How Primark Plans to Get the Word Out
Primark is putting some marketing muscle behind its U.S. expansion.
Since launching its first store in the U.S. in 2016 — a flagship in downtown Boston — Primark has primarily relied on store openings and word-of-mouth to get noticed and people shopping. There are also some ongoing collaborations, including with singer Rita Ora, the NBA and Hello Kitty that have generated some buzz.
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But in May 2024, Rene Federico, former global vice president of direct marketing for Converse, joined the Dublin-based, value-oriented family fashion retailer as chief marketing officer for the U.S. Federico is Primark’s first U.S. CMO. She reports directly to Wendy Duggan, global director of marketing, who is Dublin-based, and also reports to Kevin Tulip, president of Primark U.S. In August 2024, Primark launched its first brand campaign in the U.S., titled “That’s So Primark.”
Primark’s foray into the U.S. seems opportune, tapping into the vast trading down by Americans to lower price points in recent years. Primark sells men’s, women’s, kids and home products under its own label as well as licensed merchandise. The expansion has been steady, and not overly aggressive, with Primark selectively picking its spots. Still, the pace is picking up. The company has targeted 60 stores in the U.S. by some time in 2026. Currently, there are 29.
In the following Q&A, Federico explains how Primark is investing more in marketing to support its U.S. expansion and drive brand awareness among Americans. Primark, owned by the U.K.’s Associated British Foods, in 2024, generated about 9.45 billion British pounds in revenue.
WWD: How familiar are Americans with the Primark brand?
Rene Federico: I would say we are relatively unknown, but we’re very loved in the communities we operate in and with people that have experienced our brand. We’re looking at marketing as an accelerator for our growth, to build more awareness, drive more traffic to our stores, and help people understand our proposition around style, quality, and affordability. We’re excited about how much momentum we can build through more of a traditional way of showing up in a market, activating around our openings, and word-of-mouth. But we have a really good opportunity to drive brand awareness at scale. We’ve only scratched the surface in terms of building repeat and loyal customers for our brand in the (U.S.) markets where we operate.
WWD: What kind of marketing strategies do you envision for Primark?
R.F.: We’re looking at the full mix, but with a sharp focus on top-funnel, brand-led campaigns where we land that message, repeatedly, around style, quality, affordability, and target audiences across multiple platforms. We have to tell what Primark stands for and why they should come shop with us.
WWD: Are you targeting a certain demographic?
R.F.: We can serve a very broad set. We are looking for that style-led consumer that demands quality and affordability. We’re in a unique position to serve them. The halo is, we have something for everyone…We’re not looking to narrow who we serve.
WWD: To what degree does price promoting get wrapped into the marketing?
R.F.: That’s not really the message. Price promotion is not a focus for us from a marketing standpoint. The affordability aspect is where we show up with a really compelling price offering for consumers, and so we’re bringing all of that together, again, with the style message and the quality message.
WWD: Do you need to localize the approach? For example, like where you have opened a Primark in Texas versus Brooklyn?
R.F.: Some of our down-funnel tactics would be local to a market, physically with how the market is set up, and with what opportunities we have for unique out-of-home experiences and things like that. However, probably our biggest payoff is focusing on New York as a key market for us. First, New York has global influence, with both fashion and style and from a media and consumer standpoint. Second, we have a high concentration of stores in the DMA (designated market area) and so we have more payoff…We’re beyond excited about our store opening on 34th Street (in 2026) which is not only a mecca for style, but a mecca for retail. Our investment in the New York metro area will be inclusive of the full marketing mix. We have video spots for TV, connected TV, streaming TV. We will have billboards. We will have activations. We’ll have unique out-of-home…We will carry that message nationally, however, through our email, our CRM (customer relationship management) efforts, through social media. However, the focus is the New York DMA and that is where you’ll see the most investment.
WWD: How many Primark stores are currently in the New York metro area?
R.F.: We have (a total of) 12, in New York City, Long Island, western Connecticut and New Jersey.
WWD: How much of an investment does Primark make in marketing?
R.F.: It’s probably best described as a serious investment. It’s an investment where we’re definitely trying to have an impact. We’ve determined what we need to be able to have an impact. As we grow our presence in the U.S., we’re identifying opportunities. We’ve decided to concentrate that investment in a market (New York) that we believe will have an outsized impact for us, and then be able to radiate across the rest of our store fleet. We are producing high-quality assets. The full marketing mix is what we’re looking at, but our highest investment will be across TV, social, billboards and out-of-home, influencers and partnerships.
WWD: What’s the intent or feeling projected from the “That’s So Primark” campaign?
R.F.: What that represents is kind of hard to put into words. It’s a feeling of joy you get when you experience our brand. “That’s So Primark” is taken from our global strategy and will carry through our U.S. marketing efforts. Our specific U.S. campaign is about falling in love with the brand. So our fall proof-of-concept campaign carried that message, and the campaign we have coming in spring will as well.
WWD: What about on the event side?
R.F.: Right now all of our events are really focused around our store openings, and they’ll continue to be. It’s a really energizing moment for the brand. Hundreds of people line up to shop for us on that first day…I do think we have the opportunity to activate with consumers at different moments. You know, we’re looking at a style calendar. We’re looking at what our partnerships and licensees are doing. You’ll start to see more from us as we activate more consumer-facing.
WWD: There is much competition in your space, such as Target and Old Navy. How does Primark differentiate?
R.F.: We’re a “store-first” business. That is a differentiator. (Primark) has a click-and-collect initiative in the U.K. But we don’t currently sell online in the U.S., although we have a U.S. website. It’s a very important component to our overall experience. It’s a great companion to our store experience. We will continue to invest in our website and drive efforts through our consumer relationship management to draw that connected journey for consumers, from online to in-store. But we’re a brick-and-mortar-first business currently in the U.S.
WWD: What motivated you to join Primark?
R.F.: Through my career journey, I’ve always gravitated towards roles that put me close to consumers. That’s where I really get the most out of roles where I’m creating an impact. Connecting iconic brands to consumers through experiences is my sweet spot. So coming to Primark, I really quickly realized this brand has a really compelling story to tell. We have a really great proposition for the U.S. retail marketplace. This opportunity represents a chance for me to engage with new audiences, tackle new challenges, and then work with a brand that has great core values. It’s focused on working together as a team, creating a dynamic, honest and transparent workplace, and creating an environment where everyone feels seen and cared for.
WWD: You’ve had a 20-year career in retail and marketing. What are some of your key learnings?
R.F.: My 20-year run has landed me with three truths that I operate on and are relevant to Primark. Put the consumer at the center of your strategy. The ultimate check of the work you’re doing is, does this matter to our consumer? Are they asking for it? Is it compelling or engaging? The second thing is, you’ve got to tell great stories. To actually give them something compelling has to come through great storytelling. And we do this on multiple levels. You have to move at the pace of culture. I know that’s jargon-y, and a lot of brands say that. But you really have to understand the dynamics of what’s going on around you and so that, how? Specifically in marketing, if you’re not willing to understand what that looks like, you’ll find yourself becoming irrelevant very quickly. And relevance is the cornerstone of being able to market effectively.
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