VS PINK, as well as their parent company L Brands, is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. All 198 campus reps (there were only 150 last year) were invited and/or flown out to Easton to attend the annual Brand Training seminar for the VS PINK campus rep program. Let me preface this by first exclaiming how amazing last year’s Brand Training was! It was by far the best part of my summer and probably the coolest thing I’ve ever gotten to be apart of. Brand Training is a 3-day event meant to celebrate the campus reps and educate them on all things PINK!
Day 1: Thankfully, the campus and events marketing team for PINK (our bosses) are amazing women and managed to make this year even better than the last. Upon arrival, we were given the coveted “goodie bag”—this year it included a PINK varsity crew, varsity tee, “On Wednesdays we wear PINK” tank, and a sample of VS’ new fragrance, Eau So Sexy. Schools with a PCC line were given school-branded varsity crews instead of the PINK ones. We all had to wear our varsity crews for the group & team photos we took later in the night. But first, we had the amazing honor of listening to a presentation from VS PINK’s CEO, Denise Landman. She was an incredible speaker and offered great insight into the brand, its birth, and their differentiating factors as well as general career advice. The biggest takeaway was probably "Focus on establishing authentic connections with the audience you want to reach, first. The products will come after, and it will be more natural." PINK’s biggest focus, it seems, is to truly connect with the 18-20 year old woman the brand targets. Perhaps this is why the brand has such a large and loyal fanbase.
Afterwards, we enjoyed dinner and a private performance from up-and-coming band New Hollow. After their performance, the girls changed into their sleepwear and met back in a conference room for a PINK movie night. When we entered the room, there was PINK bedding everywhere! There were marshmallow blankets, comforters, body pillows, and throw pillows all laid out for us to snuggle with during the movie, which was none other than Pitch Perfect, of course. The best part was: we got to keep the bedding!
Day 2: After an amazing first night, the reps weren’t really sure what to expect from day 2! We had a quick breakfast and then regrouped in the conference room. This time, all of the seats were set with PINK backpacks and agendas! If there’s one thing PINK loves to do, it’s surprise us. We listened to several presentations throughout the morning, they included: the guidelines of being a PINK rep from PINK leadership, new & bestselling beauty from a PINK beauty merchant, and career and internship opportunities within L Brands from campus and corporate recruiters.
The best part of the first half of day 2 was by far the Veteran Panel. Ali & I were invited to be apart of a 6-person panel of returning reps with the goal of being able to answer questions from new reps. Like I mentioned earlier, PINK added 48 reps this year, so we ended up answering questions for a good 45 minutes. It was exhilarating to be on stage in front of hundreds of hardworking, passionate women and give them advice and share my own experiences. It was one of the coolest things I’ve ever done!
Once the work as all done, it was time for play! were allowed to go back to our rooms to change for dinner—but not before being greeted by an enormous candy bar! Yes, a bar full of different kinds of candy! Because nothing is as sweet as PINK.Dinner was at Bon Vie at Easton (we rented out the entire restaurant and had a delicious buffet-style meal!) and then we got the surprise of our lives: the enormous fountain at the center of Easton was closed off for a VIP PINK event—for us! Jeni’s Famous Ice Cream set up a small cart (I’m sure the out-of-towner’s lives were changed), Matt Ryan DJ’ed all night long, and the PINK vending machines even made an appearance! Somehow they even got Easton to die the fountain water PINK in honor of our event! But that’s not all: we were also given $100 gift cards to spend in the PINK store for our very own private shopping night, which just so happened to coincide with PINK Friday (free tumbler and tote with $65 purchase AND a special $30 legging/crew offer? I think yes). We shopped and some of us (me) spent a little too much money, but it was an overall amazing night and experience. PINK somehow manages to outdo themselves every year!
Day 3: The third day was very short, as all of us were dismissed to go home at 1:00. However, we got to spend the morning meeting with various merchant groups to discuss our opinions on new and potential PINK products. I met with the yoga, lounge, and PCC merchants. These focus groups are really cool because PINK values our opinion so much. After all, we are the target demographic! After being a PINK rep last year and winning the incentive trip in the spring, I’ve gotten to be apart of many different focus groups. Ali and I were actually approached by Sarah, one of the swim merchants, at Brand Training this year because one of the swimsuits we loved during its pre-test phase was now making it’s way into stores this upcoming year! How exciting!!
The impact you can make as a PINK rep is what you want it to be. You can do the bare minimum and still do a good job, or you can choose to go above and beyond and reach your full potential. You can accomplish things you never thought you could. This time last year, I remember starting our twitter account and jumping on the bed with Ali when we hit 100 followers. Now, we have 1,600. We never thought a number like that would be possible at our small-ish school of 20,000 students. But girls absolutely LOVE this brand. They are so loyal to it, more loyal than any other brand I have ever seen. PINK has grown up with us, and it will continue to grow and evolve and stay relevant, even after we age out of it. But even as that happens, as it inevitably will, I will still have a special place in my heart for PINK. Not just because of this experience, but because of how PINK shaped my style growing up. It’s like an old friend that I know everything about, who knows everything about me. For someone who has never been incredibly “fashion-forward,” I am so impressed a brand (of all things) could have this kind of lasting impression on me. I think it has left some kind of mark on all of us.
Brand Training teaches you so much about the brand and how to bring it to life at your school. It inspires you and motivates you like nothing else could. You’re surrounded by over 200 amazingly talented and ambitious women for three whole days. You know PINK, now PINK wants to know you!
We’re ready to make this year the best one yet!
Day 1: Thankfully, the campus and events marketing team for PINK (our bosses) are amazing women and managed to make this year even better than the last. Upon arrival, we were given the coveted “goodie bag”—this year it included a PINK varsity crew, varsity tee, “On Wednesdays we wear PINK” tank, and a sample of VS’ new fragrance, Eau So Sexy. Schools with a PCC line were given school-branded varsity crews instead of the PINK ones. We all had to wear our varsity crews for the group & team photos we took later in the night. But first, we had the amazing honor of listening to a presentation from VS PINK’s CEO, Denise Landman. She was an incredible speaker and offered great insight into the brand, its birth, and their differentiating factors as well as general career advice. The biggest takeaway was probably "Focus on establishing authentic connections with the audience you want to reach, first. The products will come after, and it will be more natural." PINK’s biggest focus, it seems, is to truly connect with the 18-20 year old woman the brand targets. Perhaps this is why the brand has such a large and loyal fanbase.
Afterwards, we enjoyed dinner and a private performance from up-and-coming band New Hollow. After their performance, the girls changed into their sleepwear and met back in a conference room for a PINK movie night. When we entered the room, there was PINK bedding everywhere! There were marshmallow blankets, comforters, body pillows, and throw pillows all laid out for us to snuggle with during the movie, which was none other than Pitch Perfect, of course. The best part was: we got to keep the bedding!
Day 2: After an amazing first night, the reps weren’t really sure what to expect from day 2! We had a quick breakfast and then regrouped in the conference room. This time, all of the seats were set with PINK backpacks and agendas! If there’s one thing PINK loves to do, it’s surprise us. We listened to several presentations throughout the morning, they included: the guidelines of being a PINK rep from PINK leadership, new & bestselling beauty from a PINK beauty merchant, and career and internship opportunities within L Brands from campus and corporate recruiters.
The best part of the first half of day 2 was by far the Veteran Panel. Ali & I were invited to be apart of a 6-person panel of returning reps with the goal of being able to answer questions from new reps. Like I mentioned earlier, PINK added 48 reps this year, so we ended up answering questions for a good 45 minutes. It was exhilarating to be on stage in front of hundreds of hardworking, passionate women and give them advice and share my own experiences. It was one of the coolest things I’ve ever done!
Once the work as all done, it was time for play! were allowed to go back to our rooms to change for dinner—but not before being greeted by an enormous candy bar! Yes, a bar full of different kinds of candy! Because nothing is as sweet as PINK.Dinner was at Bon Vie at Easton (we rented out the entire restaurant and had a delicious buffet-style meal!) and then we got the surprise of our lives: the enormous fountain at the center of Easton was closed off for a VIP PINK event—for us! Jeni’s Famous Ice Cream set up a small cart (I’m sure the out-of-towner’s lives were changed), Matt Ryan DJ’ed all night long, and the PINK vending machines even made an appearance! Somehow they even got Easton to die the fountain water PINK in honor of our event! But that’s not all: we were also given $100 gift cards to spend in the PINK store for our very own private shopping night, which just so happened to coincide with PINK Friday (free tumbler and tote with $65 purchase AND a special $30 legging/crew offer? I think yes). We shopped and some of us (me) spent a little too much money, but it was an overall amazing night and experience. PINK somehow manages to outdo themselves every year!
Day 3: The third day was very short, as all of us were dismissed to go home at 1:00. However, we got to spend the morning meeting with various merchant groups to discuss our opinions on new and potential PINK products. I met with the yoga, lounge, and PCC merchants. These focus groups are really cool because PINK values our opinion so much. After all, we are the target demographic! After being a PINK rep last year and winning the incentive trip in the spring, I’ve gotten to be apart of many different focus groups. Ali and I were actually approached by Sarah, one of the swim merchants, at Brand Training this year because one of the swimsuits we loved during its pre-test phase was now making it’s way into stores this upcoming year! How exciting!!
The impact you can make as a PINK rep is what you want it to be. You can do the bare minimum and still do a good job, or you can choose to go above and beyond and reach your full potential. You can accomplish things you never thought you could. This time last year, I remember starting our twitter account and jumping on the bed with Ali when we hit 100 followers. Now, we have 1,600. We never thought a number like that would be possible at our small-ish school of 20,000 students. But girls absolutely LOVE this brand. They are so loyal to it, more loyal than any other brand I have ever seen. PINK has grown up with us, and it will continue to grow and evolve and stay relevant, even after we age out of it. But even as that happens, as it inevitably will, I will still have a special place in my heart for PINK. Not just because of this experience, but because of how PINK shaped my style growing up. It’s like an old friend that I know everything about, who knows everything about me. For someone who has never been incredibly “fashion-forward,” I am so impressed a brand (of all things) could have this kind of lasting impression on me. I think it has left some kind of mark on all of us.
Brand Training teaches you so much about the brand and how to bring it to life at your school. It inspires you and motivates you like nothing else could. You’re surrounded by over 200 amazingly talented and ambitious women for three whole days. You know PINK, now PINK wants to know you!
We’re ready to make this year the best one yet!