JCPenney
JCPenney partnered with dentsu x to prove the power of user-generated content with a social-first campaign that turned Snapchatters into stars and engaged a multi-generational audience in the US during the holiday season.
“At JCPenney, we believe style – and the moments that come with it – should be accessible to everyone. Our Portrait Studio is a one-of-a-kind experience that’s been part of family holiday traditions for generations – and it’s meant to be fun. This campaign brought that spirit to life in a new way, inviting families to create and share their stories while reinforcing our commitment to making fashion and culture inclusive and accessible to all.”
- Lisa Schoder, Vice President, JCPenney Integrated Marketing
Focus on JCPenney
Catering to families across the US for more than 100 years, JCPenney has been woven into the fabric of American culture. Eager to reinforce this reputation among a new generation of shoppers, JCPenny tapped into one of its most iconic identifiers: the family photo. That’s when Snapchat entered the frame.
Putting Snapchat in the Frame
In partnership with dentsu x, JCPenney wanted to create a highly shareable social-first campaign that felt both playful and culturally relevant. By launching ‘America’s Largest Holiday Family Photo Album (Awkward or Not)’, the brand could turn a familiar holiday tradition – visiting in-store studios for themed photos – into something current and collaborative. To do this, the retailer invited families to submit current or recreated JCPenney portraits using a branded hashtag.
Snapchatters went all in for the shoots, using the Holiday Portrait AR Lens to create a series of heartwarming (and toe-curling!) photos. By using humor, nostalgia and shared family memories to spark engagement, JCPenney appealed to multiple audiences – Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z – and encouraged both participation and sharing.
Success in a Snapshot
JCPenney’s Snapchat strategy was a clear success, breaking industry benchmarks and delivering strong upper-funnel impact and engagement. The campaign, which ran during the 2025 Holiday season, drove a 7pt lift in Ad Awareness among those exposed to the AR Lens 1, achieved 10.1 seconds average camera playtime and generated a 1.6% share rate 2. These results prove that nostalgia has a strong place in the Snapchat community.
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