Branded merch that was en pointe!
Have you heard the saying it costs less to keep your current customers happy than it does to acquire new ones? Well, it’s true. The resources it takes to find new clients or customers is often more than the cost associated with looking after the ones you already have. But you always need to be looking closely at creative ways to keep your customers happy and engaged, and not be seduced by one of your competitors.
Our red hot tip is this: your brand needs to be front and centre from the moment you have your customer on that first sales call right through every touchpoint in their customer life cycle. And the biggest tip of all: make it FUN.
This is where promotional products play their role centre stage. But it’s not just about putting your logo on something, it can be so much more than that. We recommend thoughtfully designed merch that your customer can interact with, use on a daily basis and helps you stand out from the pack. This is marketing they can literally hold in their hands!
CASE IN POINT:
In 2015, we created a tote bag for The Australian Ballet. We called it the Plié, Chassé Jeté All Day tote bag and it was a HUGE success. Blown away by how many people snapped up this limited-edition product, the team at the Aus Ballet commissioned us to create a 50 piece merchandise range for their entire 2015 season.
Working with tight deadlines we were able to deliver a themed capsule collection that launched alongside their main stage season. This included a fairytale kids range for The Dream, sports luxe to go with the 20:21 contemporary season, and the ultimate kid’s tutus to be sold before, during and after performances of The Sleeping Beauty.
What was so unexpected by our client, was that not only did the merchandise become an extension of The Australian Ballet brand which was adored by the dancers, but that it also had far reaching capabilities to a new millennial audience.
We were able to extend the brand, which saw an increase in revenue and the greatest marketing outcome of all, we helped to reach a whole new audience for the client.
CLIENT CASE STUDY FACTS:
Merchandise #1: Plié, Chassé Jeté All Day Tote Bag
Brief: To design an iconic tote bag to create excitement around the Ballet’s merchandise range and reach new audiences.
Outcome: The limited-edition run of totes sold out in under two hours and was featured in The Design Files and covered by fashion bloggers worldwide, including Kingdom of Style, Fashion Bubble and Style Lines (oh, and it was copied endlessly – imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right?). It has since been re-ordered by the Ballet countless times and resulted in the commissioning of a matching t-shirt, and later, kids t-shirts and baby rompers.
Merchandise #2: Sweat Stretch Pirouette Sweater
Brief: Create a fashion-forward piece of merchandise that would be equally adored by The Australian Ballet’s audiences and dancers.
Outcome: The Flashdance style sweater has sold out at The Australian Ballet shop five times, became one of the company’s most-liked posts on Instagram, and is worn to rehearsals by the Ballet’s most stylish dancers.
Don’t ever underestimate the power of really great merchandise. It creates brand advocates that you didn’t even know were interested in your genre and increases brand awareness to a whole new audience.