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Marketing to Actual Customers, Not Assumed Ones

The brand was marketing to who they thought their customers were. Research revealed who was actually buying. The insight changed everything.

+60%

Online Sales

+30%

Subscription Sales

+35%

Retention

THE SITUATION

A premium grooming brand was losing market share to subscription competitors. Quality products, premium positioning, declining sales. They were absent from cultural conversations despite having something genuinely worth talking about.

The surface problem was market share loss. The real problem, discovered through research, was that they had been marketing to who they thought their customers were, not who was actually buying.

A Premium Brand Losing Share to the Wrong Competitors

COMPANY
Art of Shaving

INDUSTRY
Retail / Premium Grooming

STAGE
Established brand

SERVICES
Consumer Research, Inclusive Brand Strategy, Journey Mapping, Content Strategy, Connected SEO

TIMELINE
4-month research and repositioning engagement

Key Insight

The real customer base was broader and more diverse than assumed, yet unified by shared values like quality and self-care. Instead of splitting the brand, the strategy focused on one core story with multiple entry points tailored to different audiences.

THE WORK

From discovery to expansion

Step 1

Customer Discovery

Analysis revealed actual customers were more diverse than assumed. Different contexts, same brand values.


Step 2

Journey Mapping

Created multiple consumer journeys connecting same brand values to different cultural contexts.


Step 3

Content and Experience

Developed inclusive content strategy that welcomed new audiences without alienating existing ones.


Step 4

Implementation and Measurement

Launched with measurement framework tracking acquisition, retention, and brand sentiment across all segments.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Things People Want to Know

  • Find what's universally valuable about the brand, then express it in ways that resonate with different audiences. One core story, multiple entry points.

  • It's expanding who feels welcome with your brand without changing what the brand stands for. It's additive, not a replacement.

  • Behavioral analysis of who's actually buying, combined with cultural research on what the product means to different groups. Surveys tell you what people say; behavior tells you what they do.

Every business challenge is unique

The strategy behind these results was tailored to specific market conditions. Let's discuss what's possible for your situation.