Multi Brand Marketing: The Strategies Behind Retailers Success

The Insights Behind the Multi Brand Marketing Ranking

In today’s competitive fashion industry, where brand portfolios often overlap among multi-brand retailers, differentiation through marketing is crucial. With consumers presented with a multitude of choices, the question isn't just about offering the right products, but how effectively they are marketed. Multi-brand retailers are key to enhancing brand discovery, making them indispensable partners for brands, by helping brands to expand into new markets and reach new, diverse audiences.

To thrive, retailers must meticulously plan their marketing initiatives to assert themselves as leaders in the industry. Whether through strategic brand partnerships, impactful celebrity endorsements, innovative digital campaigns, or immersive events, the ability to continuously analyze and adapt based on past performance is key.

But who exactly is driving performance in 2024 and how? To uncover these drivers, we've benchmarked the performance of five multi-brand retailers in the first half of 2024, revealing key strategies:

• Maximize the power of influential Voices beyond traditional social media promotion.  Kendall Jenner generated $5.6M in Media Impact Value® (MIV®) for FWRD. As the retailer's creative director, she not only directs campaigns but also actively participates in them, promoting various brands within FWRD. Her curated section on the website, "Kendall’s Edit," showcases her must-have pieces, significantly enhancing visibility and attracting new customers to the retailer.
• Leverage high-profile industry events to amplify the impact of celebrity endorsements. Cardi B, in collaboration with FWRD and Revolve, hosted a Met Gala after-party driving MIV for the retailer through her Instagram and Facebook accounts. Moreover, to extend her partnership she attended the 4th Annual Hollywood Unlocked Impact Awards, dressed in FWRD which she promoted through an Instagram post. Overall, Cardi B generated $2.3M in MIV for the retailer through just three placements.
• Media outlets are powerful allies in driving website traffic through strategic hyperlink product promotions. Vogue US has proven to be the most effective media Voice, generating significant MIV for the ranked brands: $8M for Saks Fifth Avenue, $5.3M for SSENSE, $2.1M for FWRD, $1.2M for Bloomingdale's and $10K for Browns.
• Exclusive brand partnerships and physical activations can significantly enhance retailer visibility. Indian-based brand Sabyasachi generated $1.4M in MIV as a partner to Saks Fifth Avenue by launching an exclusive "Red Carpet Collection" available only at the retailer’s new flagship store in Beverly Hills. This partnership was further celebrated with an event featuring A-list celebrities like Priyanka Chopra.
• Creative and authentic approaches are the key drivers behind successful owned media strategies. SSENSE’s owned media generated the highest MIV among the five brands with a total of $7.8M across its various channels. The most impactful content featured original and engaging ideas, such as tutorials on inflating Rick Owens blow-up boots and a viral campaign promoting kids-wear, with fun videos of children spelling the different brand names they were dressed in.

With these data-driven insights, multi-brand retailers are well-equipped to refine their marketing strategies and secure a high ROI. By analyzing the successful strategies from the past semester, retailers can make informed decisions that position them as market leaders. To truly harness the power of influential Voices and impactful partnerships, retailers must invest strategically in initiatives that promise the highest returns. Discover where your brand stands today to maintain or achieve  top-ranking status!