On National Thrift Shop Day, Value Village™ set out to prove that shopping thrift isn't just fun – it's fundamentally good for your wallet, your home and the environment. We knew millennials were interested in thrift, but they weren't shopping at Value Village™. So, we had to inspire them with unique style and take ownership of National Thrift Shop Day.
To reach Value Village™'s target audience of young millennials, we employed a one-of-a-kind social influencer campaign to show them the limitless style possibilities that await down the aisles at Value Village™. We tasked three lifestyle influencers to reimagine the same space—a reused shipping container—using only thrifted finds. A relay-style design challenge created an engaging, purposeful experience that made Seattleites, and all those following online, stop in their tracks and feeds to see why thrift is so much more than just a way to save money — it's a way to be express your individuality.
In a time of the "Instagram Face" and other copy-cat trends, there's a growing movement seeking to champion diversity and embrace individuality—a welcome refuge from the often-homogenous world of social media-driven fashion and home décor. With its endless variety of rare and curious finds, shopping thrift gives us a chance to develop a style that's authentic and unique—something millennials value more than any generation before them.
To increase awareness of Value Village™ among millennials shoppers, the Thrifting Spaces campaign set out to show how, by shopping at Value Village™, they can be unique AND reduce their clothing footprint.
The integrated strategy included the following:
One-Of-A-Kind Experience: We know millennials seek experiences, so we turned National Thrift Shop Day into a celebration of stand-out, second-hand style. We made the most of the day through a dynamic display on Seattle's Alki Beach that changed over the course of 12 hours – from a minimalist breakfast nook to a fashion influencer's dream closet and an interior designer's eclectic living room space. We amplified each of the influencers' vignettes with a corresponding activity to engage those passing by – with donuts, DIY denim and a mocktail magic hour.
Contextual Setting: Finally, a shipping container used in a manner that makes sense. As a brand dedicated to reuse, Value Village™ diverts over 700 million pounds of textiles from landfills every year. We wanted the Thrifting Spaces activation to call attention to the environmental impact of shopping secondhand, so we chose a reused shipping container to house the influencers' designed spaces.
Unexpected Influencer Approach: Working with three distinct Seattle lifestyle influencers for the style challenge, we put ownership into their hands and gave them the creative agency to design whatever they desired in the blank slate of a shipping container. We embedded the influencers from the start of the project by inviting them to shop at Value Village™. We followed them as they thrifted and decided on their visions—then shared it all across the influencer and Value Village's™ social channels to drum up excitement. During the event, the influencers were extremely engaged on social and went above and beyond their posting deliverables, sharing content throughout National Thrift Shop Day of their designed spaces and after the event. We later turned the influencer content into paid ads for Value Village™, receiving strong engagement for weeks after the event.
Overall, we created a multi-channel approach across paid, earned and owned that inspired people to express their unique style with the magic of embracing the thrift life.
The goal of the campaign was to raise awareness of the Value Village™ brand among millennial thrift shoppers with a social influencer campaign.
Results included:
The participating influencer's enthusiasm for the brand was authentic and substantial, as they published 81 paid influencer posts, when they were only contracted for 24.
77% of those who started a National Thrift Shop Day related video completed the full video – a true testament to the content, as millennials are known for short attention spans.
Earned coverage drove nearly 3MM impressions, and coverage was secured in 28 earned outlets with 100% positive/neutral coverage.
Value Village™ social posts related to this year's National Thrift Shop Day campaign generated 1,007 more comments than the average National Thrift Shop Day post. Additionally, Value Village™ conversation on National Thrift Shop Day increased by 43% compared to average daily 2018 social conversation.
In total, the campaign generated 7.81 MM total paid/earned/owned impressions.
