A luxury goods brand differentiates its positioning - and unlocks a new, profitable audience - with a research-based strategy

A century-old European luxury goods brand was well-known for its handcrafted leather accessories and timeless design. The brand had long enjoyed a loyal customer base among affluent Baby Boomers and Gen X, but was undergoing a generational and cultural shift. Younger, affluent, Millennial and Gen Z consumers were reshaping expectations. They sought brands that were not only luxurious but also sustainable, digitally savvy, and culturally relevant. The brand noticed stagnating growth and a decline in brand engagement, particularly in emerging markets and among these younger demographics. Facing immense pressure to evolve, it needed to reposition — without alienating its core loyalists or compromising the integrity of its legacy.

The company initiated a comprehensive repositioning strategy focused on better aligning its image and its products and services with the needs and expectations of younger generations.

An online community of Millennials and Gen Z consumers, curated by Big Village, was the foundation of this repositioning. With this community, the brand was able to tap into the hearts and minds of the younger generation, uncovering the emotional and functional triggers that the brand needed to align with.

Using Big Village’s connected data, these insights were translated into a series of campaigns that were more modern and hipper than previous campaigns, accentuating the natural fit between the brand’s products and these younger generations. At the same time, the campaigns ran in media environments such as TikTok and Instagram with creative that the insights suggested would be more persuasive than the creatives and channels previous campaigns had run in. Finally, real-time messaging optimization facilitated by AI twin technology helped the team react immediately to campaign feedback.

Within 18 months of implementation, the brand saw measurable and meaningful results:

• Revenue Growth: Global sales increased by 22%, with a 45% increase in online sales and 60% growth among customers aged 25–40.
• Brand Engagement: Social media engagement tripled, and the influencer-led campaign garnered 25 million views globally.
• Customer Loyalty: Despite the shift in strategy, customer retention among legacy clients remained strong, with 80% approval of the new direction based on a private client survey.
• Sustainability Recognition: The brand received a sustainability leadership award from a major industry group and earned B Corp certification the following year.