BODEN:
“LIKE A BRIT”
MAKING AMERICA A TAD MORE BRITISH
Boden was struggling with brand perception in the UK and saw growth in the USA as critical.. Yet awareness was critically low (9%) in a hyper-competitive environment, where messaging in the US had been inconsistent.
The Challenge
Most brands that reference ‘Britishness’ end up in cliches about the country. It had to feel like an escape to make Britishness feel interesting and new. As Boden had yet to be defined for an American audience it had No baggage. Our audience, fed up with polarization and incivility in the US, could look to Britain as a wonderland of genteel civility. This anglophile sensibility led to the positioning of ‘So British, SO Boden’.
The strategy
Not only could the consumer desire to dress like a Brit, but there was also a desire to act ‘Like a Brit.’ OOH and Video that demonstrated to the consumer how they could act/speak/look more ‘like’ a Brit. Guiding the consumer through British isms adds color and humor to the stories. Like A Brit could extend to product stories and cultural moments. The more you know, the more like a Brit you can be.
The Idea & Execution:
The campaign spiked sales in the US by 850%. Total sales globally grew 10%. By 2022 the campaign’s success had led to US sales accounting for £44 million in sales out of a total of £256 million globally.
The Result:
