Appealing To The Modern Gentleman
Samuel WindsorIndustry
RetailIn Business
2018Employees
2Customer
2019Location
Midrand, GautengHow can you help a bespoke shoe company put their best foot forward?
Well, Inversion had some exciting ideas to solve this problem.
Samuel Windsor, a popular UK handcrafted shoe brand, landed on the shores of South Africa in what could be described a brand boat piled high with great products, but which needed a fresh lick of paint.
We decided that the best way forward would be to try to understand the essence of a handcrafted shoe, delving into what it would be like as not only be the cobbler or the wearer but the stitch, the leather and the punch.
Using Authenticity To Promote Prestige
This made us more aware of the effort, quality, and soul of the shoes we were trying to rebrand.
We paired this new-found insight with our extensive knowledge of consumer markets, helping us to reach the one core truth we were searching for: the younger generation sees authenticity as prestigious.
By introducing impeccably handcrafted shoes to people from up-and-coming communities, we were able to transition the brand from an affordable, everyday shoe in England, into a high-end aspirational brand for South Africans.
Samuel Windsor became the choice shoe for the modern gentleman.
Our Customised Journey
Once we had gained a deeper understanding of Samuel Windsor’s ideal customers, we created a brand strategy based on our retail experience.
We took all of the information we had and instilled this with the core elements that would make up the Samuel Windsor gentleman.
Our design team familiarised themself with the brand to effectively communicate the quality, authenticity, style, and sophistication that went hand-in-hand with Samuel Windsor.
What Did We Deliver?
We started by building the website from scratch, and creating a visual hierarchy to guide consumers on a journey through what it meant to be the type of man who owns and wears the Samuel Windsor brand.
The website included new branding, eCommerce management, SEO research, and on-page optimisation. We positioned the brand as a style must-have using elegant design choices which we carried through to the rest of the new branding.
Instilling The Samuel Windsor Spirit
Driving Awareness On Social Media
Because they were an up-and-coming brand in South Africa, Inversion also provided social media management with a focus on Instagram, to drive brand awareness within the market.
Instagram was the ideal platform choice for Samuel Windsor based on the target market and the stunning images and photography that the brand had to share. It helped to create a significant buzz about the brand before the launch event.
Harnessing The Power Of Influencers
One of the key components in the rebranding strategy was to ensure that the right people were in the right place, at the right time. Which led us to event management for the brand.
The event kicked off in true Johannesburg nightlife style, with an exclusive guest list, appearances from influencers, TV personalities, and sports stars all coming together in a mutual love of the first handmade shoe to make a splash in their circle.
By creating a space where people felt comfortable and conversational, using carefully considered design choices, bespoke music, and interior styling, we captured the essence of the Samuel Windsor brand and their consumers.
Inversion embraced what made Samuel Windsor special, enabling us to help the brand generate social media attention in an organic and authentic manner. This paved the way for a positive, engaging brand launch.
Crafting The Perfect Gentleman’s Brand
After our successful launch, we saw a significant increase in user-generated content featuring Samuel Windsor as a must-have style item, going beyond normal post-event content.
This, combined with our empathy-based social media strategy, saw an uptake in followers, market share, and word-of-mouth, building a strong foundation from which a brand could flourish.