"Office Hours" #18: Doing Things the Hard Way
Hi all,
Happy September!
As we start to feel a briskness in the air (on the East Coast, at least), we’re reminded of the back-to-school buzz that we love so much year after year. As F. Scott Fitzgerald once said, “Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.” We believe it.
Sometimes, when the leaves start turning and the backpacks start getting packed again, we’re able to think even more clearly and have a new lease on storytelling. Today, we’re highlighting a number of press hits that took a different path from the obvious angles to ultimately secure bigger, better, and substantially more interesting stories for our clients. We hope this edition leaves you feeling inspired to put on your thinking cap and revisit any tired narratives to find new narratives.
As always, if you’d like to learn more, or have any questions we can help answer in our next installment, drop us a line at officehours@jbc-pr.com or connect with us on LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook.
Thanks so much for being here.
‘Til next month!
Jenny & Melissa
Dormify x Entrepreneur
She started a multimillion-dollar brand for young people out of her college dorm room — here’s what Gen Z actually wants, according to her
15 years ago, the $9-billion dorm decor economy didn’t exist. That’s when Amanda Zuckerman, a college freshman at the time, decided that students deserved a one-stop-shop that catered to their specific needs. Through her success in hyper-specialty retail and intuitive product design, Amanda built an impressive, multimillion-dollar retail business by making college students feel at home. With an entirely refreshed customer base each year, Amanda and her team have an unparalleled pulse on the next generation of consumers. In this read by Entrepreneur editor Amanda Breen, Dormify’s founder spills Gen Z insights to help other businesses thrive.
Nuuly x The Wall Street Journal
Here’s how one retailer is finding profits in borrowed clothing
There’s nothing quite like walking the floor of Nuuly’s 310,000-square-foot Pennsylvania fulfillment center. We were thrilled to invite Liz Young from The Wall Street Journal to get an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the brand’s massive shared closet — home to more than 2 million garments. Liz explored how Urban Outfitters’ clothing rental service has achieved profitability within five years by investing in automation and logistics improvements.
Filson x Fast Company
Filson, the iconic outdoor brand, just launched its first collection for women
It took Filson 127 years to launch its first full women’s collection, and we can confirm it was worth the wait. Founded in Seattle in 1897, Filson is a rare American heritage brand that has built a legacy of creating high quality, durable goods, apparel, and accessories that appeal to both outdoor enthusiasts and style-conscious consumers looking for well-made, timeless silhouettes that last a lifetime. We knew it was important to share the history behind the brand and showcase how Filson is tapping into a new, broader demographic while maintaining its heritage of craftsmanship, which is exactly what Liz Segran did in her piece for Fast Company.
Dermalogica x PopSugar
Kristen Nuss and Taryn Kloth talk Olympics, SPF, and the importance of sleeping in
The 2024 Summer Olympics were quite the production, as usual, but this year, in particular, we saw a marked influx in brand partnerships and collaborations, especially in beauty and fashion. To say the space was cluttered is an understatement. Dermalogica participated in a subtle, indirect way that stood out, but presented a unique challenge for the team. Leaning into the importance of sun protection, Dermalogica worked with Team USA’s beach volleyball duo, Kristen Nuss and Taryn Kloth. Post-Olympics, the team was able to continue to capitalize on the conversation securing an in-person interview with Kristen and Taryn in Los Angeles at a competition, in which the editor attended, that resulted in a standalone feature, highlighting Dermalogica and its best selling Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF 50.
OLIPOP x The Wall Street Journal
Olipop breaks into the exclusive world of stadium soda
When a new stadium opens, it announces a slew of official partners. OLIPOP, in a bold strategy, has been on a tear collaborating with three new official stadium partnerships, an extremely difficult feat given the famous exclusivity contracts between stadiums and legacy soda. Instead of a simple announcement moment, JBC took this moment to dig into the history of exclusivity in the soda pouring world, and how OLIPOP is breaking down those barriers. The Wall Street Journal took a deep dive into how OLIPOP is making waves and finding clever inroads, like new stadiums (most recently with the LA Clippers’ Intuit Dome.)
Her First $100K x social takeover
Her First $100K’s Tori Dunlap attended the DNC as a creator this year, and the team leveraged the opportunity to break through to women’s publications, a top target for HFK in our work together. JBC pitched unique features of Tori’s wardrobe and secured a TikTok with Cosmopolitan , featuring Tori’s power suit by Dalya. And by offering Tori up as a person on the ground to lend content to other edit channels, JBC was able to secure a “day in the life” at the DNC on Marie Claire’s Instagram. Both opportunities put Tori in front of a woman-centric audience and increased visibility of financial wellness, normalizing this as a women’s issue.