Cole Buxton - 'The Pitch'

51.51292912701971

The Pitch Document 2021

Broderic Willis LAUFBC502

-0.13755475967541442

LAUFBC502

Who? 01

Market Positioning 02-03

Current Output 04-05

Brand Audit 06

Website Redesign 07-08

Social Strategy 09-11

Collaboration 12-14

Keith Haring X CB 15-16

Additional Innovations 17-23

Content Calendar 24-25

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Established in 2014, Cole Buxton aims to “redefine contemporary sportswear for the modern man’s lifestyle.” Currently based out of their London flagship store, the self titled brand is the brain child of Falmouth graduate, Cole Buxton. Having studied performance sportswear design, the brand’s main collection focuses upon redefining athletic essentials into garments which can be relied upon daily. Alongside his partner, Jonny Wilson, the brand has garnered a global cult following; despite only offering a menswear collection. With manufacturing in both Leicester and London, Cole Buxton has developed a key focus upon utilising refined materials as well as sustainable manufacturing.

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MARKET POSITIONING: Based on market research, general assessment and personal assumption.

Represent Clo. has been separated due to being direct competition, as well as having a similar public perception.

High Quality

High Price

Low Price

Cole Buxton Common Projects

Jaded Man

Axel Arigato

Mnml

Fear of God

Built to Last

Low Quality

Represent Clo

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Age: 16-35 year olds. However, this isn’t a depending factor. All products are ageless and quality can be appreciated by all despite brand marketing ,and messaging, catering towards a more youthful demographic.

Gender: Primarily a menswear brand. Despite core collections being made up of unisex products, the brand is yet to feature a female demographic within marketing.

Location: London centric due to the positioning of the flagship store.

International customers come through social media reach and online presence.

Key Values: Fitness focused with an appreciation for style/function.

Individuals looking for streetwear basics or twists on classic styles will really appreciate this brand.

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www.colebuxton.com Mailing List

@cole_buxton

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@colebuxtontalk

Cole Buxton Talk

TikTok (Unused)

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Paid Ads

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SWOT Analysis

- Strong sense of self and brand aesthetic.

- Flagship store allows for in house production capabilities.

- Partnered with END. - Brand founder is the creative director.

- Strong sense of community through ‘ColeBuxtonTalk’ pages.

- Has made Instagram its main outlet therefore advertising is very social media based.

- Brand messaging/mission isn’t always at the forefront.

- Website is inaccessible to many due to a small font size and complex structure.

- Other social media outlets are yet to be explored (e.g TikTok).

- Huge scope for collaboration due to mounting ‘buzz’ around the brand.

- Large amounts of recurring media attention and press coverage.

- Revamped customer support systems.

- Varied social media approach.

- Return to traditional advertising methods.

- Losing customers due to a lack of innovation.

- Site visitors becoming confused due to a lack of brand story and a confusing design.

- Angering loyal consumers due to current lack of a consistent PR strategy.

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Key Brand Innovation

Total website redesign in order to increase overall accessibility and streamline user experience. Instead of being static, the redesign utilises a dynamic slider as its main feature and website utilities have become more readily available within the footer. Social media sites are all linked and an additional “About” page has been created in order to properly communicate the brand story. Use of the “athletic essentialism” intends to further promote brand messaging to external site visitors.

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Key Brand Innovation

A pure white background as well as a clearer search option to be implemented across every page.

Product pages have been overhauled with a larger typeface and more commercial design.

Additional product photography has been added as well as links to the different colourways of the same product.

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Key Brand Innovation

Due to Instagram being the brand’s main method of communication with consumers, many have taken to leaving specific questions within the comments section of each post. To combat this, stories that feature the question box should be utilised alongside the release of new products. Additionally, a Twitter page that has a sole purpose of offering support to consumers would make the brand more accessible and on par with brand’s of a similar nature.

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Key Brand Innovation

Streamline Facebook

More Live Events

Engaging Paid Advertisement

As a way of engaging consumers further, the current social strategy requires improvement. Main prompts include creating a singular entity to run the CB Talk Facebook page, the introduction of consistent live events and paid advertisement that drives traffic rather than pushes sales.

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Key Brand Innovation

Proven to be more engaging than still images the brand needs to branch out into long form video content. This should include creating cross platform content for both Instagram and TikTok, as well as video based advertisement across YouTube.

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Social Media Based

@imdanielsimmons

@timdessiant

@jaycee_yg

In order to expand the audience base, the brand should look to utilise their influencer friends in a more commercial manner. This could include creating unique live experiences, styling workshops and takeovers of the Instagram pages. An approach like this would be a unique opportunity to activate the female consumer base.

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@caitlinburles

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Community Based

@theo.caldwell

@pnp.fitness

As a way of promoting core values, the brand should become an official gymwear sponsor of a local gymnasium/trainer. This would create a partnership opportunity which would in turn benefit both businesses, and favour returning customers. The collaboration could operate on a referral basis which allows for discounted training or future purchases. An ideal candidate for this would be Theo Caldwell who is already a friend of the brand.

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Event Based

Cole Buxton Store

@kaleidorolls

@thedetoxkitchen

As a way of further promoting a healthy lifestyle, the brand could look to partner with a local wellness focused eatery. A partnership of this kind could result in live cooking demonstrations within the Cole Buxton store, as well as healthy eating focused events. Additionally loyal customers could be offered a limited edition discount code for the chosen organisation during the period of the promotion. Ideal candidates would include Kaleido, The Detox Kitchen and Pure.

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@purefooduk

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Product Based

Artist (Experimental) Following on from the previous collection with Hector Trend, a collaboration between the Keith Haring Foundation and Cole Buxton would work to bring worldwide attention to the brand. Featuring a unique style and bold use of colour, a collaboration in this style would be far from anything the brand has covered in the past. Due to Haring’s artwork being so versatile the brand could explore immersive experiences alongside a new line of products.

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Collaboration Examples

Product Examples

Store Window

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Additional Innovations

Customer Reviews/Trustpilot As a way of adding another layer of validity to the brand, a customer review system needs to be developed. A favourable partner in this field would be that of Trustpilot, with 87% of consumers being more trustful of a review if it displays the Trustpilot logo.

By using this service the brand would add itself to a large network of well known brands that also use the software. Additionally, the software has Shopify optimisation meaning it could be easily implemented into the current website/operating systems.

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Additional Innovations

CB

COLE BUXTON TALK

The Lewis Morgan Podcast

The Diary Of A CEO

“Cole Buxton Talk: The Podcast”

Podcasting To expand brand awareness, brand owners should look to feature on successful podcasts within a similar field. Possible collaborations include that of ‘The Lewis Morgan Podcast’ as well as ‘The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett.’ Alternatively the brand should look to create their own show in which brand owners discuss the overall brand story, personal advice as well as health and fitness. This would fit well within the Cole Buxton Talk sub-brand and would further encourage the ‘in house’ brand values.

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Additional Innovations

@jackhumphrey93

Mailing List Inspired by a handwritten letter recently sent to brand owners, email communications should become redesigned to reflect a more personal approach. Instead of being solely picture based, customer communications should feature hand drawn/written samples that work to reflect the ‘in house’ qualities of the brand. This would work to make drop lists more attractive and reinforce the presence of both brand owners to the consumer.

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Handwritten ‘Drop List’ Sample

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Additional Innovations

Poster/Billboard Advertisement As a way of increasing the overall advertising output, the brand should look to utilise billboard and poster based advertising. Imagery should follow that of the brands current output, with a key interest in securing advertising space within the local tube station (Bond Street).

Advertisement of this kind would work to bring the brand back to more traditional methods, which haven’t previously been adopted.

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Visualisation

Mockup of Traditional Advertising

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Additional Innovations

NFC Stickers An innovative form of advertising would be to produce a sticker range to be placed in and around high traffic areas local to the store such as lamp posts and tube stations. This would work to increase brand awareness in a cheap and alternative way. Additionally, NFC technology could be utilised that displays the brand’s Instagram to the user. This type of sticker could be placed in and around the store as a unique way of growing the brand’s audience on social media.

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Additional Innovations

Swing Tags (QR Codes) Branded swing tags should be redesigned to include a unique QR code that links directly to the branded documentary “COLE BUXTON: CB52 A FILM BY THE REIDS.” The film hasn’t been fully promoted by the brand and is a unique piece of brand story. By including it within the swing tag design, another element becomes added to the consumer experience upon the unpacking of their new purchase.

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Content Calendar February

March

April

May

June

Beginning

Launch of a customer service Twitter page as a reflection of the new year.

Bringing first collaboration to a close.

Launch healthy living collaboration with first event to happen at the end of the month.

Focus on overall brand output right across the month.

Focus on social media growth throughout the month.

Focus on social media growth throughout the month.

Middle

Gymwear collaboration launch, full social media output needed.

Tease healthy living collaboration for launch in March.

Break.

Launch of new website as well as a streamlining of Facebook pages.

TikTok account to be promoted on Instagram throughout this week.

Podcast promotion to start for first episode release at the end of the week.

End

Continued promotion of first collaboration with a USP focused on new year’s resolutions

Roll out of Trustpilot/review section on website.

First live cookery event in store.

Invite only, with a large influencer presence.

Podcast teaser to be posted.

Teaser for Keith Haring collaboration.

First Podcast episode released and start of Keith Haring promotion.

January

Content Calendar

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Content Calendar August

September

October

November

December

Hard launch of Keith Haring collaboration with event in store.

Break.

Influencer takeovers to begin with two happening per month.

Further promotion of Influencer takeover’s with key product placement for Black Friday.

Final influencer takeover with key product placement for Black Friday.

All orders from Black Friday to of been fulfilled.

Continued Keith Haring collaboration promotion.

End of Keith Haring collaboration.

Break.

Another podcast promotion for episode three to be posted.

Third podcast episode posted just before Black Friday promotions.

Christmas + New Year promotions.

Break.

Promotion of podcast in preparation for next episode.

Second podcast episode to be launched.

Break.

Improved Black Friday promotions with lessons from 2021 learnt.

Year end.

July

Beginning

Middle

End

Content Calendar

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“THANKS FOR INVESTING”

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