“[Brooks Brothers has] an unbelievable sense of heritage… It’s truly part of, pun intended, the fabric of American fashion and culture,” said Marisa Thalberg, chief customer and marketing officer at Catalyst Brands.
The “Make It Yours” campaign emphasizes individuality in style, showcasing how consumers can personalize classic staples like tailored suits and button-down Oxford shirts—the latter invented by Brooks Brothers 125 years ago. According to Thalberg, the campaign comes as quiet luxury and updated preppy trends bring renewed attention to the brand’s signature aesthetic.
“We realized you could easily get caught in the trap of thinking the traditionalism appeals to an older customer, and we want to make it younger,” Thalberg said. “The big epiphany is that’s actually not right: there is this heritage of the brand that we absolutely want to honor. There are a lot of people that have perhaps a more narrow perception of what the brand is than actually exists in reality.”
The campaign features a diverse cast of talent spanning generations and industries. Actor Leslie Bibb, comedian Alex Edelman, and fashion figures including Nick Wooster, TyLynn Nguyen, Nick Arrington, and Bethann Hardison model Brooks Brothers apparel while reflecting on what the brand means to them in 15- and 30-second videos.
Thalberg described the campaign as a “storytelling transformation” rather than a brand overhaul. “The insight that this campaign represents is 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,” she explained.
Individualized Strategies and Multi-Channel Approach
Photographed by Coliena Rentmeester, the campaign spans social, digital, online video, and out-of-home channels. Leadership on the campaign included Thalberg, Catalyst Brands’ Senior Vice President of Creative Services Carl Byrd, and Brooks Brothers Creative Director Michael Bastian, with public relations support from FleishmanHillard and H&S Communications.
Brooks Brothers is also seeking to expand its reach among affluent women, who currently represent roughly 30% of the brand’s customer base but exhibit high purchase intent. The women’s business has achieved five consecutive years of growth, signaling untapped potential.
Catalyst Brands and Portfolio Strategy
Catalyst Brands, formed in January 2025 as a joint venture between Sparc Group and J.C. Penney, manages Brooks Brothers alongside other labels including Aéropostale, Eddie Bauer, Lucky Brand, and Nautica, as well as J.C. Penney private labels.
As CCMO for the entire portfolio, Thalberg focuses on building cross-brand capabilities in insights, analytics, best practices, and vendor partnerships, while ensuring each brand retains a distinct voice. For instance, under her leadership, J.C. Penney has adopted a “Yes, JCPenney” platform designed to subvert consumer expectations for the long-standing department store brand.
“[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, so I think we’re appropriately protective of that,” Thalberg said. “We feel absolutely adamantly that Brooks Brothers is Brooks Brothers, and we’re going to do right by that. If I were talking about Aéropostale or Lucky, we’d be having the same conversation.”
With “Make It Yours”, Brooks Brothers aims to honor its historic legacy while appealing to contemporary audiences who value individuality, craftsmanship, and modern preppy aesthetics.