One of the largest players in the workwear sector embarks on an exciting digital journey investing into a new strategy to generate growth and strengthen the brand as the market leading designer for workwear.
When the Swedish Fristads merged with the Danish Kansas it became one of Europe’s largest brands in workwear. Today we meet Jonatan Andersson, Marketing Operations Manager at Fristads Kansas. For Jonatan clothes, fashion and marketing have become part of his life’s journey – from the beginning of his career as a Marketing Assistant at JC in the early 2000’s, via Levi Strauss & Co. up until today at Fristads Kansas Sweden, based in Borås.
– It’s become clear to me that regardless of country or target group, clothes concern a lot of people. It is quite rare that two people in the same room think the same about a garment or a collection. Among professionals, the commitment is high and it’s important what brand you wear. Sometimes it’s even difficult to get a carpenter to change manufacturers despite obvious advantages in material, fit and functionality, says Jonatan Andersson.
A general digital immaturity in the industry
Digitalisation is high on the agenda for Fristads Kansas these days – for both internal and external communication. They are investing in their own websites, social channels and promoted stories for different audiences.
Digitalisation is high on the agenda for Fristads Kansas these days
– Generally speaking there’s a digital immaturity in the industry. We at Fristads Kansas must build content and availability from the ground up. Previously we were fully focused on the retail level but private labels have become a major competitor there. Now we use Facebook and Instagram in the first sentence, and add more love to our own websites. The tone in our social channels is a bit more casual, which have suited the target audience well. The buyers today use smartphones, and they like to read and receive news in a completely different way than the previous generation of construction workers.
During the marketing digitalisation we have been able to follow the launch of Fristads Kansas craftsman trouser with added stretch through Smartson.
– Smartson has generated dedicated feedback from our craftsmen, created content for our social channels and we’ve been given a strong crowdscore that will permeate all our future communications. To set up a campaign of this magnitude by yourself takes a lot of time, but Smartson have lead it well and also summed up the entire case story in a campaign video, including all the hard data a Marketing Manager may need.
Netherlands finds crowdscore interesting
Before we end our inspirational talk we get a hint of the force and weight behind a recommendation like this – one of Jonatan’s colleagues in Europe have contacted him.
– We have already received inquiries from the Netherlands on how Smartson’s crowdscore and the promotion can be used. A good recommendation always sells and it definitely helps that Smartson have an office there as well.
Read more about Fristads Kansas on their webpage: fristads.com/sv-se/ and read more about the case with Smartson here: Fristads Kansas social test at Smartson.
Do you want to know more how you can use Smartson in your work? Please contact us at hello@smartson.se and one of our recommendation experts will help you.