campaign aims to build Urban's grasp of
today's dynamic retail environment, where consumers crave
community, authenticity, discovery and unique experiences in their
brand interactions. To achieve this, UO will harness consumer
insights to captivate emerging consumer demographics, activating
with innovative and thrilling initiatives across site, social, and
retail to promote self-discovery while finding one's personal
style, sanctuary amidst the chaos, and a sense of community.
To kick off Shift Happens, Urban Outfitters will host curated
in-person experiences designed to authentically connect
with Gen-Z and guide them in their exploration of self
identity, especially during pivotal transitions of life such as
going back to school. Shift Happens will leverage insights to bring
together best-in-class partners in the retail, apparel, tech and
spaces aligning with Gen Z relevant brands including Oakley,
BAGGU, Birkenstock and UGG alongside key mega-influencers and
of-the-moment talent.
Launching July 10th-11th, the
campaign's initial phase, "Space Shift," will feature a captivating
2-day marketing experience in partnership with visual search and
discovery platform Pinterest. The activation will debut at The
Chelsea Factory in NYC and feature 10 multifunctional spaces and
experiences inspired by Pinterest trends dedicated to showcasing
how Gen-Zers can create personal, multifunctional sanctuaries in
their home-to-home journeys. Each component of the activation will
be a testament to the versatility and style that Urban Outfitters
brings to modern living spaces and the breath of inspiration you
can find on Pinterest.
To bring the event to life, Urban Outfitters and Pinterest will
team up with a group of handpicked, multi-hyphenate influencers
known for their own distinct communities and aesthetics. The
influencers, including multidisciplinary artists Anya Tisdale, Kai
McPhee, photographer Morgan
Maher, and floral designer Rabab, will be tasked with
curating their own Urban Outfitters-led Pinterest boards which will
be brought to life in their uniquely designed sanctuaries within
the Space Shift activation. Visitors can immerse themselves in
these spaces, shop their favorite influencers' must-haves, and
experience firsthand the modernized shopping experience that blends
digital inspiration with physical reality. To double down on the
strategy of meeting Gen Z where they are, Urban Outfitters and
Pinterest will launch a contest on July
10th where 5 people can win $5k each in Urban Outfitters products to bring
their dream Pinterest board to life.
Attendees of the Space Shift event will also be treated to an
exclusive live performance by multi-platinum-certified R&B
singer Tinashe. Her latest album, Quantum Baby, drops
August 16th, and her viral hit single
"Nasty" is soaring through the charts. With over 400 million
streams, the track is currently number 61 on Billboard's Hot 100,
number 4 on Billboard Hot R&B Songs, and number 2 on Billboard
Top 50 TikTok Charts. Tinashe will perform on July 10th and July
11th within the captivating backdrop of her very own sound
sanctuary, as one of the ten activations featured, offering
visitors an intimate glimpse into her new sound.
"As we embark on the next phase of growth for Urban
Outfitters, our mission to fuel the next generation of
individuality burns brighter than ever. We place our customers at
the center of every decision we make, and our team is constantly
curious about what drives young customers today. We recognize the
coming of age experience can be overwhelming and filled with the
unknown. Our goal is to make the transition to adulthood an
empowering and inspiring journey. We hope our commitment to
celebrate the extraordinary attributes that make this generation
truly unique will allow us to connect to them on an authentic
level. Through our Shift Happens campaign, we aim to energize and
inspire by building affinity through curated apparel and lifestyle
assortments, while being a beacon of discovery and community for
those seeking personal style in their multifaceted lives." -
Shea Jensen, President Urban Outfitters
"Every year, college-bound students turn to Pinterest to find
inspiration for the school year ahead. Whether it's to design their
new dorm room, or to furnish their first apartment, Pinterest helps
Gen-Z students explore new aesthetics and discover fresh ideas. And
this year, we're partnering with Urban Outfitters to help bring
them to life. Our users can now shop their UO favorites on
Pinterest and we're turning inspiration into action with a chance
for students to win their dream dorm decor with our Back to College
Contest." -
Sara
Pollack, Global Head of Consumer Marketing at
Pinterest
Throughout the summer and fall, additional immersive touch
points will round out the holistic back-to-school campaign.
Coinciding with Shift Happens, Urban Outfitters will roll out a
20-store "Campus Essentials" pop-up in key college markets,
creating product destinations that introduce UO customers to
experiences they don't traditionally see in retail spaces. As part
of this integrated retail marketing strategy, Urban Outfitters will
amplify dorm and home-adjacent categories such as
stationery, drinkware, bath accessories and lighting, as well
as collegiate merchandise, all in an effort to create a unique and
personalized space through their product. Additional immersive
touch points include "UO100," which will engage 100 creators to
"stop the scroll" and amplify self-expression through creativity
and unique perspectives.
Get to know Urban Outfitters Shift Happens Campaign:
- UO SPACE SHIFT: To kick off the back to school season,
Urban Outfitters and Pinterest partner to connect authentically
with the younger generation through Space Shift, 10 multifunctional
experiences and carefully crafted environments emphasizing social,
cultural, and style-centric trends that celebrate self-expression,
mental health, and personal growth. UO will encourage attendees to
redefine and personalize their spaces and protect their peace by
entering IRL moodboards featuring multipurpose activations inspired
by top search trends from Pinterest showcasing the latest product
from Urban Outfitters Home. In addition, UO and Pinterest will
partner for a "Back to College Contest'' where five lucky winners
will win $5,000 to bring their
multifunctional sanctuary space to life.
- THE COLLEGE SHOP: Urban Outfitters will reconnect and
engage with our target consumers in new ways with culturally
relevant brand partners. By popping up at college campuses
nationwide, we'll drive dynamic shopping experiences through
special shop-in-shops in 20 college doors, featuring all the dorm
essentials needed for a successful year ahead. We'll kick off back
to school season with UO-exclusive Birkenstock styles, in addition
to delivering limited edition drops from BAGGU, Oakley, and cozy
college staples from campus favorite UGG.
- UO100: Personal style is a powerful form of
self-expression, reflecting our personalities, moods, and
aspirations. With consumers constantly worn out by algorithms and
endless chase of trends, Urban Outfitters offer a refreshing escape
with UO100. This initiative will feature the creative expression of
100 artists, musicians, and creators across college and young adult
demographics ready to stop the scroll and empower personal style
through authentic voices and genuine inspiration.
Consumers are increasingly seeking to explore and define their
identities away from home, embarking on a journey of
self-discovery. They crave reconnecting with their innate sense of
taste, creating comfort havens, pursuing holistic wellness, and
building meaningful, lasting relationships. In response, Urban
Outfitters' "Shift Happens" campaign will look to address these
aspirations and fuel the new generation of consumers starting with
Space Shift and the back to school season.
To download high-res imagery, click here (Link live 7/10,
@10AM).
To learn more about Shift Happens, click here
(Link live 7/10, @10AM).
About Urban Outfitters
Urban Outfitters is a lifestyle
retailer dedicated to inspiring customers through a unique
combination of product, creativity and cultural understanding.
Founded in 1970 in a small space across the street from the
University of Pennsylvania, Urban
Outfitters now operates over 200 stores in the United States, Canada and Europe, offering experiential retail
environments and a well-curated mix of women's, men's, accessories
and home product assortments. For more information, visit Urban
Outfitters at www.urbanoutfitters.com.
Media Contact:
urbanoutfitters@dkcnews.com
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/urban-outfitters-unveils-shift-happens-360-campaign-for-back-to-school-season-302192925.html
SOURCE Urban Outfitters