+24,568%

engagement

Influencer Campaign

+153%

followers

The Friary Influencer Campaign Success

Discover how Toolbox implemented an innovative influencer campaign that not only increased sales, drove footfall, and boosted engagement but also significantly reduced marketing spend.

CHALLENGE

Every year, The Friary in Guildford invests in seasonal brand awareness campaigns to elevate the centre’s profile as a premier fashion destination. Typically, these campaigns feature bespoke photography shoots that spotlight the brands within the centre. This year, however, posed a unique challenge: the marketing budget was significantly reduced. Despite this, the campaign still needed to create a memorable impact.

Additionally, it was crucial that the campaign be inclusive and representative of all demographics within our target audience, ensuring that every individual felt seen and valued.

How we did it

Social Media Management

Graphic Design / Branding

Web Design / PPC / SEO

Content / PR

SOLUTION

Believing in the celebration of individual style, our ‘Style Starts with You’ campaign took a revolutionary approach to traditional brand photoshoots. Instead of hiring professional models, we collaborated with three local influencers who embodied the diverse fashion sense of our community. These influencers donned stylist-curated outfits sourced from our retailers, making fashion accessible and relatable.

To reinforce our connection with the local audience, we chose Guildford Castle as the photoshoot location. This historic and iconic backdrop not only enhanced the visual appeal but also underscored our commitment to the community.

Post-campaign launch, we kept the momentum going with in-depth interviews of each influencer, shared across our digital platforms. Additionally, a dedicated blog post exploring the rich history of Guildford Castle added another layer of engagement, driving significant website traffic and sustaining audience interest.

The resulting promotional materials were authentic and resonated with our target audience, leading to a notable increase in customer engagement.

RESULTS

Nearly 7,000 engagements generated an unbelievable +24,568% increase YOY! This shows just how successful it was leveraging influencers and their audiences to drive digital engagements compared to a traditional photoshoot
+153% Increase in Social Media Followers (YoY): The campaign’s unique approach and engaging content drove substantial growth in our online community.
+6.1% Increase in Website Traffic (YoY): The in-depth stories and features drew more visitors to our website, keeping them engaged with our brand.
+9.8% Increase in Footfall (YoY): The relatable and inclusive campaign attracted more visitors to The Friary, reflecting the campaign’s on-ground impact.
+9% Increase in Sales (YoY): The combination of increased footfall and engagement translated directly into higher sales figures.
-56.14% Decrease in Marketing Spend: Compared to previous brand awareness campaigns, we achieved these impressive results with significantly lower expenditure.

Retailer feedback

Hollister: “One of the dresses which featured in the advertising campaign sold out within a week and we had to increase our volume of stock for this item. Keeping it local was a good idea and made the overall campaign more engaging for the local consumers. It was great to see our dress featured in the bus campaign and we saw it loads of the back of the buses which was really cool to see.”

Mango: “We thought our orange outfit looked amazing in the advertising which was featured all over the centre and outside and also on the buses. We had so many customers asking after these products, and we actually sold out of the jacket in one weekend. Having local influencers as models was a brilliant concept and the use of the castle gave it a local feel which customers definitely noticed. We saw lots of advertising for this campaign especially on the buses around town and on social media.”

Pandora: “The look and feel of this campaign felt very different from previous fashion campaigns. It was nice that it featured local influencers which is really on trend with retailers at the moment and delivered a more targeted and engaging campaign. Hiring the castle for the photoshoot also made the look and feel of the campaign very unique and made it feel more relevant to the centre.”

SUMMARY

By embracing a community-focused, influencer-driven approach, our ‘Style Starts with You’ campaign not only overcame budget constraints but also set a new benchmark for inclusive, impactful marketing.

Ready to Elevate Your Brand Engagement?

Discover how an inspirational collaboration with influencers can transform your brand’s presence and drive remarkable results. Let us help you create a campaign that resonates, engages, and converts.

Get in touch with us today to start your journey towards impactful influencer marketing!