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In our digital first world, it’s important to pay attention to brands who get advertising right. In the apparel and lingerie space, there are several e-retailers who have discovered and seemingly invented tricks of the trade. Below, we’ve unpacked their secrets to success.
When Michelle Cordeiro Grant founded Lively, she also established a new product category: Leisurée. This term combines the best functions of lingerie, swim and activewear to provide women with comfort and confidence. Traditional lingerie tends to focus on elements such as corsets and bra wires (which don’t feel good), but with Leisurée women can feel as comfortable during the day as they do at night.
Where does Lively advertise? Almost everywhere. They have a presence on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, Youtube and Pinterest. Lively has also been featured by Cosmopolitan, Insider and NY Mag. Their advertising promotes body positivity and pictures models of all shapes and sizes. The images are clean and simple with concise descriptions and nature-themed backdrops.
Headquartered in San Francisco, Everlane focuses on selling in the digital space and embraces “exceptional quality, ethical factories and radical transparency.” They are committed to making a difference through partnering with the best factories in the world, supporting workers and sourcing materials without creating a negative impact.
Everlane was featured on The New Yorker and has gained brand awareness through Youtube “try on hauls.” From their content, it is clear that Everlane cares about sustainability. Images on the website are fun, simple and chic.
ThirdLove was the first to market in selling half-cup bra sizes and encouraging DIY measurements at home through the use of a mobile app. They pride themselves on a perfect fit, and it’s no wonder why—ThirdLove leverages machine learning and feedback from customers to recommend the best bra size.
In terms of advertising, ThirdLove embraces body positivity and inclusivity and represents a battle cry for individuality, independence, strength and uniqueness. They advertise on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn and have reviews on Youtube and Pinterest. ThirdLove is definitely digital first—you can chat online, view promotions on the home page and receive free shipping on orders over $75.
Adore Me is an apparel and lingerie retailer with a large online presence and easy to navigate UX. They sell not only lingerie but also sleepwear, swimwear and activewear.
Adore Me has several tricks up their sleeve, including a promotional countdown clock, personal styling service, markdown labels on customer favorites and style quiz. Upon landing on the site, you’re offered the chance to buy a discounted VIP set within 60 hours. If you cancel this banner ad, you can then either browse the site or get acquainted with a personalized styling service. Capturing the searcher’s attention immediately using these two tactics sets Adore Me apart from other retailers in this space.
Of all the retail businesses in this guide, Spanx is probably the most likely to ring a bell. Sara Blakely created the shapewear and apparel company to solve wardrobe woes and make women feel comfortable in their bodies. She believes in differentiating yourself, and has continued this theme throughout scaling her company.
Spanx advertises on several platforms and has an amalgam of reviews on Youtube. On the website, the brand emphasizes comfort and supports an active lifestyle. While the brand initially focused on shapewear only, it now represents one tab in a variety of clothing categories. After some time on the website, the searcher will find a banner ad offering “exclusive offers, first looks and 10% off” in exchange for punching in your email address.
Outdoor Voices is an athletic apparel business whose mission is to get people moving to make them happy. They make clothes that you’re meant to sweat in. OV empowers its active community by empowering them with the #doingthings hashtag. They embrace body positivity and inclusivity and celebrate these values on their website.
Outdoor Voices advertises almost everywhere: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest and Youtube. Their images are colorful and depict an active and adventurous lifestyle. OV has received accolades from Refinery29 and The New York Times, among others.
Cuup believes there is something wrong with the traditional bra industry culture, which only offers 15 sizing options. Knowing that sixty-six percent of women wear a D-cup or larger, Cuup decided to shake things up. They created bras that look and feel great in every size, which is still the basis for their vision.
Cuup embraces inclusivity and is on a mission to support women, black female entrepreneurs and Black Lives Matter. The “BodyTalk” tab says it all in the header: “A body of women in support of a woman’s body.”
ModiBodi is an Australian company that tailors underwear for all, whether it’s women, moms, teens or even men. They’ve created a movement that specifically empowers women by providing “underwear that works as hard as you do.” ModiBodi solves every pain point with the four P’s: “pee, perspiration, periods and pregnancy.”
It’s clear that this brand is built on transparency, and they embody this value in the messaging. ModiBodi advertises on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Youtube. They have high reviews and have been mentioned by Cosmopolitan, Buzzfeed and HuffPost.
Thinx is a revolutionary company that strives to move the “needle on menstrual equity” for women. It offers washable, reusable underwear as an alternative to feminine products. Thinx embraces this marginalized topic with the vision of empowering half the population and supporting their reproductive health.
Thinx has a distinct competitive advantage because it essentially invented a product category of its own through solving an important and underrepresented pain point for women. The Thinx website serves as a marketing tactic of its own, providing educational resources and a supportive community space.
