Dive Brief:
- David’s Bridal unveiled “David’s Style Squad,” in what it says is one of the “highest commissioned ambassador programs in retail,” according to a Thursday press release.
- The program invites influencers, customers and its retail associates to create peer-to-peer storytelling and shoppable content across their personal digital platforms.
- Participants earn between 5% to 15% commission on net sales. Some ambassadors will be eligible for a 20% commission and perks.
Dive Insight:
David’s Bridal isn’t concerned about the number of followers each Style Squad ambassador has. Instead — because it's interested in evolving from a legacy retailer to a technology-enabled marketplace — it's inviting all types of David’s Bridal enthusiasts to participate in this new program.
Authentic, creator-generated content plays into the company’s larger Aisle to Algorithm strategy, which it revealed less than a year ago. David’s Bridal, which has been around for over 75 years, wants to expand past the wedding dress market to become the dominant player in the $65 billion wedding industry.
"David's Style Squad is built to turn real customer moments into a scalable engine for discovery and commerce, bridging the gap between our physical and digital spaces through the power of the creator economy,” Lisa Horton, chief communications and creative officer at David's Bridal, said in a statement. “By embedding creators into our technology platforms — from Pearl Planner to our retail media network — we're creating a flywheel where authentic content fuels planning, planning fuels commerce, and commerce fuels community.”
Even the company’s retail associates, called Dream Makers, can join its Style Squad and earn commission when followers shop online based on their recommendations.
David’s Bridal will also offer monthly webinars and training for Style Squad participants with the retailer's director of social media. In those sessions ambassadors will receive pointers on how to generate content and grow their online brands. Members will also have a chance to get their content shared with David’s Bridal’s audiences and may receive perks including early access to launches.
The retailer has been expanding in other ways. Last year the company debuted its Diamonds & Pearls store concept, a high-touch, tech-powered “store of the future,” and debuted its AI tool Pearl Planner to help couples manage wedding tasks. The company also expanded into menswear in partnership with Perry Ellis and Cubavera.
