Sarah Crockett appointed Global Chief Brand Officer at Carter’s Inc.

Sarah Crockett takes on expanded global brand leadership role

Sarah Crockett has taken on the role of Global Chief Brand Officer at Carter’s Inc., expanding her leadership responsibilities across the children’s apparel and lifestyle company’s brand portfolio.

In announcing the move, Sarah emphasised a commercial approach to brand leadership, positioning marketing as a demand creation engine rather than a cost centre. Her stated priorities include connecting brand building with performance marketing, strengthening omnichannel direct-to-consumer (DTC) operations and using technology, talent and data to translate brand equity into measurable business outcomes.

The expanded remit spans Carter’s, OshKosh B’gosh, Skip Hop and Little Planet, bringing brand strategy and marketing priorities together across the portfolio.

Connecting brand strategy with measurable growth

Sarah’s approach centres on aligning long-term brand building with customer acquisition, retention and commercial performance. Her stated focus encompasses paid, owned and earned channels, with an emphasis on connecting how consumers discover brands with how they engage and purchase across channels.

A key element of this approach is strengthening the distinct positioning of each brand within the wider portfolio. Clear brand architecture and differentiated value propositions can help businesses maintain individual brand identities while coordinating marketing investments and customer experiences across an enterprise.

Sarah has also highlighted her experience reversing a multi-year decline in consumer engagement during her first year in a previous leadership mandate. She described improvements in brand equity measures, including awareness, consideration, familiarity and relevance, alongside the introduction of a modern go-to-market operating model for global and omnichannel DTC commerce.

These priorities reflect a broader emphasis on making brand strategy accountable for both consumer relationships and business growth.

Building a modern, AI-enabled marketing organisation

Technology and organisational design are central to Sarah’s vision for modern marketing.

Her priorities include modernising the marketing technology stack, reshaping agency and partner relationships, and aligning team structures and capabilities with the requirements of an omnichannel retail business.

She has also outlined an AI-enabled marketing approach spanning content, personalisation, media and insights. Rather than treating AI as a standalone initiative, the focus is on identifying where the technology can augment teams, improve efficiency and support stronger marketing decisions.

For large consumer brands, this combination of brand strategy, performance measurement and technology integration can help connect creative development with customer data and commercial outcomes.

Sarah’s emphasis on accountability across both brand building and performance marketing also reflects the growing need for marketing leaders to balance long-term brand value with near-term growth priorities.

A career spanning major retail and consumer brands

Sarah joined Carter’s in June 2025 as Chief Marketing Officer. Before that, she served as Chief Marketing Officer at DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse from June 2024 to June 2025 and as Global Chief Marketing Officer at Nature’s Sunshine Products from October 2023 to June 2024.

Her earlier leadership experience includes serving as Global Chief Marketing Officer at Dickies, a VF Corporation brand, from May 2022 to October 2023, and Chief Marketing Officer at Backcountry from June 2020 to May 2022.

Sarah has also held leadership positions at specialty retail and consumer brands including Burton Snowboards, REI, Vans and Lucky Brand. Across these roles, her experience has encompassed brand development, retail marketing, customer engagement, digital commerce and go-to-market strategy.

Her appointment as Global Chief Brand Officer brings this experience to an expanded enterprise-level remit at Carter’s, with a focus on aligning the company’s brand portfolio and marketing capabilities around growth.

Brand leadership increasingly sits at the centre of business strategy

As retail businesses navigate changing consumer behaviour, digital discovery and increasingly connected purchasing journeys, brand leadership is becoming closely linked to commercial strategy and technology investment.

Sarah’s stated priorities at Carter’s reflect this convergence: building distinctive brands, coordinating omnichannel experiences, modernising marketing operations and applying AI where it can strengthen performance.

The expanded role places these priorities at the centre of her leadership mandate across Carter’s portfolio, with brand equity and demand creation positioned as complementary drivers of business growth.

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About Carter’s Inc.

Carter’s Inc. is a North American children’s apparel company whose brand portfolio includes Carter’s, OshKosh B’gosh, Skip Hop and Little Planet. The company serves families through retail stores, e-commerce and wholesale distribution.

Source: Sarah Crockett’s LinkedIn appointment announcement