As Gen Z cements its role as the cultural vanguard and Gen Alpha begins to assert its voice, brands face mounting pressure to not only keep pace but to actively shape youth identity. With social commerce booming and physical retail undergoing reinvention, staying relevant means delivering experiences as dynamic as the customers themselves. One stat alone says it all: after Kendrick Lamar sparked a flare jeans frenzy, American Eagle saw a 125% spike in Google searches and 25% more store traffic in just days.

So how does a legacy retailer like American Eagle Outfitters keep its edge with a generation that swipes faster than it shops? And what does it take to not only follow culture—but lead it?

On this episode of Retail Refined, host Melissa Gonzalez sits down with Craig Brommers, Chief Marketing Officer at American Eagle, for a deep dive into loyalty, culture, and the art of speaking to multiple generations at once. From TikTok virality to in-store innovation, Craig shares how American Eagle is turning its 50-year playbook into a blueprint for the next era of retail.

Key topics of discussion…

How American Eagle uses feedback loops—from 35,000 Gen Z store associates to a 2,000-person youth panel—to track trends in real time and adjust marketing and product strategies accordingly.

Why the “Lived In” store concept is the most successful in American Eagle’s 48-year history, blending elevated design with community-driven experiences to drive conversion and loyalty.

The launch of the “Live Your Life” affiliate program, a bid to transform creators into digital store associates and cement deeper bonds with youth consumers in the social commerce age.

Craig Brommers is a seasoned global marketing executive with deep expertise in brand expansion across geographic, digital, and category dimensions. He has led marketing at top retail brands including American Eagle, Gap, Abercrombie & Fitch, Calvin Klein, and Speedo, consistently driving growth through purpose-driven strategies and a strong command of data-informed decision-making. An MBA graduate from UCLA’s Anderson School, Craig is known for building high-performing, cross-functional teams and balancing global consistency with local market relevance.