• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, July 2, 2024

A year after its second bankruptcy, David’s Bridal keeps looking for new paths forward in the rough post-COVID marriage business. The latest expansion move is the introduction of Shapewear DB Studio, four shapewear items affordable enough to help brides, bridesmaids and prom-goers feel more confident and still stay within their budget. Chief marketing officer Dave Feldman, who joined the company in December, tells Marketing Daily about the launch.

Marketing Daily: Why the move into shapewear?

Dave Feldman: I’ve been here since December, and the consistent throughline has been trying to provide our customers with a five-star fit and making sure that comfort is a key part of that journey. We're always tracking the pulse on different trends and gaps in the market, and customers told us that they want shapewear with an extraordinary fit, without sacrificing comfort, all within a reasonable budget.

We see it as a great opportunity for us. A lot of stress comes with getting ready for that big event, and this shapewear offers the right solution. People want the bridal dress, but they also want to know what to wear under it.

Marketing Daily: The idea is that people will primarily buy this shapewear for the occasion dress they buy from David’s, as opposed to wearing it with other things?

Feldman: Our shapewear is beautiful and versatile enough to be both. Any of the pieces that we just launched will work under numerous types of circumstances. And that’s all part of this five-star fit idea. It’s so comfortable, you really can wear it with anything.

Marketing Daily: Skims, the Kim Kardashian line launched in 2019, keeps expanding, including a move into physical retail. Spanx is still strong, and other brands are growing, too. Where do you fit in? With prices between $25 and $50, you’re more affordable.

Feldman: I'm not here to step on any Kardashian toes. That company does a great job. This is our first foray into this world, and we just want to be firmly on our bride’s radar when she starts her journey.

Marketing Daily: How are you letting people know about the launch?

Feldman: It’s a robust 360-degree campaign, including email, website and social media.

Marketing Daily: Besides sales, how else are you measuring success? How are you tracking the impact this kind of one-stop shopping has on the dress-buying experience?

Feldman: Sales, of course, but we’ll watch reviews carefully. What is the raw reaction? What is the customer telling us about each of the pieces? I come from the world of social media, so we’re using lots of social sentiment and listening tools. We also have weekly meetings with store teams to hear the feedback they’re getting.

Marketing Daily: You are new, as is the ownership of David’s Bridal. And it hasn’t been an easy time for the bridal business. How would you describe the current marketing approach?

Feldman: This is an exciting year for the company. We've been through a lot, but we're still here and feel like we are at the forefront. We have done a lot of influencer content partnerships. When we launched our bridal campaign a couple of months ago, we worked with Jess Vestal from “Love is Blind,” and she turned out to be an incredible partner. People love to see such a familiar face and someone who has her own kind of personal journey.

We’re also focusing more on consistency, so what you see on our website is what you see on our social media and emails. We want all our touchpoints to feel comfortable and familiar.

Marketing Daily: How has that changed, post-bankruptcy?

Feldman: We let our product speak for itself, whether in our nearly 200 stores or on Snapchat, Pinterest or TikTok. When people think of bridal, we want them to think of David’s Bridal.

Marketing Daily: Before joining David’s, you spent about seven years working for the National Football League -- not a natural segue to the bridal business. What skills are most transferrable?

Feldman: Social media has become such an important part of marketing that it is almost category-agnostic. Understanding these platforms and how to best speak to your audience is the most important thing. Whether you have a passion for bridal or a passion for football, that excitement comes through.