J. Crew brings back requested bikini

Published May 16, 2014 at 10:03 am

Part of developing a strong marketing strategy includes listening to what customers are saying about your brand, and incorporating feedback to better give them what they want. By doing so, marketers can increase sales and build brand loyalty.

J. Crew recently demonstrated impressive listening skills when the company brought back a discontinued swim suit based on a customer request. According to an article in Adweek, a freelance writer wrote to J. Crew’s blog last summer, requesting that the company bring back a swim suit they had stopped making. The likelihood of a large brand like J. Crew actually following through with such a request is probably unlikely, but the writer’s post appealed to a J. Crew designer who took it seriously and successfully had the suit reinstated.

The company took it one step further by creating an ad with a personal note from the designer to the customer essentially saying her wish was J. Crew’s command, “within reason.” Although the writer who made the request happened to be a fashion writer for prominent magazines, J. Crew used the opportunity to demonstrate that they are listening and take customer feedback seriously. The ad sends a strong message that the company cares about what customers are saying and is willing to make changes to give customers what they want.

Listening is an important habit for marketers to cultivate. Whether on social media or other channels, it presents the opportunity for brands to interact with consumers and build relationships. Listening allows brands to tune into what customers are saying about them and use feedback to adjust their marketing strategy accordingly.

Brands that are not listening could be missing important opportunities to connect with customers: by paying attention to what customers are saying and finding ways to incorporate and respond to positive and negative feedback, marketers are empowered to build a stronger brand.