Zalando no longer chooses its campaign faces at random. Since the rebranding launched at the end of 2024 around the slogan “How do I dress?”, the German platform constructs its advertisements like short films, with a casting designed to resonate with all its European markets. The autumn-winter 2025-2026 campaign takes this logic even further by bringing together very different profiles in front of the camera.
Zalando Ad “Inner Voices”: a Cinematic Format Rather Than a Classic Spot
The shift taken by Zalando is not just about aligning celebrities. The “Inner Voices” campaign relies on long-form video and narrative-led marketing, two formats that contrast with the traditional thirty-second fashion advertisement. Each sequence depicts an internal clothing dilemma, filmed like a fictional scene.
This choice of narration transforms the act of dressing into a personal dramatic conflict. The clothing is no longer simply shown on a mannequin or a smiling celebrity: it becomes the object of hesitation, an internal dialogue. Zalando treats fashion as an identity question, not as an animated catalog.
To precisely identify the actors and actresses in Zalando ads since the launch of this strategy, one must look beyond well-known names: the casting deliberately mixes distinct cultural registers.
Lily Collins, Uma Thurman, PinkPantheress: Zalando’s Multi-Profile Casting in 2025
The most publicized figure of the autumn-winter 2026 campaign is Lily Collins, star of the series Emily in Paris. Her profile combines television fame, a foothold in the Parisian fashion world, and a young audience on social media. Collins embodies precisely the type of consumer Zalando targets, someone who asks the question “how do I dress” on a daily basis.
The previous campaign, aired in the first half of 2025, featured two other figures. Uma Thurman, filmed strolling through the stalls of a market in a sequence directed by the duo Badley & Pablo, brought an overt cinematic dimension. PinkPantheress, a British singer with multiple platinum records, roamed the streets of Berlin in a more urban and musical style.
Earlier, the rebranding at the end of 2024 had already mobilized Willem Dafoe as the main face, accompanied by Sarah Jessica Parker and Italian singer Mahmood. This casting crossed American cinema, television icon, and Mediterranean pop.
Why This Mix of Profiles Works in European Markets
Zalando broadcasts its campaigns across 29 regional European markets. A single American actor is not enough to capture the attention of an audience fragmented between Scandinavia, Southern Europe, and the German-speaking area. By combining a Hollywood actress, a London singer, and an Italian artist, the brand covers several cultural pools without duplicating the spots.
This pan-European approach also explains the use of “multi-profile” figures: actress and producer (Uma Thurman), singer and music producer (PinkPantheress), actress and fashion icon (Lily Collins). Each personality carries legitimacy in at least two fields, which broadens the spectrum of audiences reached.
Zalando Marketing Strategy: From Star Power to Fashion Narrative
The most interesting question is not “who stars in the Zalando ad,” but why the brand invests in long narrative formats rather than simple celebrity endorsements. The answer lies in the repositioning undertaken since 2024: Zalando wants to transition from an e-commerce platform to a fashion and lifestyle ecosystem.
A thirty-second spot with a smiling star wearing a coat tells nothing about the brand. A several-minute short film, styled by Pau Avia and photographed by Lukas Wassmann, builds a recognizable visual identity. The difference lies in memorization and emotional association.
The Agency Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam Behind the Creative Direction
The execution of these campaigns is entrusted to Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam, an agency known for its advertising productions with a strong narrative charge. The choice of this agency confirms Zalando’s desire to produce content that is closer to cinema than to an online catalog. The technical elements show this:
- Direction entrusted to filmmaker duos (Badley & Pablo for the Uma Thurman / PinkPantheress campaign), not to internal teams
- Styling signed by identified art directors (Pau Avia), with photography direction by Lukas Wassmann
- Broadcast in long format on social media and video platforms, not just in pre-roll advertising
This approach costs more than a classic spot. The available data does not allow us to conclude whether the return on investment is higher in terms of direct conversion. However, the press coverage generated by each campaign (picked up in fashion, lifestyle, and general media) far exceeds what a standard produced spot would achieve.
Zalando Ad 2025: What the Casting Reveals About the Brand’s Future
By observing the evolution of the casting over three seasons, a pattern emerges. Zalando has moved from Willem Dafoe (iconic actor, quirky register) to Uma Thurman and PinkPantheress (contrasting generational duo) and then to Lily Collins (a face established over time). The brand is gradually building a pool of recurring faces rather than betting on a one-off each season.
This strategy resembles what luxury houses do with their long-term ambassadors, but applied to the mass-market segment of online ready-to-wear. The bet is that the repetition of a face associated with a coherent narrative creates more loyalty than constant renewal.
- Willem Dafoe carried the initial rebranding and the question “How do I dress?”
- Sarah Jessica Parker and Mahmood expanded the register towards TV series and European pop
- Uma Thurman and PinkPantheress established the cinematic format
- Lily Collins anchors the device over time with a central role, not just a supporting appearance
The shift from a one-off casting to a structured ambassador system marks a turning point in Zalando’s marketing strategy. The next campaign will reveal whether this narrative approach lives up to its promises against competitors like About You or ASOS, which remain on shorter, transactional advertising formats.
