Brooks Brothers Refreshes Oldest US Apparel Brand

Brooks Brothers launched a new brand campaign Wednesday titled “Make It Yours,” seeking to refresh the oldest apparel brand in continuous US operation. The initiative arrives as the 208-year-old company works to broaden its consumer base while maintaining its heritage positioning. Marisa Thalberg, chief customer and marketing officer at parent company Catalyst Brands, explained that the Brooks Brothers campaign aims to expand perceptions of who the brand serves. “The history is unbelievable. It’s truly a part of the fabric of American fashion and culture,” Thalberg told Marketing Dive.

The campaign highlights how individuality brings new life to familiar Brooks Brothers classics like tailored suits and button-down collar Oxford shirts. The company invented the Oxford shirt 125 years ago, cementing its place in American style history. The Brooks Brothers campaign lands as preppy aesthetics and quiet luxury trends return to fashion prominence. However, Thalberg emphasized the initiative represents storytelling evolution rather than fundamental brand transformation. She warned against assuming traditionalism appeals only to older customers.

Multigenerational Talent Featured

The marketing effort features a cast spanning generations and industries. Actor Leslie Bibb, comedian Alex Edelman, and fashion figures Nick Wooster, TyLynn Nguyen, Nick Arrington, and Bethann Hardison appear in 15- and 30-second videos. Each participant models Brooks Brothers apparel while discussing what the brand means to them personally. Photographer Coliena Rentmeester captured the campaign imagery, which spans social media, digital platforms, online video, and out-of-home advertising.

“This is not a transformation of the brand. This is a storytelling transformation,” Thalberg stated. The Brooks Brothers campaign strategy recognizes that many consumers hold narrow perceptions of the brand that don’t reflect its full range. “There are a lot of people that have perhaps a more narrow perception of what the brand is than actually exists in reality,” she explained. The diverse talent selection intentionally demonstrates the brand’s relevance across different demographics and style sensibilities.

Women’s Business Shows Growth

The new positioning particularly targets affluent women, who currently represent only about 30 percent of the Brooks Brothers customer base. Despite this lower representation, women demonstrate very high purchase intent when engaged with the brand. The company’s women’s business has recorded five consecutive years of growth, suggesting significant untapped potential. The Brooks Brothers campaign aims to accelerate this trajectory by featuring women prominently in marketing materials.

Thalberg described the campaign insight as “an opening up of the aperture of who Brooks Brothers can be for, and it’s not an age thing. It’s a sensibility thing.” This philosophy guides the creative direction and talent selection, emphasizing personal style over demographic categories. The approach recognizes that brand relevance depends on cultural resonance rather than simply targeting younger consumer.

Parent Company Portfolio Strategy

Brooks Brothers operates under Catalyst Brands, formed in January 2025 through a joint venture between Sparc Group and J.C. Penney. The portfolio includes Aéropostale, Eddie Bauer, Lucky Brand, Nautica, and J.C. Penney private labels. As chief customer and marketing officer for the entire portfolio, Thalberg builds shared capabilities while maintaining individualized brand strategies. She emphasized that each brand requires distinct treatment rather than one-size-fits-all approaches.

“CEO Ken Ohashi and I share this philosophy that Brooks Brothers sits in a little bit of a different place in our portfolio than some of our other brands,” Thalberg explained. “We feel absolutely adamantly that Brooks Brothers is Brooks Brothers, and we’re going to do right by that.” The Brooks Brothers campaign reflects this commitment to brand-specific authenticity. She noted that Aéropostale or Lucky would receive similarly tailored strategies rather than corporate templates.

Creative Leadership and Agency Support

The campaign creative direction came from Catalyst Brands executives including Thalberg, Senior Vice President of Creative Services Carl Byrd, and Brooks Brothers Creative Director Michael Bastian. Public relations support came from FleishmanHillard and H&S Communications. This collaborative approach combines internal brand expertise with external agency resources to execute the integrated marketing effort.

Thalberg’s broader marketing philosophy emphasizes building capabilities across insights, analytics, best practices, and vendor partnerships. At J.C. Penney, her team developed the “Yes, JCPenney” platform designed to subvert consumer expectations of the longstanding department store. Similar strategic thinking informs the Brooks Brothers campaign, though tailored to the brand’s specific heritage and market position. The campaign seeks to honor tradition while demonstrating contemporary relevance.

The launch timing coincides with broader shifts in apparel retail as consumers return to office dressing and investment pieces. Brooks Brothers historically dominated the tailored clothing category but faced challenges as workplace attire became more casual. The “Make It Yours” positioning allows consumers to interpret brand classics through personal style lenses rather than prescribing specific looks. This flexibility could prove essential for attracting consumers who respect heritage but reject rigid dress codes.

Thalberg expressed confidence that honoring brand heritage while expanding representation will resonate with modern consumers. The multigenerational talent cast demonstrates that brand relevance extends across age groups when messaging focuses on sensibility rather than demographics. The Brooks Brothers campaign will now test whether this storytelling transformation successfully expands the brand’s consumer base while retaining loyal customers who value its 208-year legacy.