In my final semester at college, I took a class called "Small Business Marketing." It was essentially a full-semester group project that allowed us to collaborate directly with local business owners; my group had the pleasure of working with a local menswear store, Jackson & Connor. As an extra credit assignment, I wrote up a cross-promotion campaign where Jackson & Connor could run ads alongside another local favorite, Lucky's Tattoo & Piercing!
I discussed J&C's identity in depth with its owner, Will Brideau, independently from my group. One major part of J&C's brand is making it clear that "menswear is for anyone and everyone who feels comfortable wearing it." Breaking convention is warmly welcomed in their shop. Their passion for fine clothing can be shared with any customer.
One idea that Mr. Brideau and I discussed at length was partnering with other stores on Main Street in Northampton. We picked stores that he personally enjoyed and which had a shared target audience in some way. The results included his barber, a friend's clothing shop, a bar he had worked with previously, and Lucky's, where he had gotten some of his piercings. The plan was to use these established personal connections as a way to generate a smooth-flowing, inexpensive partnership which could be maintained for the long-run.
The following is an excerpt from my report (submitted December 13, 2021):
"There could be a campaign centered around what ‘formal’ means and challenging convention. This should draw out how unique the Jackson & Connor brand is; it can drive home the point that formalwear doesn’t have to be boring or stuffy, and formal doesn’t mean tucking away all of the things that make you you. Putting this message forward lets people know what Jackson & Connor believes in as an organization. In terms of actual ideas for the campaign: there could be an image of someone in a Jackson & Connor dress shirt with fresh tattoo ink showing on their neck or arms, and a tagline that reads “crisp lines, meet crisp linen.” Alternatively, focus could be placed on a nice jacket and an eyebrow piercing, and the text could be “menswear sharper than a piercing gun.” There are lots of possibilities! Formalwear combined with tattoos or piercings is an out-of-the-ordinary, striking look that would capture a viewer’s attention. This is also a good idea because Lucky’s has three locations: Main Street & King Street in Northampton, plus Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge. Having a Boston location means that Lucky’s could potentially help Jackson & Connor reach eyes in the city easier. Finally, and maybe most importantly, Lucky’s has 42.7k followers on Instagram (as of this writing). That is an incredible opportunity that Jackson & Connor could tap into to grow their online presence. The overall campaign would be in both print and digital space for maximum exposure. If costs become too high, print as little as possible and only take up free digital space like social media feeds.
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This set of posters [featured at the top of this Behance project] is designed for the collaboration between Jackson & Connor and Lucky’s. The images are all placeholders from Unsplash; if this campaign was actually run, a photoshoot would be needed to capture the proper goods & services available. These posters could easily be placed in all store locations between the two businesses. In addition, it might be worth seeking out space in other Northampton shops or actually purchasing ad placements in Boston or in print locations like newspapers. These would also translate well to digital ad space! Whether placed as banners on relevant websites or posted (and maybe boosted) on social media, not much would have to change about these graphics. In digital spaces, it might be beneficial to use video or small amounts of animation to increase the likelihood of capturing users’ attention."