Ann Taylor bets on 'This Is Ann' campaign to revive brand after bankruptcy

Beyond the seasonal ads, Ann Taylor is expanding its community-building efforts. In February it launched a Substack newsletter called The Desk, which publishes career and style advice. The retailer is also extending its Style 101 digital video series, where fashion experts offer wardrobe advice. Other heritage brands have used newsletters to drive engagement outside crowded social media and to stand out against AI chatbots that scrape forums and editorial sites for answers.

Ann Taylor will have a presence at New York Fashion Week, running an experiential activation in the SoHo neighborhood. The space will feature campaign imagery, a street cart, and a newsstand stocked with "This Is Ann" editorial materials, including magalogs and custom-wrapped issues of fashion publication Daily Front Row.

Looking further ahead, Ann Taylor plans to roll out a brand ambassador program in early 2027 that spotlights "authentic voices of the women who love and wear the brand," the press release said. The program will focus on social media.

Ann Taylor needs the campaign to work. The retailer's sales had been plunging before its former parent Ascension Retail Group filed for bankruptcy in 2020. Competitors like Coach have won over Gen Z shoppers with a creator-heavy strategy. Ann Taylor's ambassador program and Substack push are meant to build a similar community.

The next concrete milestone is the NYFW activation later this month. The ambassador program is set for early 2027.