Case Study #1
Marketing Repositioning
+ CX Optimization
Stephen Kempson London
Client:
Stephen Kempson London
Role:
Market Positioning Strategy
Strategic Communications
Growth Strategy
Digital Platform Optimization
CHALLENGES
Stephen Kempson London (SKL) had established strong brand equity in bespoke menswear but faced structural limitations for continued growth.
​
Primary Challenge: An outdated digital presence and fragmented messaging created confusion around SKL’s in-store offerings, particularly in retail, suppressing foot traffic and retail revenue potential.
Secondary Challenge: Brand awareness and perception were concentrated within a narrow in-store customer base. While SKL performed well with established male clients, it under-indexed with women and younger consumers (35–45), limiting foot traffic diversification and long-term revenue growth.
Operating Constraint: With no formal marketing budget, SKL required a cost-efficient repositioning strategy that improved market clarity, expanded addressable audiences, and supported scalable growth across both men’s and women’s categories.
POSITIONING OBJECTIVE
Reposition SKL from a single-category men’s tailoring business to a multi-category retail destination, expanding visibility across made-to-measure and curated in-store retail for both men and women.
​
Strategic requirements:
To support this shift, the brand required aligned changes across messaging, visual systems, and go-to-market execution to:
​
-
Preserve brand equity rooted in British heritage and bespoke craftsmanship
-
Introduce the Women’s Collection in a way that felt credible and commercially viable
-
Shift customer perception from occasion-based suiting to a repeat-visit lifestyle retail model
-
Increase awareness and store traffic through cost-efficient channels including events, partnerships, and owned storytelling
MARKET + CUSTOMER INSIGHTS
Customer Insight:
Competitive Insight:
Cultural Insight:
-
Customer feedback indicated material confusion around SKL’s retail offerings and inclusivity, reducing confidence to visit the store and limiting conversion from latent demand.
-
The absence of a local competitor offering an integrated bespoke and retail model presented a clear opportunity for category leadership.
-
​Shifts toward experiential, personalized retail post-pandemic supported SKL’s model, while favoring low-cost, community-driven marketing over paid acquisition.
STRATAGY + CHANNALS
Digital Platform & Brand Infrastructure:
Experiential Marketing +
Event Activation:
Digital Content Strategy:
Customer Retention & CRM Optimization:
-
​Modernized brand systems to improve clarity across SKL’s product mix and customer entry points.
-
Migrated to Shopify to support scalable retail operations, integrated services, and future e-commerce expansion.
-
Standardized messaging across web, email, and social to reduce customer confusion and improve pre-visit confidence.
-
Launched targeted in-store events to introduce the Women’s Collection and expand reach beyond core male clients.
-
Leveraged local partnerships and co-marketing to drive foot traffic with minimal incremental spend.
-
Used events as high-intent acquisition moments tied directly to store visits and retail conversion.
-
​Developed an owned content strategy to communicate SKL’s value proposition, craftsmanship, and retail offerings at scale.
-
Prioritized engagement-led content (events, collaborations, UGC) to extend reach organically and reinforce store relevance.
-
Used social channels as a pre-visit education tool rather than a branding exercise.
-
Implemented segmented CRM workflows to differentiate high-value clients from new prospects.
-
Used personalized outreach, event follow-ups, and targeted offers to increase repeat visits and customer lifetime value.
KPI METRICS
Brand Awareness (Social Growth)
​
Engagement Increase
​
Event Attendance
​
Audience Diversification
​
User-Generated Content (UGC)
​
Sales Impact​​
+84% Followers Growth
​
+100%
​
150-200 guests at Grand Opening
​
+20% female audience growth
​
+50% organic posts
​
+40% YoY in Sales​​
IMPACT
Brand Perception & Awareness
-
Redefined SKL’s brand narrative from a niche men’s tailor into a multi-faceted fashion house for both custom and ready-to-wear.
​
-
Positioned SKL as a community-driven brand that celebrates craftsmanship, storytelling, and local collaborations.
​
-
Expanded the customer base beyond men’s tailoring, driving growth in women’s sales, retail purchases, and gifting.
CROSS-FUNCTIONAL COLLABORATION
-
Freelance photographers – Managed creative direction for brand & event photography.
-
Tailors + sales team – Ensured brand messaging aligned with in-store customer interactions.
-
Leadership (store owner) – Developed long-term brand strategy aligned with business goals.
-
Female-founded brands – Co-marketed events & collaborations to expand reach and relevance.
-
Local influencers + community partners – Extended organic brand exposure without a paid marketing budget.
BUDGET + RESOURCES
-
No formal marketing budget. I executed all campaigns with minimal costs, leveraging in-house content creation, DIY styling, influencer partnerships, and cross-promotions.
-
Used platform-native analytics tools (Instagram, Shopify, Constant Contact) to track campaign performance and built a custom tracking system to measure marketing impact.
BEFORE
AFTER
