Craig Brommers on Building Resilience Before the Storm Hits

What I’ve Learned

For Craig Brommers, resilience is forged under pressure. As Chief Marketing Officer of American Eagle, he has spent decades leading iconic brands through moments of growth and moments that test conviction. But nothing quite prepared him for the cultural collision that followed one of the most visible campaigns of his career.

“I can't actually believe I'm having this conversation, because as I reflect back on July 23rd, it looked like this was going to be the most successful launch in the history of our 50-year-old company.”

The campaign delivered immediate business results. Stock surged. Performance metrics exceeded expectations. Then the narrative shifted.

“In these moments where you are questioned, your team is questioned, your brand is questioned, your business is questioned, I do think it's a moment to really look inward, and just make sure you do a temperature check on who I am.”

That inward check—anchoring to values instead of external reaction—became the foundation of Craig’s response. He emphasizes that resilience is built long before a crisis ever arrives.

“The way that people believe in you in very difficult moments is not about the difficult moment you're in. It's actually about every act that you have before then.”

For Craig, leadership resilience meant resisting emotional whiplash, trusting the work, and staying grounded in the reputation he had built over decades.

How I’ve Sharpened My Resilience

1. Anchor to Data

As criticism escalated, Craig and his team focused on understanding how people were actually responding. “We immediately went out to… the U.S. population and understood what, again, real people were thinking about this.”

What they saw challenged the prevailing narrative. “The data we were seeing described a very different situation than what social media did at that time.”

That clarity allowed the team to move forward with confidence, without retreating from the original intent.

2. Give Yourself Time Before Responding

One of the hardest leadership decisions Craig made was choosing not to react immediately.

“To not say anything for a moment is actually very hard… because sometimes you actually need more information, all the information, to make the right strategic decision of going forward.”

Resilience showed up as patience. Some moments require space before action, especially when long-term trust is at stake.

3. Lead People Through Uncertainty

As pressure mounted, Craig’s responsibility extended beyond marketing. “I still had to motivate and encourage, and calm… not just my team of 250 marketers, but an entire corporation.”

That included frontline employees who interact with customers every day. “The people that have the most impact on our customers are actually those store associates, the frontline workers here.”

Resilient leadership meant showing empathy, acknowledging exhaustion, and providing steadiness when uncertainty was high.

Why It Matters

Today’s leaders operate in an environment where business decisions can quickly become cultural flashpoints. Craig’s experience underscores the importance of building credibility, trust, and values-based leadership well before those moments arrive.

“You build the foundation to get through those moments a long time before then, ‘on the x’ that you demonstrate in your life day-to-day.”

Ultimately, resilience is about integrity. It’s earned over time and revealed under pressure.

About Craig Brommers

Craig Brommers is Chief Marketing Officer of American Eagle Outfitters. Over his 30+ year career, he has held senior marketing leadership roles at iconic brands including Abercrombie & Fitch, Gap, Calvin Klein, and Speedo. He is known for building culturally relevant brands with commercial impact and for leading teams through high-pressure moments with clarity, conviction, and care.