Creativity & Passion: A Conversation with Andy Spade

To cap off 2018, ThirdLove hosted Andy Spade of creative agency Partners & Spade for a fireside chat on his role on ThirdLove’s board, our “To Each, Her Own” campaign, and his advice for ThirdLove after publicly taking on Victoria’s Secret. After a year of incredible growth, it was a chance for the team to sit back and hear an outside perspective on the opportunities ThirdLove can take advantage of in 2019 and beyond.

Andy became actively involved with ThirdLove this summer while working on our “To Each, Her Own,” campaign. He was so impressed with Heidi and David’s leadership that he agreed to join the board and continue advising the brand on all aspects of the business.

Check out a selection of our conversation below!

On why he chose to work with ThirdLove:

“The reason why I’m so excited about ThirdLove is because I got to know David and Heidi; it’s honestly why. They reached out to Partners & Spade, and me specifically, to talk about a partnership with Partners & Spade. I learned a lot about them and a lot about the product. And great brands are usually a combination of both. It’s rare when you have people who are passionate about the product as these two are. You don’t only have a product that’s great, but you also have a purpose that’s great. I have a daughter and I just immediately gravitated to the story behind the product.”

On our open letter to Victoria’s Secret:

“When called me about the New York Times ad, I was really excited. When you have a person who’s so passionate, who wants to write a letter . . . I didn’t see it as aggressive. I think the brand’s tone isn’t aggressive. I think the letter format is not aggressive. Had it been big typeface, bold Helvetica screaming at you, that says something else.”

On To Each, Her Own:

“I was really really adamant about working together with ThirdLove . . . we used what we call a tagline, which is basically the brand philosophy upon which everything should be able to stand. We went through 25 lines and narrowed it down to five and tested five, not through formal focus groups but through the smartest people we knew. I assembled a custom team around this brand, a woman who’s a great writer who wrote all the Nike Women stuff, a great art director who’s worked in fashion with me for years and understood the sensibility of it, myself, Dave and Heidi . . . We all agreed on ‘To Each, Her Own’ and there are a few reasons why it’s a great line.

Firstly . . . it speaks to individualism. That line speaks to the product itself but it also speaks to the individual, as well. I would look at the competition and say I don’t see anyone speaking to the individual the way that you are and also having the product that supports that in the way ThirdLove does. Secondly, I love that it’s basically a flip on the common phrase ‘to each his own,’ which I think is a good feminist move on your part. There’s a purpose and mission there where you are empowering women even if you don’t know it.”