In this interview, True Religion’s CMO Kristen D’Arcy discusses her brand’s’ strategy of integrating brand and performance marketing through partnerships, including a new loyalty program and new formats like audio ads, all aimed at deepening customer engagement and expanding their audience reach.
TRUE RELIGION HAS SUCH A LONG-STANDING BRAND HISTORY. CAN YOU TELL US A BIT
ABOUT YOUR ROLE AND WHAT EXCITES YOU ABOUT LEADING MARKETING EFFORTS?
D’Arcy: I joined True Religion about a year and a half ago, and the CEO brought me on with three primary goals. First, to drive new customer acquisition by bringing millions of new people into the brand. Second, to boost Lifetime Value (LTV) through more meaningful customer interactions, and third, to build deeper brand engagement—or what I like to call “brand love.”
YOU RECENTLY LAUNCHED AN EXCITING HOLIDAY CAMPAIGN WITH MEGAN THEE STALLION. TELL US MORE ABOUT HOW THIS PARTNERSHIP CAME ABOUT AND HOW IT ALIGNS WITH YOUR GOALS?
D’Arcy: We just unveiled our holiday campaign, “Where Holiday Wishes Come True,” featuring Megan Thee Stallion. When we were looking for someone to partner with, Megan stood out because of her mass appeal and cultural impact. She has over 90 million followers across her platforms, so her reach is incredible. Interestingly, she mentioned that this campaign feels like a “full-circle moment” for her since she’s loved the brand for years. She stars alongside Hunxho in this campaign, which is already generating tremendous excitement.
A photo from True Religion’s campaign with Megan Thee Stallion
HOW DO YOU APPROACH REACHING A GEN Z AUDIENCE WHILE STAYING TRUE TO THE BRAND’S ROOTS?
D’Arcy: We’ve always stayed connected to culture, whether through music, sports, or fashion. When our CEO returned in 2019, he conducted research to understand today’s consumer better. Across the board, we found they’re inspired by hip-hop and rap and are influenced by athletes’ and celebrities’ fashion sense. That’s why we lean into partnerships that are culturally relevant, like Megan and Hunxho, and previously with artists like Quavo, India Love, and Flo Milli. Our partnership tiers—from our top-tier influencers to mid-tier creators—help us connect authentically with our audience and drive both upper and lower-funnel engagement.
HOW DO YOU MANAGE THESE DIFFERENT RELATIONSHIPS, AND WHAT ROLE DO THEY
PLAY IN YOUR OVERALL MARKETING MIX?
D’Arcy: We work with partners in three key tiers. For top-tier partnerships, like with Megan Thee Stallion, we aim for major campaigns that drive upper-funnel brand awareness. Our mid-tier partnerships, like those with influencers Jada Cheaves and Flo Milli, are very effective for engagement and conversion. Jada, for example, recently launched a collection with us that sold through 20% in just 24 hours after she shared a hidden link with her followers. Finally, we have our “Team True” program for micro- and nano-influencers. This has been invaluable in generating user-generated content that boosts conversion rates by up to 80% when featured on our product pages. Each tier serves a specific role, helping us reach both new and existing customers effectively
HOW DO YOU ENSURE BOTH STRATEGIES WORK HAND IN HAND, ESPECIALLY WITHIN
YOUR TEAM STRUCTURE?
D’Arcy: I view it as brand and performance marketing rather than “brand versus performance.” Brand marketing is the “what,” while performance marketing is the “how.” When we focus on both, we see results across the board. For example, we turned on upper-funnel media around holiday last year, and immediately saw efficiencies across all lower-funnel performance channels, along with increased direct and organic traffic.
In terms of our team, we have a Consumer Engagement team for organic social, influencers, and PR. They work alongside our Creative team, Marketing Operations team (the “quarterbacks” ensuring everything runs smoothly), and our Store Experience team, who translate our campaigns into in-store experiences. Lastly, our Performance Marketing team oversees growth, acquisition, retention, and our loyalty program. We’re constantly collaborating to ensure both our brand and performance objectives are being met.
True Religion storefront in Brooklyn
WHAT ROLE DOES SOCIAL MEDIA PLAY IN YOUR STRATEGY ACROSS DIFFERENT PLATFORMS?
D’Arcy: Social media is huge for us, and we tailor our approach based on each platform. On Instagram, for instance, we keep it more polished, while Tiktok is more raw and behind-the-scenes. YouTube is where we place marquee, high-quality content. We also do a mix of boosting organic posts and creating separate assets specifically for paid growth ads.
This holiday season, we’re adding audio ads to our mix for the first time ever, using a voice clip from Megan where she says, “Megan Thee Stallion and True Religion making holiday wishes come true.” I’ve had success with audio ads in the past, and it’s great for driving engagement, especially when targeting users who may not be on other platforms. This allows us to reach new audiences and potentially drive them to our stores
WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO IN 2025 FOR TRUE RELIGION?
D’Arcy: I’m excited to see the loyalty program, Team True, expand, and more big campaigns launch. We’re also investing in more sophisticated measurement and adding to our omni-channel understanding of the customer, which will only make our marketing efforts more impactful. It’s an incredible time to be at True Religion, and I’m excited about the journey we have ahead.
LASTLY, IF YOU COULD HAVE DINNER WITH ANY BRAND OR BRAND LEADER, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY?
D’Arcy: I’d love to sit down with someone from Nike—they’re doing amazing things with bold, confident marketing, and I admire how they pivoted recently. I’d also love to meet with Fran Horowitz, the CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch. Her turnaround of that brand has been remarkable. Both brands have built strong connections with their audiences, which is exactly what we’re doing at True Religion.
The Marketer’s Collective connects leading marketers to inspire collaboration, ignite innovation, and drive strategic partnerships. Each month, a virtual event brings together a diverse slate of C-Suite speakers from Fortune 500 brands, offering valuable insights and networking opportunities. For more information visit: www.themarketerscollective.com
