JCPenney, one of the USA’s largest fashion retailers, has announced that it will be partnering with VaynerMedia to work on its social and influencer marketing overhaul.
The clothing brand will utilise VaynerMedia’s creative and production capabilities, as well as a social influencer seeding offering. In turn, this will provide the brand with strategic influencer services and maximise its relevance.
JCPenney is expanding its roster by adding firms with a social-first speciality, aiming to appeal to young shoppers who dominate social media and reverse its declining sales numbers.
VaynerMedia has been tasked with highlighting the store’s diverse fashion line to promote discovery, along with messaging that emphasises value.
Gary Vaynerchuk, CEO of VaynerMedia, explained that his team delves deeply into understanding what resonates with consumers on different social media platforms and will focus on delivering business growth for JCPenney.
"VaynerMedia’s proven success in modernising brands is undeniable," said Marisa Thalberg, JCPenney’s chief customer and marketing officer, in a press statement. "[JCPenney is] confident that making social media central to our marketing will help reveal to many what may be unexpectedly in store at JCPenney.
Thalberg, who led the decision to hire VaynerMedia, has previously worked with huge brands like SeaWorld, Lowe’s, and Taco Bell. This agency addition follows JCPenney’s selection of Mischief @ No Fixed Address, a creative agency known for bold stunts, to handle “big swing” creative projects for 2025.
Thalberg joined JCPenney in October as a consulting CMO. The retailer, which merged with Sparc Group in January, now operates under the Catalyst Brands umbrella, gaining access to a broader customer database to enhance personalisation, marketing, and loyalty initiatives.
It’s a big and promising move for JCPenney, and their partnership has already begun through an Instagram post following the announcement of the auction of Marilyn Monroe’s JCPenney denim jeans.
Their first large-scale campaign is set to launch in April.
