Dive Brief:
- J.C. Penney launched its latest campaign, “Inside Lane,” which partners with five college and professional women’s basketball players to highlight their style, according to a Tuesday press release.
- In the coming months, Inside Lane will showcase multiple curated looks from each player, all pulled from J.C. Penney’s current inventory.
- Athletes include college basketball star Audi Crooks; NCAA national champion and first-round WNBA draft pick Gabriela Jaquez; two-time Olympic gold medalist and WNBA champion Jackie Young; NCAA national champion KK Arnold; and Olympic gold medalist and two-time NCAA champion Stef Dolson.
Dive Insight:
J.C. Penney’s latest campaign wants to feature how tunnel walks can be done on a budget.
The department store’s partner athletes will demonstrate looks that are available for people at different sizes and price points and can be found in stores and on a dedicated portion of J.C. Penney’s website.
"We are subbing out exclusivity and opening the tunnel walk to all,” Marisa Thalberg, chief customer and marketing officer at parent company Catalyst Brands, said in a statement. “No luxury tag. No insider access. Just great style for everyday moments that meets women exactly where they are.”
The campaign was built in partnership with women’s sports firm Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment.
The retailer has recently been presenting affordable fashion in creative ways. The company paid homage to the Bezos-Sanchez’s Venice, Italy, nuptials this summer by recreating a $10,000 budget-friendly version of it in Venice, California. The retailer also nodded to fashion month by holding their own runway show in Paris, Texas, featuring budget-friendly looks.
The activations are part of a new brand position for the retailer dubbed “Yes, J.C. Penney,” which the company said helped boost traffic and brand search.
The department store started off 2026 with a Q3 net sales decline of 3.8% year over year, reaching $1.36 billion, while net loss widened 488% to $100 million.
At the end of 2025, a deal to sell off a portfolio of over 100 J.C. Penney stores for around $950 million to a private equity firm was called off.
