Issue #113: Gap comes back (again)
Plus, unpacking The Ritz-Carlton x MERIT partnership, Rare Beauty teams up with Ella Bright, and more.
Welcome back to Brand Baby.
This week’s issue covers:
This Week in Brand / Gap launches the Hailey Jean, Rare Beauty partners with the Off Campus cast, and Sonsie is building a brand world.
In Conversation with Bella Sci, Global Social, Content, & Influencer Marketing at Marriott Luxury Brands / Unpacking The Ritz-Carlton x MERIT partnership.
Resources / Good reads from friends of the ‘Stack Kira Klaas and Ali Kriegsman, DÔEN speculation, and more.
Thanks for being here. Have feedback, ideas, opportunities, or just want to say hi? Get in touch at caroline@readbrandbaby.com
This Week in Brand
Gap launched the Hailey Jean in partnership with Hailey Bieber earlier this week. After the Happy Stripe fiasco of a few weeks ago (Why do I feel like a solid 50% of my posts are about Gap??), I had lost some faith in Gap, but lo and behold, they’re back (again). Between the music (I just adore the Cranberries), the 90’s movie trailer voiceover, and the vintage props, the creative is so spot-on. I already want a pair of the jeans. Some have questioned the decision to work with Hailey over a 90’s icon, but I think it’s smart – Gap is effectively mixing elements of 90’s nostalgia with a modern, Gen Z star to reach a younger customer base. It’s similar to what Gap tried to do with the Happy Stripe remake – combining a nostalgic print with a modern silhouette – but it wasn’t successful when we all just wanted the original product instead.
Rare Beauty x Off Campus is hereee! If you know me, you know I loved Off Campus. I think this collab is so good – I have not met a single person who doesn’t love Ella, and she feels like the perfect fit for Rare’s vibe. I like that they ran with the concept of the show for the campaign, too. The show’s concept obviously worked, so why not lean into it?
I hadn’t heard of Sonsie, Pamela Anderson’s skincare brand, until reading Viktoriia Vasileva’s piece in Inc earlier this week, but now I’m obsessed. The brand is rooted in a focus on nature, gardening, and getting outside. Sonsie’s brand world is so evident in everything they put out into the world. I loved this quote from CEO Kailey Bradt: “What we’re building is a point of view. Skin care is one expression of that point of view, but so is gardening, journaling, sustainability, spending time outdoors, and creating moments of intention in your day.”
In Conversation with Bella Sci, Global Social, Content, & Influencer Marketing at Marriott Luxury Brands
After learning of The Ritz-Carlton’s partnership with MERIT this week, I reached out to my friend and former fellow Mailchimp intern, Bella Sci. Bella is the Manager of Social & Content Marketing for The Ritz-Carlton and the Luxury Collection, and she led social for this campaign alongside both The Ritz-Carlton and MERIT teams. (Note: Bella does not speak for the brand in an official capacity.) As part of the partnership, select Ritz-Carlton locations are now offering a curated MERIT “Getaway Set” for purchase through in-room dining, and the brands also partnered together on a limited-edition custom keychain.
How did the idea for the partnership come to be?
The Ritz-Carlton is always looking for ways to enhance and elevate the guest experience. The partnership was rooted in a shared belief that luxury should feel effortless. Think about how many times you've forgotten your face wash while traveling, or had limited time to get ready before heading out on vacation. MERIT stood out for its intentional approach to beauty and focus on simplicity. The opportunity felt natural because both brands are centered around helping people feel cared for through thoughtful details and elevated experiences!
How did you approach developing the social content strategy?
This was different from many of our campaigns in the sense that it was a true team effort across the social, brand, and PR teams at both brands. We all brought ideas to the table around how the partnership could take shape, but with the same shared goals of teasing, launching, and sustaining the story through compelling content and creators. Our team is typically focused on showcasing travel experiences and hotel offerings, while MERIT is focused on beauty products. Finding ways to ensure both brands could step into each other’s worlds was one of the most interesting parts of the process. We wanted to communicate both the ease and accessibility of the experience while also highlighting the discovery aspect that makes MERIT so special for guests who may be trying the brand for the first time.
What types of content are helping sustain engagement throughout the partnership period?
We knew this partnership needed more than a single launch moment. To help sustain the story, we partnered with RJ Bruni to create social-first video assets that showcase everything from the in-room beauty bundles to the Club Lounge experience.
RJ does such a great job of world-building and creating a cinematic feel, so we knew he would be able to bring both the product and guest experience to life in a way that feels engaging and digestible for social.
What does the creator strategy for the partnership look like?
The creator strategy centered on hosting talent whose content naturally lives at the intersection of travel, beauty, and lifestyle, as well as gifting/co-branded products seeding. We hosted two staycations at The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto and The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara to bring creators into our properties with curated dining experiences (like co-branded tea service), branded amenities (the signature blues of both brands certainly came through here), signature spa treatments, and thoughtful moments designed to showcase the little luxuries of both brands.
So often creators tell us that brand trips feel over programmed, so our intention was actually the opposite. We wanted to create an experience that allowed them to truly slow down and enjoy. Huge shoutout to the MERIT team, especially Ivy, who has cultivated such a strong community and introduced our team to some incredible new talent.
How do collaborations like this help The Ritz-Carlton connect with new audiences?
A big focus for us is understanding how travel behaviors are evolving, particularly as we continue to see growth in multi-generational and group travel. As families increasingly travel together, we’re always looking for ways to create experiences and partnerships that resonate across age groups.
That’s one of the reasons MERIT felt like such a natural fit. The brand has built a loyal following across generations. A first-time makeup user might be drawn to the ease of a buildable blush, while their mom or grandmother may appreciate products designed with simplicity and wearability in mind. The partnership creates a discovery moment for our guests, allowing them to become familiar with MERIT during their stay, while also giving The Ritz-Carlton the opportunity to connect with MERIT’s highly engaged community of beauty lovers. It’s a great example of how the right partnership can introduce both brands to new audiences through a shared experience.
Where do you see the future of luxury hospitality going in terms of storytelling on social?
The biggest shift we’re seeing is that luxury no longer sells itself simply by looking luxurious. Travelers, especially younger audiences, want to see experiences through the eyes of real people.
A perfectly produced hotel commercial still has its place on web/TV, but someone sharing how they spent a day at a property, where they ate, what surprised them, and why they loved it often carries more influence. Travel discovery has become more social, more personal, and more creator-led. That’s why we’re investing in storytellers who can bring destinations and experiences to life in a credible way. People trust people, not brands, and the future of luxury hospitality marketing will belong to brands that understand how to balance aspiration with authenticity.
Resources
Read ➡️ I loved Kira Klaas’ piece this week about how she designed and sold an ecomm brand. As someone with a lot of brand ideas constantly floating around my brain, it’s so cool to hear about someone who actually did it – in a creative, fun, and fairly low-lift way.
Read ➡️ I don’t know if it’s entirely healthy, but I’ve been devouring content about the Phia cookie stuffing situation. Ali Kriegsman wrote an amazing investigative piece about Phia’s shady ShopMy data, adding even more fuel to the fire. Ali and SLUTTY FOUNDER did an excellent Substack live unpacking it all yesterday – I highly recommend watching if you didn’t attend live!
Thought ➡️ Is DÔEN on the outs? I’ve been seeing some negative DÔEN content recently – people saying that quality has degraded, the pieces look too childish, and their items are simply too expensive. I own a singular DÔEN piece that I purchased during a warehouse sale, so I don’t feel particularly qualified to discuss the quality of their pieces, but I do think DÔEN used to be considered a cool, IYKYK brand, and it’s slowly but surely becoming as expected and ubiquitous as your local Sezane. Thoughts?
I’ll leave you with this:
The way I’ve never wanted a pair of Gap Jeans & am now interested 😭 Also wrote about Sonsie a few weeks back & am obsessed with their CEO!