In the competitive apparel business, it’s literally fish or cut bait. That’s why Fish Hippie – a rapidly emerging lifestyle brand that’s quickly gaining steam – has tapped The Brandon Agency to launch a new multi-media campaign to bolster awareness and presence in key markets.
A critical element of this campaign is the launch of an entirely new website built on the Magento store platform (http://www.fishhippie.com). The new site will not only present the Fish Hippie brand in a more dynamic eye-catching style, it will also have increased functionality, social integration, look books and more.
“We first started working on this brand in April of last year,” Scott Brandon, CEO of The Brandon Agency, said. “The first time I heard the name Fish Hippie, I knew that we needed to convey something very real and authentic that people could relate to. We developed a strong brand position and launched an initial campaign on a shoestring budget, leveraging social media, brand ambassadors – dubbed Fish Hippie “Drifters” – and a strong retail sales team. The reaction to the brand from consumers and retailers has been nothing short of amazing.”
“We have grown from 15 retail stores to over 170 in one year, website sales are up over 3000% and our social media footprint is exploding,” Brandon added. “With that success comes the challenge of keeping it going, so this campaign is really a continuation of our original idea, but now we have a budget to showcase the brand in national print and digital which will expose it to an entirely new audience of Drifters.”
To do that, the campaign incorporates traditional print advertising in notable national magazines such as Garden & Gun, as well as digital advertising exposure on a variety of websites.
“While digital is still a great option, we really felt that print in affluent publications like Garden & Gun would really help to properly position the brand and set the tone for the campaign,” Brandon added. “We have also updated our catalog and have a new photo shoot scheduled in July when we will have access to our new fall product samples.”
In addition to this, the campaign will continue to employ social media, content creation and public relations to bolster awareness.
“We wanted to create a brand that celebrates all of the things that we appreciate, that are close to our heart, and that we believe in,” Ben Web, Fish Hippie Co-Founder and CEO, said. “With the elements of this new campaign in place, we believe we are ready to take the next step in our growth.”
Mt. Airy, N.C.-based Fish Hippie is currently available online, and through 80+ retail accounts. Apparel is available in over 170 stores across 13 states. Website sales have increased over 3,000% in the last 6 months, while the company has over 46,000 “likes” on its Facebook page.
The Brandon Agency – an award-winning integrated marketing communications agency based in the Southeast – was instrumental in the launch of Southern Tide, and represents several apparel brands.