Rent the Runway boosts marketing amid sweatpants fatigue

Consumers are over sweatpants, and Rent the Runway has noticed. After more than 18 months of elastic-waist leisure-wear, many Americans are starting to diversify their closets, and the New York-based clothing rental service is this week debuting a brand campaign designed to capture their attention. “We felt like this was really the right moment,” says Anushka Salinas, president and chief operating officer of Rent the Runway. “What we have seen since back to spring and summer is that customers and subscribers have been ready to get dressed and in a different way than in 2020—no more sweatpants. She wants to wear corporate pants and color and get back out there.” During the pandemic, Rent the Runway decreased its marketing in response to slower business trends. While the bulk of the last year’s growth has been organic and through word of mouth, Salinas says the time is right to spread the word about the brand in a “bigger and bolder way than before.” Some of the company’s fastest growth is coming from markets such as Knoxville and Nashville where Rent the Runway has not had a strong presence previously. The new work includes a 60-second spot showcasing all the diverse activities for which Rent the Runway can help customers dress. Indeed, Salinas says the pandemic has prompted many to create “micro occasions” around new opportunities to get dressed up. Rent the Runway worked with Yard NYC on the project. The campaign will include paid media, connected TV, digital video, social media, out-of-home and audio. The last time the apparel company had a brand campaign was 2017. For that work, Rent the Runway worked with Wednesday.

Rent the Runway boosts marketing amid sweatpants fatigue

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