David’s Bridal Targets Younger Demographic With Expanded Loyalty Program
David’s Bridal has been revamping its loyalty program over the past year, and now the company has expanded its offerings to target high school-aged students with the launch of Diamond Prom.
Diamond Prom is free for students — an extension of the brand’s Diamond Loyalty program, which has approximately 2 million members. Those who sign up for a membership earn one diamond prom point for every dollar spent, which includes categories like dresses, accessories, shoes, fragrances, and alterations.
The program also has a crowdsourcing aspect, allowing students from the same school to pool their points for a chance to win a free photo booth for their prom and other special events. Members are also entered for a chance to win a $1,000 scholarship. As with Diamond Loyalty, members can share their diamond number (phone number) with friends and family to earn diamond points when they shop.
Students can access the program via a mobile platform that includes the sign-up process, points tracking, and exclusive offers like $20 off regular priced prom dresses.
"Our junior occasion customers are fun, trendy, playful. They deserve a collection that matches their sparkly personalities," said Kelly Cook, chief marketing and IT officer of David's Bridal, in a statement. "We know our customers like to be rewarded for shopping. With the remarkable success of our Diamond Loyalty program, why not customize a program that offers exclusive benefits and prizes for our junior audience?"
As part of its expansion into junior occasion business, the brand is opening prom pop-up shops — House of Prom by David’s — in 2023 just ahead of prom season.
RIS spoke with Cook earlier this year to discuss the brand’s unique loyalty model, where not only the bride can earn rewards, but any purchases related to that wedding, with points accrued by guests, family, and friends, accumulating toward the end goal of a free honeymoon (and several perks in between).
Data is a key element of the program, and Cook suggested there were “big plans” in the works to reimagine consumer feedback based on how points accrue.
“That is what fuels our business — it’s just all kinds of data. It’s qualitative, quantitative, internal, external, trends… I have a performance management team that does nothing but look at and analyze data and look for nuggets.” says Cook.
Additionally, Cook teased a future of retail partnerships, allowing consumers to earn points for purchases across the full wedding lifecycle.
