Background

Palmer//Harding was founded in April 2011 by Levi Palmer and Matthew Harding, both alumni of London's Central Saint Martins. The luxury fashion brand has dressed some of the world’s best, including Michelle Obama. While they had a strong wholesale business, their e-commerce presence lacked the structure needed to scale their business. The goal of the project was to generate stable revenue and scale into more international markets.

Project Execution

1. Market Research and Analysis

Qlixs began with comprehensive market research to understand the Middle Eastern audience:

• Demographic and Cultural Insights : Identifying key demographics and cultural preferences.
• Competitive Analysis : Analyzing competitors to identify gaps and opportunities.

2. Digital Presence Enhancement

Qlixs focused on enhancing Palmer//Harding's digital presence to appeal to the Middle Eastern audience:

• Website Localization : Optimizing the website for Arabic and English speakers with culturally relevant content.
• SEO Optimization : Improving search engine rankings in the region.
• E-commerce Integration : Setting up a seamless e-commerce platform tailored to the Middle Eastern market.

3. Social Media Marketing

Social media played a crucial role in the marketing strategy:

• Platform Selection : Utilizing Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat.
• Influencer Collaborations : Partnering with local fashion influencers and celebrities.
• Content Strategy : Creating visually appealing and culturally resonant content.

4. Paid Advertising Campaigns

Qlixs implemented targeted paid advertising campaigns:

• Google and Social Media Ads : Running targeted ad campaigns with localized ad copy and creatives.
• Influencer Ads : Leveraging influencer-sponsored posts.

5. Email Marketing Campaigns

Personalized email marketing campaigns were designed to engage existing and potential customers:

• Newsletters : Regular newsletters with updates and exclusive offers.
• Automated Campaigns : Automated email sequences for cart abandonment and post-purchase follow-ups.

6. Offline Marketing Integration

Qlixs also incorporated offline marketing strategies:

• Pop-up Stores and Events : Organizing exclusive pop-up stores and fashion events.
• Partnerships with Luxury Retailers : Collaborating with renowned local retailers.

7. Data-Driven Approach

Qlixs utilized a data-driven approach to optimize the marketing strategy:

• Analytics and Reporting : Regularly analyzing campaign performance.
• Customer Feedback : Collecting and incorporating customer feedback.

8. Cultural Sensitivity

Ensuring all marketing efforts were culturally sensitive:

• Content Review : Reviewing content to ensure it resonates with cultural and religious sentiments.
• Brand Ambassadors : Selecting culturally relevant brand ambassadors.

Specific Middle East Expansion During Ramadan

While steady growth was observed month-on-month, the highest growth for Palmer//Harding came from their expansion in the Middle East during Ramadan. Ramadan is a significant spending and gifting period, making it the perfect opportunity to expand and capture a larger market share.

• Ramadan-Specific Campaigns : Crafting specific campaigns with localized ad copy and creatives.
• Core Values of Ramadan : Focusing on the core values of Ramadan to create a personalized touch and promote sales.
• Audience Targeting : Creating Ramadan-specific audiences in Klaviyo from previous purchasers and engaged audiences.
• High-Quality Acquisition : Using Klaviyo’s shared audience feature to build high-quality acquisition and retargeting audiences on Meta and Google.

Results

The focused strategy resulted in significant growth:

• March Sales : A 46% increase in Shopify sales, largely driven by the Middle Eastern expansion.
• Post-Ramadan Sales : A 91% increase in the weeks following Ramadan, with a total ROAS reaching 13.92.