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Folgers promotes proudly anti-artisanal coffee

Allow Us to Reintroduce Ourselves by Folgers, US

US – Folgers is launching a self-aware campaign to celebrate its New Orleans roots. The ads, created by Publicis New York, are exclusively populated by working-class local people enjoying the coffee in daily activities.

As well as leaning into its New Orleanian identity, the brand touts the idea that Folgers is for everyone, a fresh approach in a market in which coffee snobbery and connoisseurship abound. With its unapologetic standpoint, the videos and campaign hashtag #DamnRightItsFolgers aims to bring ‘some pride back to choosing something that’s not some snobby artisanal product – it’s just an all-American, well-crafted, high-quality product,’ says Erica Roberts, chief creative officer at Publicis New York.

Undercutting the brands targeting modern, hipster audiences, Folgers is showing that businesses shouldn't be afraid to preserve their original values – particularly when reaching consumers who value American localism.

Strategic opportunity

Brands with a strong heritage or negative associations should recognise that owning up to their traditionalist values head on can help them stand out in a market in which purposeful marketing is rife

Esquivel is a slow fashion atelier for shoes

Esquivel’s customised shoe-making atelier. Images by Vern Breitenbucher, US

Los Angeles – Allowing luxury consumers behind the velvet rope, independent shoe brand Esquivel is inviting its high-profile clientele to experience the manufacturing process of its hand-made shoes. The company is putting its slow fashion credentials on display by granting shoppers access to its atelier in the Arts District.

Catering for the increased consumer demand for manufacturing transparency, Esquivel is allowing its clients to watch its craftspeople at work. Built to accommodate three to five custom clients a day, the factory is an extension of the company’s showroom – with sewing machines painted to match the colour scheme. Boasting a conversion rate of 95%, nearly all the clients who visit the atelier end up purchasing something, demonstrating that the novel approach is working. With customised shoes that retail from £586 ($795, €703) to £1,844 ($2,500, €2,210), this strategy is in keeping with the company’s ambition to sell 3,000–5,000 pairs a year.

As consumers demand greater supply chain transparency, Esquivel’s slower approach uplifts its employees while appealing to consumers who want to get closer to the manufacturing process. Aligning itself with the Five States of Luxury, the brand is betting on highly personalised experiences to forge a more intimate experience with the consumer.

Strategic opportunity

Consumers are becoming more intimate with their favourite brands' supply chains. How can you open up your manufacturing process to the most loyal customers?

Savage X Fenty integrates iPhone tech for better fits

Las Vegas – To elevate its in-store experience, the lingerie brand is integrating fit technology into its bricks-and-mortar locations. It comes as a partnership with B2B platform FIT: MATCH, which uses iPhone technology to scan a customer’s dimensions and match them with the best-fitting product. The entire process only takes about 15 seconds.

Initially launching in its Las Vegas store, with plans to roll out across its other spaces, all Savage X Fenty associates will have access to the technology. Fitting rooms will also offer the features, empowering consumers to scan their measurements in a private environment. Such a seamless integration of body scanning features, using the familiar interface of iPhones, will improve the experience of shopping for intimate wear in an accessible and non-invasive way.

While we’ve been tracking the rise of Digital Fit solutions for at-home use in recent years, this innovation shows how traditional physical retail spaces can introduce fit technology through effective and versatile formats.

Savage X Fenty in collaboration with Fit Technology

Strategic Opportunity

Providing personal fitting services can entice new customers and bolster loyalty. Why not take it a step further and continue the digital journey at home, offering suggestions of future products based on your customers’ fit?

Stat: Americans are still confused about the metaverse

Gucci Garden Archetypes in Florence, Photography by Agnese Bedini, Italy

As the metaverse continues to gain prominence in the press, there is still great confusion among consumers about what the term means. In a recent survey by Ipsos, only 16% of Americans were able to correctly define the word.

Although 38% of those surveyed reported familiarity with the metaverse, only a minority were able to describe it accurately as ‘a virtual, computer-generated world where people can socialise, work and play’. Awareness of the metaverse lags significantly behind other technological innovations such as virtual reality (69%) and cryptocurrency (56%). In terms of brand association, 45% of respondents correlated the metaverse with Meta (formerly Facebook), while 22% related the word with Google.

While Meta has excelled at creating buzz around the idea of the metaverse, the company has been less successful at explaining what the concept means. As such, there is still significant scope for companies to educate consumers and release helpful resources. To help your team learn more about the metaverse, consumers can register to watch the upcoming Meta-tainment Futures webinar.

Strategic opportunity

Older generations will need an additional helping hand navigating the complexities of the metaverse. Companies should develop specific educational resources for this age group