BIG W’s Post

I’m currently in the middle of changing laptop chaos. The down side- admin. The plus side- finding the deck from my first pitch win…. It was 2015, brands were chasing the favour of millennials, self expression and embracing individuality were the hot topics. We wanted the business of a trendy, fashion forward haircare brand with a strong salon heritage. Armed with a biro and notebook I went for a walk hoping to get a flash of inspiration and ended up in the old Topshop flagship store (RIP). As I stood watching shoppers pick out the same puffer jackets and oversized hoodies it struck me-  everyone was striving to look different but falling into the trap of buying the same trends. From that moment we had our insight:  We all want to look like individuals but end up looking like clones. The role for the brand? Clothes can only get you so far but styling your hair can make you truly stand out. Times have changed and we have a whole new set of buzzwords now.... What remains consistent is the fact that the juiciest most interesting insights come from observing the real world not from the big research papers every agency has access to (although there is a place for them). This was a nice reminder of that. Here’s the visual we used to bring our insight to life… #strategy #creative #advertising #insights #planning #research #personalcare #agency

It’s scary to be 𝗯𝗼𝗹𝗱. We’re in a world where a lot of things get shut down. And some, may I say, very rightfully so. Two from the last few months alone?  ➡️ Bumble's ‘Celibacy is not the answer’ billboards. ➡️ Zara's in-store display of mannequins amongst the rubble. And a few infamous ones: 🥤Pepsi's Kendall Jenners ad. 🍔 Burger King's 2021 Women's Day post. Google any of them and you do wonder who was at the helm. And yet, we still need to go for it. Playing it safe and making by committees water down our message and our brand, paving our way into the sea of mediocrity and 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺’. (I stand by this made up word.) My advice?  1️⃣ Know your customer. Analyse all creative through their lens. 2️⃣ Hold it lightly and pivot when you need to. Bland-but-legally-sound campaigns aren’t going to move a needle. Being unique and memorable is. What do you think? Where do you fall on the risk aversion spectrum of your campaigns?

Imagine this: A trendy new clothing brand launches a high-budget ad campaign. They feature the best models that look amazing, but their posts get minimal engagement. Why? Because their target audience is Gen Z and they’re missing out on what’s most important to them — authenticity. So, they change gears. They’ve started sharing their designers’ stories, highlighting real customers wearing their clothes, behind-the-scene clips and even running fun and interactive challenges on Instagram. They respond to comments proactively and express their values through sustainable actions. The results? Their brand is a hit, with Gen Z recognizing it as not just a label, but a lifestyle. Key takeaway? Connect genuinely and showcase your brand’s true identity. #GenZMarketing #Truth #Authenticity

IS THE GAP BACK? Heritage brands often struggle to balance staying true to their past and being relevant today. This Gap ad shows no signs of that struggle. In a fresh new way, Gap's brand equity and modernity dance beautifully. On display is old charm, current character, and more: What’s old: 👉 Gap is known for its basics. 👉 Gap had iconic dance ads before anyone. 👉 Gap went minimal clean color ways before most. What’s new: 👉 The dance moves, very TikTok friendly. 👉 The music of the moment and Tyla. 👉 The modern cinematic edge. 👉 The handheld shot-on-an-iPhone feel. 👉 The cutdown teaser dropped weeks before. What’s both: 👉 Today, what’s old is new. 👉 Linen is a spring hero that fashion houses are leaning into. 👉 Simple stories, for hopefully simpler times. 👉 Gap saying, boldly, authentically, “Look, we’re back.” Personally, this is a great reintroduction to Gap. Bravo Richard Dickson and team, can't wait to see what's next from them. I’d love to hear what you think. ➡ Can new creative director Zach Posen make it happen? ➡ Is Richard Dickson and team already hitting full stride? ➡ Are you back shopping Gap? Did you ever leave? 😉 #life #work #brand We Are Bill

How Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Turned the Tables? Once, an emerging fashion line was on the brink of collapse. Then came a game-changing move. Fenty Beauty, a brand entering a saturated market, faced an uphill battle. What turned their fortunes around? A single, data-driven ad campaign that spotlighted their commitment to inclusivity. The result? They went from struggling to becoming the talk of the industry. They revolutionized beauty standards and achieved phenomenal success. Key Takeaways: ↳ Embrace Data-Driven Strategies: Use data to guide your campaigns.    ↳ Focus on What Sets You Apart: Highlight your unique qualities. ↳ Innovate and Adapt to Market Needs: Stay flexible and creative. This story shows the power of truly understanding your audience and adapting to meet their needs. PS: Want to learn how to apply these strategies to your brand? Follow me for more insights! #FashionMarketing #BeautyIndustry #AudienceEngagement #DigitalMarketing 

There are rebrands, and then there are REBRANDS. The former might entail a new color palette, logo, tagline, and maybe a new website. The latter? A cold hard look at their brand positioning, core offerings, and even their audience. A brand that has done a total 180 in a decade: Abercrombie & Fitch Co. Fast Company tells the story of how they went from from “America’s Most Hated Brand” to best performing stock on the S&P 500 in 2023 — a 285% gain. Their secret sauce? 3 things. 🗓 Adapted to the times — campaigns and imagery no longer features the “sexually-charged imagery of the 90’s”, but rather models with diverse skin tones and body types. 🎓 Grew with the core audience — they knew high-schoolers had historically been their core demo, but instead of staying there, they grew with their audience, now in their mid to late 20’s. They’re creating clothes that work with their audience’s current lifestyle (dating, starting new jobs, getting promoted). 👖 Improved product quality — they aren’t just talking the talk. They’ve invested a TON in making their jeans the best they can be (and they are all over TikTok). Curve Love, designed to be inclusive with stretch and flattering silouthettes, makes up 50% of their denim sales.  What do you think of their strategy? What other brands have done a 180 and succeeded (or flopped)? #branding #ecommerce #marketing #retail #business

My fav 2024 Met Gala Collab Tommy Hilfiger and K-pop stars Stray Kids teamed up, and honestly, it was more than just a fashion statement—it was a smart, strategic move that's worth a closer look. Instant Buzz: Did you peep Bang Chan’s Instagram post in his Tommy outfit? It hit over 2 million views in a matter of seconds! With Stray Kids’ 25 million followers, that’s serious visibility for Tommy’s designs. Connecting with the Future: Gen Z loves Stray Kids, and by aligning with them, Tommy Hilfiger really showed how brands can stay relevant and cool in young people’s eyes. It’s all about making genuine connections with the audience who will shape the future of fashion. What’s the Impact? If only a tiny 1% of Stray Kids’ fans decide to check out Tommy’s website then that could mean thousands of new eyes on their products. And if a fraction of those visits converts into sales? We’re talking a significant boost from just one night's exposure. Beyond the Gala With Stray Kids announcing a 40-city world tour at the event, the potential for ongoing buzz is huge. Think about it—80,000+ fans at each show, and possibly merch that keeps the Tommy brand in the spotlight even longer. The ripple effects? Enormous. Long-Term Connection This partnership isn’t just for the here and now. It’s about building a relationship that lasts, integrating Tommy Hilfiger into the lifestyle of a vibrant, youthful audience worldwide. So, Tommy Hilfiger and Stray Kids at the Met Gala wasn’t just a moment—it was a carefully thought-out partnership that’s talking directly to the next generation. Love seeing brands really get it right like this! #MetGala #TommyHilfiger #StrayKids #MarketingMagic #BrandStrategy

The big game is getting a makeover.    “The Super Bowl has always been an advertising gold rush, but it’s not until more recently that beauty brands have become major players". Stylus’ head of Beauty trends, Lisa Payne, speaks with Lucy Partington, ELLE, about the rise of beauty brands investing in commercials during the game.   Discover more insight from Lisa in the full article: https://lnkd.in/gkParE-T #superbowl #superbowl2024

You know a new fashion year is here when the September issues start dropping. With NYFW looming and the NFL season imminent, I thought I'd combine the worlds of fashion and sports to power rank the advertising in Vogue 2024 September Issue—a diminished time size-wise, but still powerful marker for fashion, luxury, and lifestyle brands. The deeper I got into these (admittedly arbitrary rankings), for my fifth dispatch from my Substack, the more I realized how the September Issue provides a portal into the brand's creative psyche. These creative expressions illustrate what brands are docked in safe harbors, what brands are lost at sea, charting a course to a cautious route to shore, or those caught in a raging storm. As Bryan Y. also pointed out on his Instagram a few days ago, this year's ads are strikingly uniform. This ranking seeks to discover why some work brilliantly in telling their brand story, and some fall woefully short. Explore the September Issue(s) rankings at the links below. Part 1: https://buff.ly/3X8ThXf Part 2: https://buff.ly/4cNkW5T

If you’re still not sure how listening to your customers will grow your brand This billion dollar company is literally the BIGGEST example I can give: You’ve grown up with them, you’ve loved them, and you’ve hated them. But what you have to do is give credit where credit is due. I’m talking about Abercrombie & Fitch Co. Great memories for some, bad memories for others, but they’ve changed their ways and soared. Let’s talk about it. I’m not going ALL the way back to when they first started – just to the 90s when everything became amazing and then not-so-amazing… Back in 1992, CEO Mike Jeffries came in and rebranded the company with preppy clothes aimed at teenagers. While their ethics were pretty questionable in inclusivity, both in sizing and who they hired/didn't hire in retail stores… They became a household staple: every teen wanted to rock AF. And every teen made sure their parents let them – sales grew from $165M to $1B from 1996 to 2001. Fast forward to 2016 though – shit hit the fan and they became hated for the thing no one was speaking up about for years – discrimination and exclusivity. Sales fluctuated heavy, peaking at $4.5B in 2012 and dropping to $3.1B in 2021 and their stock was only $10/share in 2020… (In case you didn’t know, right now they’re at a high of $170/share…so…pretty significant) What they did that saved them was their new CEO, Fran Horowitz, took the throne and did a complete rebrand. She recognized AF needed to change its ways and LISTEN to what everyone was saying about them – using that as their new go-to-market approach. They realized those teens they were targeting were all grown up and finally took a look at 1) who they were 2) what they were wearing in their 20s and 30s and 3) what change they wanted to see. They changed their style, their models, and changed the overall face of what the brand represented. Fran made AF emulate inclusivity in every way possible. While a brand like Brandy Melville who went through similar discriminatory allegations and decided to double down on their lack of inclusivity rather than change their ways, AF reset and soared. What everyone can take from their incredibly up and down journey – just listen to what your customers are saying. Whether you’re entering as a new brand, or you’ve been in the game for a bit and are becoming stagnant, or you’re even scaling: EVERYONE can take a beat and dive into the people keeping you going in the first place – your customers. Your needs change just like theirs – so talk to them. Surveys, comments, reviews, even literal DMs – see what they’re saying, what they’re worried about, what they need, and what’s working and not working for them. If you’re a new brand – look at your competitors. What are people saying that you can FIX. Use it as your ad headline, use it as content, use it on your LP. Make your brand resonate with your target audience by using the words of your target audience.