Coach is getting even more serious about encouraging young people to read.
Last November, the company became the official sponsor of Sunnie Reads, a new Gen Z book club created by Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine Media. And now, the brand is expanding on that initiative for its spring campaign: “Explore Your Story.” The campaign features some well-known faces — Oscar-nominated actress Elle Fanning; Emmy-winning actress and producer Storm Reid; Korean rapper, singer-songwriter and producer Soyeon; Japanese singer-songwriter Lilas; WNBA Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers, and Chinese singer Shan Yichun.
The young women are featured in still images and two films highlighting Coach’s popular Tabby bag along with a new collection of readable book charms.
In today’s digital world, Gen Z is increasingly turning to books as a way to “explore identity, self-expression and possibility,” Coach said, and this is its way to address that demand.
Storm Reid is among those featured in the ads.
Courtesy of Coach
“One of the clearest insights we heard from Gen Z globally is how central storytelling is to how they make sense of who they are — and who they’re becoming,” said Joon Silverstein, chief marketing officer of Coach. “In a world shaped by fragmentation, digital overload and constant acceleration, many described books and long-form storytelling as a refuge — a way to slow down, reflect and feel a sense of belonging. ‘Explore Your Story’ grew from that insight, and from our desire to show up alongside this generation as they find the confidence to write their own narratives.”
She added that although reading would seem like a solitary activity, young people are actually reading together, having conversations on social media and joining book clubs. “It’s a low-pressure way to be part of a community,” she said.
Silverstein said this “new chapter” in Coach’s campaign strategy was built in tandem with the company’s Gen Z consumers who selected the books that would be featured.
The collection includes 12 books including Jane Austen’s “Sense and Sensibility,” Maya Angelou’s “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” Jandy Nelson’s “I’ll Give You the Sun” and Natsu Miyashita’s “A Forest of Wool and Steel.” The titles were chosen for their narratives around self-expression, Coach said.
The campaign films were directed by Marcus Ibanez and show each woman reading one of the books as the world changes around her. The books they’re reading have also been turned into a matching, readable book charm that hangs from each bag. Complementary still images were shot by Elaine Constantine.
Soyeon in the Coach ads.
Courtesy of Coach
To launch the campaign, Coach partnered with Gen Z groups and cultural platforms including Sunnie and China Youth Daily, China’s largest youth media organization. At the same time, the brand worked with Penguin Random House and independent publishers across China, Japan and South Korea to be connected with authors to be part of story sessions where they share their creative process. The brand also partnered with Bilibili, a popular Chinese video-sharing platform, to create spaces where stories of self-expression could be shared.
“Partnering with Coach on ‘Explore Your Story’ is an exciting moment for us because it places books squarely inside the fashion conversation,” said Adam Royce, vice president and executive creative director of Penguin Random House. “From the beginning, it was clear that Coach sees storytelling as cultural currency — something that shapes identity and sparks connection. The new readable book charms invite a new generation to carry the stories that define them, not just on their shelves but into their everyday lives. It’s a powerful reminder that books remain central to personal style and self-expression.”
“Storytelling doesn’t happen in silos, and neither does self-expression,” Silverstein added. “We intentionally brought together partners from different parts of culture — fashion, literature, sport and digital culture — because Gen Z doesn’t experience identity in one lane. Our role isn’t to speak for communities, but to create shared spaces where many voices can come together around a belief in the power of storytelling and the courage it takes to be real.”
But the sharing won’t just happen online. Silverstein said the campaign is intended to be more than just digital films and will become “omnichannel activations.” Coach will bring its story to college campuses across the U.S., Asia and beyond through the “Coach Tabby Tour: Explore Your Story Edition,” a traveling community hub where students can connect, share stories and take part in campaign programming.
In Coach stores, the brand will reimagine its Customization Bars as Coach Book Nooks where customers can personalize bags, book charms and bookmarks. And the Coach Foundation’s annual Dream Day events will also be centered around the campaign. That will include bringing young people together for a day of mentorship and workshops.
