J.C. Penney Strives to Rebrand, Tapping into Wedding Season with "Budget-Friendly Weddings"
As the world turns its attention to the lavish wedding of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez in Venice, Italy, the established U.S. department store J.C. Penney showcased how to host a chic wedding on a low budget through an affordable wedding event. Amidst the buzz surrounding Bezos and Sanchez's wedding, J.C. Penney recently held a $10,000-budget wedding for a pair of high school sweethearts in Venice, California, USA. Everything for the event—from decorations to the attire of the newlyweds and guests—was covered by J.C. Penney.
Against the backdrop of ongoing economic pressures, J.C. Penney is positioning itself as a "cost-effective" choice for couples celebrating their life's milestone, offering a contrasting alternative to the ultra-luxurious weddings like Bezos and Sanchez's that capture public attention. While most people can't afford the estimated $50 million cost of Bezos' wedding, wedding expenses can still escalate quickly. In 2024, the average cost of a wedding in the U.S. reached $33,000.
This "wedding marketing" is part of J.C. Penney's multi-phase marketing campaign under its new brand positioning. By surprising consumers, the company aims to highlight its product range and value proposition, and this wedding event clearly aligns with that strategy. "Most of us won't plan a wedding with a multi-million-dollar budget or in an Italian palace," said Marisa Thalberg, Chief Brand and Marketing Officer of Catalyst Brands, J.C. Penney's parent company.
The "budget-friendly wedding" for newlyweds Estefany Gomez and Leonardo Rendon was fully organized by J.C. Penney, including covering the travel expenses of the couple's parents. J.C. Penney also released a "bill breakdown," listing items such as: $99 for the bride's dress, $350 for the groom's suit, $5,000 for venue and rental fees, $2,200 for catering, etc. At the bottom of the bill, it was noted: "99.9% cheaper than a billionaire's wedding." At the end of 2024, J.C. Penney appointed Thalberg as its chief brand marketing consultant. She had earned a reputation for helping established companies like Taco Bell and Lowe's with brand rejuvenation. This appointment was part of the brand's efforts to seek transformation amid declining revenue. In January 2025, after J.C. Penney merged with SPARC Group to form Catalyst Brands, Thalberg's title was promoted to Chief Brand and Marketing Officer.
In addition, J.C. Penney has made a series of adjustments to its marketing strategies. In January this year, the company appointed Mischief @ No Fixed Address as its lead creative agency; in March, VaynerMedia was confirmed as the social media and influencer marketing agency. Currently, J.C. Penney generates approximately $6.3 billion in annual sales and operates about 649 stores in the U.S., covering 49 states and Puerto Rico.
It is expected to close another 7-8 stores by around mid-2025. Its parent company, Catalyst Brands, stated that there will be no "large-scale" store closures; instead, some stores will be closed based on market performance, while the possibility of opening new stores will continue to be evaluated. Furthermore, J.C. Penney's online sales have steadily exceeded $1.9 billion, accounting for about one-third of total sales, with a stable growth trend. Since 2023, J.C. Penney has launched an approximately $1 billion transformation plan, focusing on: - Rebranding its official website and mobile App, and modernizing its inventory system; - Upgrading the App, optimizing the shopping process, and enhancing the online experience to attract new consumers; - Upgrading in-store experience (including self-checkout, better Wi-Fi, and POS systems) and improving logistics and distribution systems; - Launching a new membership reward mechanism: enhancing the points program since April 2024, with membership participation increasing by approximately 25%; - In June 2024, the distribution center in Reno, Nevada, invested approximately $40 million in an automated sorting system; - The first round of technical upgrade tests has been conducted in about 150 stores, and all approximately 650 stores are expected to complete the transformation within two years. If the digital upgrades, in-store experience improvements, and multi-brand integration succeed, J.C. Penney is expected to regain the trust of middle-class families and find a path to steady growth.
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