Heritage retailers like Brooks Brothers carry unmatched brand equity. But in 2025, heritage alone isn’t enough. Brands with 200+ years of history face the challenge of modernizing ecommerce stacks, staying relevant with younger consumers, and balancing creative risk—without alienating their loyal base.
That’s why this episode of Ecommerce Toolbox: Expert Perspectives with Brian Schmidt, VP of Integrated Marketing Ecommerce for Brooks Brothers and Eddie Bauer, is essential listening for ecommerce leaders navigating tradition and transformation.
With a career spanning Walgreens, Groupon, Fender, Drizly, and more, Brian has led digital transformation across industries. Now at Catalyst Brands (Brooks Brothers, Eddie Bauer, JCPenney, Nautica, Aéropostale, Lucky Brand), he’s proving how heritage retailers can modernize without losing their soul.
Key Takeaways
Key takeaways from Brian Schmidt’s playbook
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Modernization = stack upgrades
Heritage brands have sold online for years—the friction is legacy ERP/ESP/CDP and web platforms. Upgrading the stack unlocks modern CX.
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Heritage stories drive relevance
The 125th anniversary Oxford campaign shows how simple, authentic storytelling can reignite buzz across OOH, CTV, and social.
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Map distinct customer journeys
Brooks Brothers serves grads, wedding parties, and executives—plan 3–5 personas instead of a single “monolith” journey.
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Collabs need scale & alignment
Values, audience, and product must click—plus real marketing support. Small capsules without PR/paid push rarely move the needle.
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Stores power suiting & loyalty
Suiting is hard to buy online. Flagships like 195 Broadway double as experience hubs that fuel digital discovery and conversion.
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Synergies: contracts > platforms
Migrating ecommerce platforms saved less than expected; renegotiating vendor contracts (e.g., loyalty) delivered bigger wins.
Why heritage campaigns matter
Brian shared the story of the Oxford button-down: born from polo players’ flying collars in the early 1900s, it became a cornerstone of modern shirting. Celebrating its 125th anniversary wasn’t just nostalgia—it was an opportunity to reintroduce Brooks Brothers to new generations.
"The 125th anniversary Oxford campaign was the perfect moment to reintroduce Brooks Brothers. A simple, authentic story turned into a major brand win—and we’re still seeing results months later.” — Brian Schmidt, VP of Integrated Marketing Ecommerce
Balancing creative risk with customer loyalty
Heritage customers aren’t shy. Brooks Brothers still has Mary Todd Lincoln’s 1800s complaint letter in its archives. That history underscores why the brand can’t stray too far from its core.
The balance: maintain core offerings while experimenting in modern contexts. Some collabs hit (expanding preppy into streetwear); others miss if not scaled or supported. For Brian, the lesson is clear: creative risk must respect the base while creating cultural relevance.
The omnichannel edge
In an era when many predict store closures, Brooks Brothers proves the opposite: physical spaces are central to omnichannel.
Suiting requires fit: Most customers don’t know their size until they try on in-store.
Flagships as stages: The 195 Broadway store hosts celebrity events and brand activations.
Revenue reality: For Brooks Brothers, stores still outpace ecommerce, with Eddie Bauer more balanced.
Stores aren’t just sales channels—they’re experience hubs that fuel digital growth.
Final thought: Modernize without losing your roots
Brian Schmidt’s message is simple but powerful: modernization isn’t about chasing every trend or abandoning history. It’s about updating the stack, mapping real customer journeys, and leveraging heritage stories in ways that resonate today.
"There isn’t one Brooks Brothers customer journey. Graduates, newlyweds, and CEOs all shop us differently—and the only way to maximize impact is to design for those distinct customer pools." — Brian Schmidt, VP of Integrated Marketing Ecommerce
For ecommerce leaders, the lesson is clear: heritage brands thrive when they evolve their tech and storytelling, but stay grounded in what made them iconic.
What does “modernizing ecommerce” mean for a heritage brand like Brooks Brothers?
Brian explains that the blocker isn’t selling online—Brooks Brothers has done that for years. The real work is upgrading legacy systems (ERP, ESP, CDP, website platform, CDN) to enable modern customer experiences, faster iteration, and scalable personalization.
Why did the 125th anniversary Oxford button-down campaign work so well?
It centered on a simple, authentic story with cultural roots (the invention of the button-down collar from polo). Strong creative (portraiture, interviews) plus out-of-home and CTV distribution created brand heat that continued for months after launch.
How does Brooks Brothers think about customer journeys?
Avoid a single “monolith” journey. Brooks serves multiple missions—graduations, first-job interviews, weddings, C-suite wardrobes. Map 3–5 key personas and journeys to tailor acquisition, onsite UX, and lifecycle marketing accordingly.
When do collaborations succeed—and when do they miss?
Success requires alignment on audience, product, and values—and enough scale and marketing support to matter. Small capsules without PR/paid amplification often go unnoticed. Some collabs hit; others miss. The team learns, iterates, and protects the core brand in the process.
Why are physical stores still critical for Brooks Brothers?
Suiting is complex to buy online and many customers don’t know their exact size. Stores provide the high-touch fitting and service that anchor the experience—and the flagship at 195 Broadway doubles as a stage for events and brand storytelling that fuels digital demand.
How does Brooks Brothers balance tradition with cultural relevance?
The brand maintains its core offerings while placing them in modern contexts—e.g., preppy’s resurgence and selective collabs. Loyal customers speak up if the brand strays too far, so the team evolves without abandoning what made Brooks Brothers iconic.
What synergies did Catalyst Brands actually realize?
Platform consolidation didn’t deliver the massive savings some expected once total stack costs and migration were considered. Bigger wins came from renegotiating vendor contracts (e.g., loyalty providers) across brands to secure better rates and redeploy dollars into growth.
How should product and content adapt for AI-era discovery?
Focus on people-first storytelling tied to real brand heritage, detailed product attributes (fit, materials, use cases), and helpful FAQs. These signals earn credible mentions and help LLMs surface accurate, brand-aligned answers across discovery channels.
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