Hello, Darling.
The Project: In 2013 Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse (OBSW) approached the agency for a rebrand. They needed to update their design standards, have a shoppable ecommerce site, and they needed social media. Their strongest competition, Designer Shoe Warehouse (DSW) had all of these things, but OBSW felt that they had the better product, but lacked brand recognition.
Considerations: We knew we needed to create solutions that go beyond the visible surface of the brand. We wanted to create a brand that had a feeling. We needed to keep our relationship with the current moderate shopper, but needed to reach a new target - the fashionable shopper, and we needed her to love us, and use her social media prowess to help us market ourselves.
Challenges: 1. Create a fresh, new brand personality, that stands out from the competition, 2. Reach her emotionally, 3. Create an impression of fashion relevance and authority
Creative Concept & Strategy
Selling Confidence to Sell Shoes. Shoes are an emotional buying decision, especially for women. It's a truth that shoes fit no matter how you look or feel on any particular day. We decided to use emotional brand messaging, as opposed to pure promotional messaging, to create a unique brand voice and personality that will resonate with a fashion consumer. Though this is a discount retail brand, we decided the price speaks for itself. Selling confidence allows us to sell the quantity propositon: this brand sells over 30,000 pairs of shoes. That's a lot of ways you can feel and look your best on any given day. We also believe that when the consumer realizes she found a great deal, this too will boost her confidence. * Note: All images are for internal use only and are not owned by the brand
Creating A New Brand's Personality
I concepted, wrote, and designed this pitch to sell in the new creative strategy to the client. All imagery for internal use only.
Overall look and feel : Execution pitch
The Voice. Inspired by the brand's Southern Nashville roots and by popular style quotes from the queen of fashion, Coco Chanel, we created a persona called Coco Parton. This new sassy brand voice was conceived to help us write brand messaging that would stand out from generic retail copy. The brand's communications were meant to be sassy, funny, and endearing. Above everything, the brand gave style advice every season, like a friend shopping with you. Below is the brand's mantra we wrote to establish the brand's values:
A New Tagline
If you feel good, you become confident. Like the old saying says "If the shoe fits..." this new brand tagline "If the shoe fits... strut" gives women the encouragement to dress in a way so that they feel their best, which in turn will help them to radiate confidence. Good style gives you confidence, and the brand's essence teaches the consumer how style and confidence starts with the feet.
The Brand Mantra
We wrote the brand mantra not only as a branding statement, but also to use parts of it for social media, in-store graphics, packaging patterns, etc.
Empowering Messages, Editorial Style Imagery
The original visual photo direction: edgier, clean photography to be shot in studio to instantly elevate the brand and keep the focus on the product. Casting was to be inspirational, showing a range of different women of various backgrounds, sizes, and styles. (Note: these images are borrowed images for internal pitch only...and are not owned by the brand...taken and photoshoped with brand messaging, from Terry Richardson for Elle).
Design Standards: Pitch
A 360 degree pitch. To establish the new and improved brand personality, we pitched to the client ways they could apply the new visual and messaging direction across all consumer touch points in order to create a collectively delightful - and consistent - consumer experience.
Getting Social: Pinterest Launch
Getting the word around. We applied the new voice, brand messaging, and look to all of Off Broadway's new social media channels. Pinterest was our biggest new build. We knew our fashion consumer - she likes to pin, she likes encouragement, and she likes shoes. We created pin-able quotes from both famous fashion ladies, and new quotes from the brand's mantra and brand voice that gives her permission to feel good about her style choices.
** Please see my portfolio page "Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse Site Design & Digital Mag" for our solutions to their online presence. **
Creative Team:
Creative Direction: J.Padgett
Art Direction: J.Padgett
Design: E. Harvey, E. Ashley
Copy: J. Padgett, A. Macam