Can JCPenney turn heads again? A look at its “Yes, JCPenney” campaign

JCPenney has had a rough few years. Once a staple of American shopping malls, the chain has faced shrinking sales, shuttered locations, and changing shopper habits. But this spring, the brand launched a bold new marketing push aimed at turning things around. The “Yes, JCPenney” campaign hit airwaves, billboards, and social feeds in April. And early data suggests it might be making a dent.

Measuring the momentum

The campaign launched April 10 with a big media splash: billboards in Times Square, TV spots during the NBA postseason, a recurring sketch on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, as well as social posts supported by partner Vayner Media. The campaign leaned into a more playful, confident tone—an effort to reposition the brand not just as affordable, but culturally relevant.

So, is it working?

According to daily tracking data from YouGov BrandIndex, JCPenney saw a noticeable bump in several key consumer metrics following the campaign launch. Ad Awareness — the share of people who recall seeing an ad for the brand — rose from 6.7% at the start of April to 10% in early May, before settling around 9% through mid-June.

Word of Mouth (WOM) also climbed, going from 4.4% to 6.5%. That means more people were talking about JCPenney with friends or family—a good sign that the campaign sparked conversation.

Most importantly, Consideration—the share of consumers who say they’d think about shopping at JCPenney—rose steadily from 13.6% to 16.4% over the same period. While the increase is gradual, it suggests the campaign may be doing more than just raising eyebrows—it’s getting people to rethink their shopping choices.

Younger shoppers are paying attention

One of the more interesting signals in the data is who the campaign seems to be resonating with. JCPenney has traditionally drawn an older customer base, but the current bump in Consideration is being driven more by younger Americans—particularly millennials and Gen Z.

That may not be a coincidence. From Instagram giveaways to cheeky social posts, much of the campaign’s energy is aimed at reaching younger, digital-native consumers. The creative approach is more modern and culturally savvy than the brand’s past efforts, which could explain the uptick among these groups.

A step forward—but not a full comeback

It’s still early days, and these metrics alone won’t save a struggling retail brand. But they do show that JCPenney’s new message is getting through. The challenge will be turning that attention into action—getting younger shoppers through the doors (or onto the website) and convincing them to come back.

For a brand trying to shed its dated image and reconnect with today’s consumers, “Yes, JCPenney” might be a step in the right direction.

Methodology

Data for this article comes from YouGov BrandIndex, which tracks daily consumer perceptions of thousands of brands. Metrics include Ad Awareness (have seen an ad), Word of Mouth exposure (talked about the brand), and Consideration (would consider purchasing) among US adults. Trends were tracked from April 1 to June 12, 2025. Samples range from 2000-5000 respondents.