THE CHALLENGE 

While brand affinity for Victoria’s Secret is high in the UAE, since its launch in 2004, VS PINK doesn’t enjoy the same love and top-of-mind-awareness among their target consumers: University students in the UAE (16-24 year olds).

“I wouldn’t think to shop there” & “I would rather buy Victoria’s Secret,” 

- Feedback from 40% of intended audience.

Part of the challenge was the aspirational marketing material developed for US high schools’ preppy campus culture. It did not translate to the UAE’s youth and lifestyle.

Our goal: Build awareness and position VS PINK UAE to be relevant to the UAE’s female youth.

IMPLEMENTATION

#PlayEveryday: Locally-relevant, lighthearted, fun looks that drove home VS PINK’s use cases for their intended audience. It positioned VS PINK by association with people and activities. 

You don’t just wear PINK to football games and camping trips (US-focused), you can wear it while trampolining, tanning on the beach, and riding dune buggies (UAE-focused). 

The campaign was launched online, on visual platforms where our audience hangs out: Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat & WhatsApp. On-ground Catalysts reached out to them on campus, where they also hang out.

[Catalysts are magnetic individuals in their social circles who fit VS PINK’s brand values, chosen on each leading UAE campus after rigorous screening - fit, social, and playful.]

The Catalysts went trampolining, dancing, zip-lining and hula-hooping. They swam in the ocean, played football, and rode dune buggies - All while wearing VS PINK for 2-4 weeks. They went on planned shopping trips with their closest friends to encourage trials and got honest reviews of the brand, products and gaps in communication.

Through trials and regular use, Catalysts came back with strong ideas about what they loved about PINK, how they used it, how they felt about it before, and how they understand it now.

IMPACT

THE NUMBERS 

We reached (one-on-one on the ground) close to 9,200 female University students through our extensive research and campaign activity. 

Digital Engagement (likes, comments, conversations): >45,000 interactions

Total on-ground conversations about VS PINK: >400 (among female University students)

Trials from campaign shopping trips: >210 unique purchases

AN AUDIENCE-FIRST APPROACH

We approached this project with honesty. We needed to get to know the intended audience, what they bought, and what they thought of VS PINK products more intimately. Enabling this direct feedback loop gave the client insights to work from long-term, beyond the duration of the campaign. 

Organic, candid peer-to-peer conversations were essential.

They shaped VS PINK’s future marketing strategy. 

Insights these conversations generated included:
 

• Awareness of PINK’s line of fitness, swimwear and loungewear was particularly lagging - This became a focus for our marketing activity. The audience purchased underwear (of all kinds) only twice a year.

• Trying PINK made them want to buy PINK: The perception of PINK as being too pricey was undercut by use and superior quality.

• With tight budgets, these young women shop at fast-fashion competitors (H&M, La Senza, Forever21) where they can get more (quantity) for money, but this is slowly changing.

• There’s a cultural difference in “feminine” aspirations - what is considered cute in the US sometimes reads as “tween-y” in the UAE.

• Fitness is heavily social and less sports-focused for this audience (group yoga, Zumba, spin classes).