Carter’s at Aldi (National Retail Foundation)

Awarded: Placed Top 10 Nationally

Business Challenge

Millennial parents are constantly juggling time, budget, and convenience when shopping for their families. With 82% of millennial parents in the workforce and 46% experiencing burnout, they seek cost-effective, one-stop shopping solutions. Aldi has ranked as the #1 low-cost grocery retailer for six consecutive years, while Carter’s leads in children’s apparel with $2.9B in annual sales. The challenge: How can Carter’s tap into Aldi’s massive retail footprint to reach budget-conscious families?

Insight & Strategy

Our strategy leveraged Aldi’s high-traffic, low-cost grocery model and Carter’s strong brand equity in children’s apparel to create a seamless shopping experience. By integrating Carter’s apparel into Aldi’s Finds Aisle, we aimed to:

• Reduce shopping friction for parents by offering essential kids’ clothing alongside groceries.

• Expand Carter’s accessibility through Aldi’s 2,000+ stores nationwide.

• Strengthen brand loyalty via a Carter’s Rewards x Aldi Initiative, where purchases at Aldi earned Carter’s loyalty points.

Creative Execution

The campaign focused on strategic placement and integrated marketing to maximize visibility and impact:

• In-Store Retail Strategy: A seasonal apparel rotation with affordable pricing ($3.99 - $6.99 per item) placed in Aldi’s high-traffic aisles.

• Loyalty & Digital Integration: Customers could upload Aldi receipts to the Carter’s app to earn points, incentivizing repeat purchases.

• Marketing & Media Plan: A multi-channel strategy utilizing social media, digital display, OTT (Hulu, Disney+), and email marketing, generating an estimated 279.2M impressions in Year 1.

Projected Impact

The Carter’s at Aldi collaboration is expected to generate $11M in revenue in Year 1 and scale to 2,400+ Aldi locations by Year 5, driving $182M in annual sales. With a three-year projection of 61.9% gross margin and high turnover rates, the initiative aligns with both brands’ long-term growth strategies.

The Takeaway

This project provided a real-world retail strategy experience, reinforcing my expertise in consumer behavior analysis, omnichannel marketing, and strategic brand partnerships. By combining data-driven insights with creative execution, the Carter’s x Aldi collaboration delivers a scalable, high-impact retail solution for modern families.