Savage x Fenty has had a banner year. It opened its first set of brick-and-mortar stores and launched its second Pride-themed campaign in collaboration with GLAAD.
Natalie Guzman, CMO and co-president of Savage x Fenty, said she’s most proud of the brand’s continued commitment to diversity and inclusion. She cited the Pride campaign, as well as the annual Amazon Prime show that Savage x Fenty has produced since 2019, among the brand’s standout initiatives. This year, the show included a diverse cast including model and congenital amputee Shaholly Ayers. As for the Pride campaign, Guzman said she consulted with GLAAD to ensure Savage x Fenty’s campaigns were as inclusive as possible.
According to Guzman, who previously served as CMO of JeNu High Tech Beauty and Dermstore, the most important thing CMOs need to know right now is how to navigate the changing availability of data. Large platforms including Google, Facebook and Apple have made changes to their terms in the last year that limit the amount of data available to marketers for retargeting.
“We’ve lost so much of the signal on Facebook and Instagram, [impacting] how we used to target people,” Guzman said. “Now, the kind of data I’m looking at the most is demand [data]. We look across seasons at what attributes resonate and what causes things to sell out really fast. That helps us understand what drives demand and what to lean into.”
But there are other, less obvious challenges for marketers right now, as well, Guzman said. The supply chain may most directly affect the product and sales teams at brands, but marketers need to pay attention, too. Spending marketing dollars on a big campaign for a product, only for that product to be delayed by months, is an inefficient use of resources and something that marketers will need to keep in mind as they plan for the year ahead.
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Another challenge is simply juggling the many different channels that brands can now use to communicate with customers.
“CMOs need to be prepared to meet customers where they are today,” Guzman said. “And there are so many places to do that. You’ve got influencers, e-commerce, physical retail, social media. Right now, innovating in these spaces matters more than ever.”
Finally, Guzman said her priorities for the year ahead at Savage x Fenty revolve around the brand’s expansion into new categories.
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“Community engagement is the biggest thing right now,” she said. “And one way we’re doing that is by expanding beyond women’s [products]. Body positivity isn’t restricted by gender. Celebrating that and growing the community by expanding into new categories is one of my priorities right now.”
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