Carter’s, Hanna Andersson and Primary Are Hot This Summer
With summer nearly upon us in the Northern Hemisphere, current brand strategy examples in US children’s fashion focus on fun in the sun. We’ll explore Hanna Andersson, Primary and the Carter’s family of brands to see how brand strategy and positioning vary based on:
- Long-term goals and vision
- Customer segmentation
- Distribution channels
- Strength of the brand in the marketplace
Looking for more perspectives in the business of fashion? Check out our article “Competitor Analysis Examples in US Women’s Fashion.”
Brand Strategy Examples: Hanna Andersson
This childrens’ clothing brand was founded over 30 years ago by Swedish-American Gun Denhart. Her goal for Hanna Andersson was:
“to outfit the adventure of childhood by embracing distinctly Scandinavian principles: iconic design that marries form and function, a genuine commitment to sustainability, and a lifestyle that leads to happy, meaningful lives.”
The product lineup includes baby, girl and boy clothing and accessories through Size 12. The long-term goals and vision for the brand have remained consistent over the decades, as shown by these current summer marketing taglines:
- Made to Play, Made to Last
- Play in Color & Comfort
- Jump Into Summer Adventures
- Splash & Play the Day Away
- Best. Pajamas. Ever. – The Softest Summer PJs
Pajamas are one particular niche the brand has had success with, growing to include matching family PJs in a variety of prints and popular characters, like Grogu (Baby Yoda) and Batman. Hanna Andersson is extending into women’s fashion with its “Mommy & Me” line that coordinates with baby and kids’ prints.
Hanna Andersson offers its clothing completely online, closing all of its physical retail stores. While the brand formerly partnered with department stores like Nordstrom and Macy’s, it appears the brand has now moved all sales in-house.
Brand Strategy Examples: Carter’s & OshKosh
The Carter’s family of brands are carefully crafted for different customer segments and distribution channel partners. It includes OshKosh and Skip Hop.
| Brand | Brand Strategy | Products Offered | Customer Segment | Distribution Channel Partner |
| Carter’s | “Carter’s is the leading brand of children’s clothing in the United States today. Trusted by generations of families for making life easier, Carter’s creates a full range of cute, quality baby and children’s clothing, gifts, and accessories that have provided solutions for real life since 1865.” | Clothing, accessories and shoes. Baby-focused, with additional lines for Toddler Girl, Toddler Boy, Girl and Boy | Seeking cute, quality and value | Various retail partners, including Carter’s standalone stores and website |
| OshKosh B’gosh | “OshKosh B’gosh is one of the most recognized brands of kids clothing in the world, and designs apparel with a playful personality that celebrates the imagination and creativity of the kids who wear it. OshKosh B’gosh has been built to last since 1895, and joined the Carter’s family in 2005.” | Clothing, accessories and shoes. Kid-focused, with additional lines for Baby Girl, Baby Boy, Toddler Girl and Toddler Boy | Seeking playful and sturdy value, trusts this established brand | Various retail partners, including OshKosh’s standalone stores and website |
| Skip Hop | “Skip Hop is a global lifestyle brand committed to making parenting as easy and fun as possible. With a core philosophy of “Must-Haves Made Better,” Skip Hop re-thinks, re-energizies and re-engineers essential products – everything from diaper bags to strollers to bath toys – to give parents, babies and toddlers smart design and true functionality. Skip Hop joined the Carter’s family in 2017.” | Baby gear, such as high chairs, diaper bags, bath accessories and toys | Seeking mid-priced solutions that make parenting easier | Various retail partners, including Skip Hop’s website |
| Little Planet | “Our newest budding brand was launched in 2021. Crafted in the purest organic fabrics and sustainable materials, Little Planet is a return to simplicity. Thoughtful essentials and timeless pieces to gift or to hold on to. This brand is leading the way in Carter’s commitment to a sustainable world where all families with young children – including future generations can grow and thrive.” | Baby to 5T organic, sustainable clothing, bedding and bath textiles. Also offers matching adult robes | Seeking high-quality pieces that last. Sustainability-focused | Limited availability in-store. Online at websites for Little Planet, Target, Walmart and select other partners |
| Just One You | “Carter’s created Just One You to provide cute, high-quality clothing, bedding, décor, and accessories for little ones from preemie to toddler at exceptional value to Target customers in 2001.” | Baby to Size 10 clothing and accessories | The Target shopper: Fashion-minded and value-conscious | Target – in-store and online |
| Child of Mine | “Carter’s created Just One You to provide cute, high-quality clothing, bedding, décor, and accessories for little ones from preemie to toddler at exceptional value to Target customers in 2001.” | Baby to Size 8 clothing and accessories | The Walmart shopper: Value-conscious and family-focused | Walmart – in-store and online |
| Simple Joys | “Carter’s launched Simple Joys in 2017 to give Amazon shoppers an exclusive selection of baby and toddler clothing designed with fresh prints, bright colors, supersoft fabrics, functional details and exceptional value.” | Baby to 5T bulk bundle clothing | The Amazon shopper: Buys in bulk for convenience and savings | Amazon – online |
Here are a few brand strategy examples in execution that show how the different Carter’s family of brands differ in their approach.
Carter’s Brand Strategy Example
OshKosh Brand Strategy Example
Little Planet Brand Strategy Example
Promotional strategy is very similar for brands Carter’s, Oshkosh, Skip Hop and Little Planet. There is a regular cycle of “Doorbuster” pricing and 50% off sales, promoted to customers through email, direct mail and in-store. Customers also are invited to join a loyalty program or sign up for a credit card, where they earn points on their purchases.
Brand Strategy Examples: Primary
Founded by two marketing-savvy moms, Christina Carbonell and Galyn Bernard, Primary hit the ground running in 2014, based on the premise:
“Every color for every kid. With no labels and no slogans. Super soft and sustainable fabrics, for clothes that all play together. And all backed by the kind of customer service you thought didn’t exist.”
The name Primary serves two functions: the primary, basic clothing that growing babies and kids need, offered in bright primary and secondary colors. Although a genius name from a cohesive brand strategy perspective, it does make online search for the brand a bit difficult (many other brands offer “primary” categories of clothing basics).
Unlike most children’s clothing brands, Primary doesn’t differentiate between boy and girl lines—its lineup is:
- Baby (0-24M)
- Kids (2-14Y)
- Grown-Ups (with an emphasis on matching family styles)
Primary clothing is offered (primarily) online at the company website. The brand also has a presence through BuyBuyBaby and Amazon. The joint CEOs hint that they are looking into testing retail stores:
“We had plans to launch our first store in the fall of 2020, but we paused as soon as Covid hit. We’re excited to test our own retail stores, where you can touch and feel our fabrics, see the beautiful rainbow of colors, and shop for babies and kids.”
Closely related to children’s fashion is the $30B back-to-school market. Here’s our “Brand Strategy Template for Back-to-School.”
Insight to Action specializes in brand strategy examples. Find more on our Brand Strategy resources page or sign up for our email newsletter.
