From Adweek · Seth Simons · · 1m 40s
How Carter's Stays Fresh After 161 Years
A heritage brand learns to evolve with each generation by listening to customer data and adapting its message.
In brief
A heritage brand learns to evolve with each generation by listening to customer data and adapting its message. Successful heritage brands balance consistency with adaptability by constantly gathering consumer insights to understand how each generation wants to engage with them. Originally reported by Adweek.
A 161-year-old brand faces a challenge
Carter's must connect with Gen Z parents who choose brands for their own merits, not because their parents used them. The parenting approach has shifted from dressing kids as mini versions of themselves to encouraging their self-expression.
“Gen Z isn't necessarily picking brands because they were their parents' brands, but because they're choosing those brands.”
Data drives the balance between old and new
Carter's uses constant consumer insights to strike a balance between staying consistent and evolving. Understanding how parenting has transformed helps the brand express itself in ways that resonate with today's parents.
“Striking that balance between consistency and adaptability, and evolving to where the consumer is headed, really requires a constant pulse of consumer insights to feed how you evolve the brand.”
Sometimes evolution means looking backward
Carter's OshKosh B'gosh brand launched the OshKosh Reissued Collection, bringing back vintage prints from the 1980s and 1990s. The collection appeals to Gen X and millennials who remember wearing them, while feeling fresh to younger generations.
“It's print-for-print some of our vintage products that are so resonant with someone who's a Gen X or millennial, who remembers when they were wearing that product.”
The business of memory making
Carter's focuses on being present at emotional moments in customers' lives and giving them something to remember. A partnership with Umbro created World Cup-themed clothing that tapped into cross-generational passion for soccer.
“We know that our multicultural consumer is more important than ever. How do we show up in this moment where the world's going to be watching?”
Break down silos to see the full picture
Large organizations often have customer signals scattered across different systems. Centralizing data lets brands spot trends, understand where consumers are headed, and make better strategic decisions.
“Centralizing data enables you to leverage that data over time, see what the trends are, and understand where the consumer is going.”
Heritage doesn't mean stuck in the past
Carter's conclusion: it's not a heritage brand frozen in time, but a brand with heritage that continues to evolve. This mindset allows it to honor its past while staying modern and relevant.
“We're not a heritage brand. We're a brand with heritage.”
Here's the gist
Successful heritage brands balance consistency with adaptability by constantly gathering consumer insights to understand how each generation wants to engage with them.
