• by Sarah Mahoney , Staff Writer @mahoney_sarah, July 2, 2025

Back-to-school season may be retail's Super Bowl, but for American Eagle, it's also a high-stakes lab. Craig Brommers, CMO of American Eagle Outfitters, is chasing Gen Z's ever-shifting attention while staying grounded in what the brand has always stood for: inclusivity, authenticity, and value. In this conversation, Brommers talks with Retail Insider about new platforms like Substack and Pinterest, why the brand is leaning into realness, and why humor—and jean shorts—still go a long way.

Interview has been edited for length and clarity. 

Retail Insider:  What’s different about reaching Gen Z right now?

Craig Brommers: Gen Z moves at lightning speed. Social is still number one for reaching them, but how we engage is changing. The creator economy is evolving—from creators as storytellers to creators as business partners. We recently launched the Live Your Life Community to do just that: empower influencers to earn as affiliates. Whether you have 1,000 or a million followers, if you're passionate about American Eagle and your followers buy from us using your code, you participate in that sale.

Retail Insider:  So you're making creators more like store associates, but digital?

Brommers: Exactly. We’ve got 35,000 associates in 900 stores—why not apply the same model digitally? Let creators be business partners.

Retail Insider:  You’ve also said Pinterest is suddenly a breakout star for AE?

Brommers: It is. Historically, I thought of Pinterest as where 30- to 50-year-old women go during big life events: new house, baby, wedding. But now, Gen Z is leaning in. The platform’s new ad products are driving phenomenal performance for us. It's more about inspiration than curation, and Gen Z wants that real, raw experience. Pinterest is more about you than everyone else. Gen Z wants raw inspiration, not a look-at-me moment.

Retail Insider:  How are you approaching content differently now?

Brommers: We leave 20% of our brand storytelling open. We program like a streaming platform, not a traditional campaign. We want to set trends, but we need flexibility to react to trends, too. Substack fits here too. It's for those who want to go a little deeper. Not everyone does, but for the ones who do, we want to meet them there.

Retail Insider:  What’s the idea behind "Off the Cuff," your Substack?

Brommers: It’s simple: What if a brand were your friend? What would it share in a group chat? With Casey Lewis as our guest editor, we're tapping into cultural insights in a more conversational tone. It’s early days, but we're seeing curiosity and a different kind of engagement. We'll know it's working if the audience grows, engagement deepens—and if we get new ideas back from the community. Great brands today co-create with their audience.

We're launching another collaboration with the Gen Z obsession called “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” a show on Amazon. We wouldn’t have known that this show was so popular unless the community had started talking about it.

Retail Insider:  What messages are landing best with Gen Z this season?

Brommers: Optimism, kindness, humor—and authenticity. We’ve been known for that for years. But it’s also about creators and store associates who actually wear the brand. If the endorsement feels fake, if it feels transactional in anyway, Gen Z will call it out in a second.

Retail Insider:  Is that part of your AI strategy, keeping things overt and humorous?

Brommers: Definitely. We’re experimenting with tech in fun ways. Our best-performing post this year? Putting jorts on the Statue of Liberty. Gen Z loves when you’re overt and funny. We’re not using AI to generate humans—but we are exploring how to push creativity without losing authenticity. That tension is real.

Retail Insider:  What about your core audience aging out—how do you keep them?

Brommers: We are actually keeping our customer base longer than ever before, which I find fascinating. Our core is absolutely age 15 to 25, that strong Gen Z cohort. But we're seeing our biggest growth in 25- to 35-year-old, both men and women, so late Gen Z/early millennial.

Retail Insider:  Let's talk about the business backdrop. Last quarter was tough. What’s your take on how shoppers are spending?

Brommers: It’s a choppy environment. But parents will prioritize kids, and back-to-school remains our Super Bowl. Teens are still going to games, concerts, school—they still want to look great. Moments like these are also when smart brands can gain share. We're not retreating. We're investing, taking bold steps. You have to be an optimist in retail.

Retail Insider:  Any trends you’re watching outside the usual Gen Z or platform shifts?

Brommers: Sports. They’re driving culture like never before, especially women’s sports. We’ve worked with athletes like Coco Gauff and Livvy Dunne. People connect with the hustle, the realness, the unknown outcomes. It’s compelling. As a brand, we’re paying close attention to that space.