Retailer Quince is expanding its marketing investment less than a year after entering the Canadian market, launching its largest brand campaign to date with actor David Schwimmer as it seeks to build awareness among Canadian consumers.
The San Francisco-based retailer unveiled The Red Sweater on Nov. 9, a 60-second film starring Schwimmer that forms the centrepiece of an integrated marketing campaign spanning Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. The campaign includes a dedicated Canadian media buy across connected television, digital media and paid social channels.
The initiative marks a shift toward celebrity-led, entertainment-based marketing for the company, which launched in Canada in January 2026. It also represents an effort to introduce the brand to new audiences during the holiday shopping season.
Canadian market investment
Quince said the campaign is its largest integrated brand initiative so far, combining paid, earned and owned media. The Canadian investment includes advertising across digital platforms and connected television, while additional content will appear on the company’s website, app, email and social media channels.
The 60-second film debuted on YouTube and through a collaborative Instagram post involving Schwimmer and Quince. Shorter versions of the advertisement will also be distributed across social and digital media platforms.
“Since launching in Canada earlier this year, we’ve been focused on introducing Canadians to what makes Quince different. Bringing our largest brand campaign yet to this market is an exciting next step in that journey. It’s an opportunity to reach new audiences, build greater familiarity with Quince, and show that while we’re serious about exceptional quality and value, we don’t take ourselves too seriously,” said Bertilda Fernandes, head of marketing for Canada at Quince.
The campaign centres on Quince’s Mongolian cashmere sweater in a new Coulis Red colour. In the film, Schwimmer plays himself as he chases the sweater through New York City, discovering that seemingly everyone he encounters already owns one.
The company said the concept is intended to use humour and entertainment to communicate its approach to offering quality products at accessible prices.
“Quince started with a cashmere sweater and a simple belief: everyone deserves access to exceptional quality. That belief hasn’t changed, but the way we tell our story is evolving,” said Antonieta Moreland, vice-president of brand at Quince. “We wanted to bring some humor and joy to the holiday season, and David was the perfect partner. He’s genuinely funny, deeply collaborative, and was already a fan of Quince long before this campaign came together.”
Cashmere product at centre of campaign
The campaign builds on the company’s Mongolian cashmere sweater, which was among the products associated with Quince’s original U.S. launch in 2019. The retailer said the sweater has gone through seven iterations and remains a central part of its product offering.
The new Coulis Red colourway is being introduced across selected 100 per cent Mongolian cashmere styles. The women’s oversized crewneck sweater is priced at $165, while the men’s crewneck is priced at $85. Both became available Nov. 9 through Quince.ca and the company’s app.
Schwimmer’s involvement in the campaign extended beyond appearing in front of the camera. The company said he was already a Quince customer before the partnership and participated in the creative process, including script development and the final edit.
“When Quince came to me with this idea, I thought it was really funny – after all, a red sweater and I go back a long way. This time, I’m chasing the sweater, and somehow everyone else has one. Even the dog. They didn’t know this when they approached me, but I was already a huge fan of the brand. I don’t understand how they make such great quality stuff at the prices they offer. And I loved how they found such a clever way to have some fun with it,” said Schwimmer.
Building brand recognition
Quince describes itself as a manufacturer-to-consumer technology platform that connects shoppers directly with manufacturers. Founded in 2019 and headquartered in San Francisco, the company operates in more than 100 product categories, including cashmere, linen, leather, bedding and fine jewellery.
Its business model is based on eliminating what it describes as unnecessary retail markups by connecting consumers with manufacturers. The company says its products are typically priced 50 to 70 per cent below comparable market prices and are supported by a 365-day return policy.
The company said it serves more than 32 million active customers across the United States, although the release did not provide a separate customer figure for Canada.
The Canadian campaign is part of Quince’s broader effort to establish its presence in the market through increased brand recognition and a different approach to marketing. Rather than relying exclusively on product-focused advertising, the company is using a recognizable celebrity and a comedy-driven storyline to reach potential customers.
Timed for the holiday shopping season, the campaign will continue across Quince’s digital properties and paid media channels.
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