Good American brings open casting and their mission of inclusivity worldwide through partnership with Zoom Events

For Good American, the fully inclusive fashion brand co-founded by Khloé Kardashian and Emma Grede, inclusivity is about more than offering extended sizes. It’s a reflection of the brand’s dedication to empowering women from around the world, of all backgrounds, to feel and look their best. Each year, Good American holds an annual Open Casting event to give individuals around the world the opportunity to be cast in the brand’s #GoodSquad — a group of real women leading the charge to make the fashion industry as inclusive as possible. Winners are then highlighted in subsequent campaigns from the brand to help promote new launches.

“Good American was founded on the principles of inclusivity and diversity. The fashion industry has been built on standards of exclusivity, catering only to specific body types, and representing a sometimes unrealistic body ideal — we’re here to change that through our Open Casting program,” Emma Grede, Good American CEO and co-founder, said. 

As the fifth-annual Open Casting approached, Good American wanted to remove the geographic and economic barriers that prevented some women from auditioning and invite women to interview online. Having used Zoom Meetings for remote collaboration, Good American turned to Zoom Events –– an all-in-one virtual events management solution –– to create an interactive, online experience to complement the in-person castings.

“Zoom Events allowed us to connect with women all over the world, which led to a record-breaking 30,000 submissions for our Open Casting. They were the most incredible partner, Emma said. 

Technology + creativity deliver innovative casting experience

After narrowing the applicant pool down to roughly 300 models, the brand collaborated with Zoom’s Event Services team to develop the virtual Open Casting. Through a dedicated Good Squad event hub, women could pre-register online, read the judges’ profiles, and learn more about the event’s sponsors prior to the audition.  

The two-day event divided the auditions into one-hour time slots to give the judges and models enough time to interact without feeling rushed. While waiting their turn, the women could calm their nerves in the Good American-branded virtual Lobby. This Zoom Events feature enabled attendees to view a welcome video, meet Good Squad member Roxy Reyes, and have a chance to ask questions or share their general excitement for the event.

Behind the scenes, Zoom’s Event Services team was on-site to lend tech support and help facilitate the transitions between the auditions. The two teams communicated via a dedicated chat channel to minimize disruptions to the virtual experience.

“We worked with Good American during the casting to check the models in, admit them to the main meeting session, and lend technical assistance with the cameras, audio, and chat messages,” said Kelly Hedgecock, Zoom Events Services consultant. “We were available to keep an eye on the judges’ breakout rooms to know when to send the next model in or give the judges a break.”

Good American exceeds casting expectations with Zoom Events

All told, the 2023 online casting hosted 279 unique auditions in just two days and allowed the Good American team to expand its global search into new countries around the world. And it paid off –– as 2023 Good Squad winner Amanda Rojas was chosen from the Zoom Events virtual casting.

Known for disrupting the status quo, Good American saw firsthand how a virtual events management solution could transform a big idea into a memorable, one-of-a-kind experience.

Initial success leads to second hybrid casting event in 2024

After the success of the 2023 event, the Good American team returned to Zoom Events to host its 2024 Good Squad Open Casting.

In addition to in-person and remote casting submissions via Zoom Events, Good American hosted a live panel in Los Angeles, Calif., where online viewers and live audience members heard from panelists Ashley Graham, Meena Harris, Karla Welch, and Emma Grede. 

New for 2024, Good American chose to use Zoom’s built-in AI assistant to streamline and simplify communication between the participants and judges. The teams took advantage of the AI Companion event email compose feature to send welcome, reminder, and thank-you emails to contestants. 

Good Squad casting continues to redefine industry standards with Zoom Events 

The 2024 Good Squad casting built upon the success of the previous year and invited more than 150 models to its virtual auditions, while 230 attendees signed on to view the live panelists. Connecting with – and casting  – models from around the world continues to be a priority and differentiator for the inclusive denim company, which credits Zoom for enabling much of its growth and innovation.