Allbirds
August 2021 - December 2021
“Made From Nature, For Nature.”
Allbirds initially launched as a Kickstarter campaign in 2016 — raising $119,196 within just five days. It has since successfully obtained additional funding from investors and raised its net worth to $2B in its most recent evaluation. In June 2021, the company also filed for IPO and continues to grow globally with over 25 stores worldwide and counting.
The company’s brand identity is a commitment to sustainability, and is registered as a Certified B Corporation. Products are made using renewable materials, as well as recycled packaging and collaboration with Adidas called “FUTURECRAFT.FOOTPRINT” — where both companies are designing shoes with the lowest carbon footprint.
Teammate
Yongshan Lee, Amy Zasadzinski, Ann Vogel, Roxanne Hoffman
Role
Consumer Research
Tools
Figma, Adobe Xd & Ai
“How might we improve customer engagement?”
Overview
The Problem
Allbirds is growing globally and nationally with its initial target audience in mind. However, there is current disconnect between the consumer and Allbird’s brand identity. Many consumers are unaware of the brand core value in sustainability, and their efforts as B-Corp company. Additionally, observations have shown shifts within demographics beyond Allbird’s primary target audience.
The Solution
The argyl agency (mock company) developed a business proposal addressing brand and marketing strategies for broadening target audiences and strengthening consumer interactions with physical and digital touchpoint. Our strategies for growth include expansion within the global market, and strategic partnerships with major brands to build reputation.
Build with purpose.
We are a small but mighty group of researchers, data scientists, strategists, designers, and creative thinkers focused on unlocking insights through the specialized lens of human-centered design.
Driven by the belief that lasting relationships, meaningful experiences, and transformative brands are built on a foundation of people, our approach begins with understanding the needs, motivators, and quirks of humans.
And we start with you.
Research
Our preliminary research in the US revealed potential customers in the older age bracket, who are connected to products through emotions and want to see greater product selection and versatility. Conducting further research on a global scale with a larger sample size will confirm previously identified insights.
To engage with these customers, we see an opportunity for growth through strategic partnerships and brand alignment – to make Allbirds into a household name, maintaining its core value “Sustainability for all” and doing good for the planet.
Building Relationships Before Selling Products
Over the last six years, consumers have taken a brand before product mindset – meaning they look to support brands whose values align with their own. More recently, consumer mindset started to shift and the expectation moved towards a journey to purchase rather than the hard sell.
Buying clothes and shoes is also an emotion-driven process. People see what they wear as a way to make a personal statement about themselves and the social or work groups they belong to. For many, brand association plays a key role – people will often connect to brand before product.
Stronger brand identity and consumer awareness
Customers are not realizing or adequately connecting with Allbirds’ core values — resulting in criticism towards the brand’s authenticity and commitment to sustainability.
User trust levels and Allbirds’ recognition have not been fully developed, which causes potential users to be skeptical of the durability and reliability of the products.
Strategies for Growth
Targeting Global Markets
With Allbirds continuing to expand internationally, our team selected three global hubs that current do not have a physical store in order to increase brand awareness and capitalize on consumer values to broaden target audiences.
Toronto: Allbirds has a strong presence in the US, but lacks any physical store in Canada, despite its recognition as one of the most multicultural and cosmopolitan cities in the world. Toronto was selected due to heavily promoting active and healthy lifestyle city with bike lanes and tracks around the city for people to commute.
HongKong: Known as one of the Top 5 most fashionable cities in Asia, its acceptance of Western culture due to British colonizalization combined with the traditional Eastern culture results in a more unique fashion style. HongKong is also a key central hub for business and financial due to the geographical location with all of Asia’s key markets less than four hours’ away.
Stockholm: A style-conscious city and and reflects the simple, clean and elegant tenets of Scandinavian design. and very much conscious about style and design. Sustainability is taken very seriously in Stockholm. It is the first city to receive the European Green Capital Award by the EU Commission in 2010.
Forming Strategic Partnerships
By diversifying collaborations and leveraging brand equity, Allbirds can increase brand awareness and broaden their target audiences and bring sustainable products to the masses through strategic partnerships.
Hermés is a premier fashion house with the opportunity to connect Allbirds with global luxury and increase brand value, publicity and presence to make it more desirable for status-conscious buyers
Uniqlo reaches a broad range of customers, and is well-known for its unique collaborations with others brand and designers. It’s strong presence in Asia will help build Allbird’s presence in Asia.
H&M is new to the sustainability space and is committed to reducing their carbon footprint and textile waste. The partnership provide a foothold in the apparel industry and bringing Allbirds to the masses. This partnership also has the ability to build