Written by Jim Babb

The basics company Everlane, continues to be a gift that keeps giving. Apart from a new pair of jeans, made possible by Everlane Denim launched earlier this month, they provided a great case study on launching fashion in the digital age.

Everlane stayed true to their values as an environmentally responsible and transparent clothing company (going to great lengths to create the cleanest denim possible) and used customer research to identify and create a product that clearly solves a customer need.

These same customer insights went further and helped them use all of their digital touchpoints in an effective way. Here’s how —

Connect with customers by telling the why behind the product

The launch of #DamnGoodDemin had Everlane fans excited, but also curious to know: why?

To announce the new line, Michael Preysman, Founder & CEO of Everlane wrote a letter explaining the journey it took to make jeans that aligned with their values. The letter was shared via email and social and elicited a great response.

Why did it work?

• Providing context invites the end user closer to the product — it is also a great way to highlight unique product features.
• Sparking interest with a story vs. a product shot alone — in a crowded marketplace customers see pair after pair of jeans. A story creates more meaning and recall than a product alone.
• It brings your customer closer and opens a dialogue between you and them. Michael did a number of interviews during the launch, but talking directly to Everlane’s customers made them feel more involved and excited.

When it comes to casting, reach isn’t everything

Some familiar faces from my Instagram feed popped up in the campaign using the hashtag #DamnGoodDenim showing how they wore the denim in their day-to-day lives. The “cast” wasn’t made up of traditional models, or even traditional influencers, instead Everlane engaged members of the creative class that have followings of ~20K on Instagram, where they share content that inspires their fans.

Everlane collaborated with their cast in multiple ways. One modeled the denim on the product, some created content for Everlane’s Instagram story, and one even hand painted limited edition boxes for loyal customers. This sort of casting is useful, especially for a platform like Instagram where inspiration, aesthetic and reach is the secret sauce. Leading with personalities whose lives we see and aspire to everyday makes the endorsement a bit more authentic than Jennifer Aniston drinking a Smartwater in a field (which most small product companies can’t afford anyway).

Why did it work?

• Cross promotion — Who doesn’t love the attention of an extra 20,000 potential customers? Especially when those people look to the cast for entertainment and inspiration.
• Use influencers that have credibility in areas where you want to build your own — Traditional influencers are great in certain situations (when you need scale), but when your product has a niche target, you want to be careful going mass too quickly. Rather, start by engaging people who really align to your values and can demo your product in authentic and meaningful ways, because you can always increase your scale through paid platforms.
• Build a lifestyle around the product — Many people with a large social media following share their lives on a daily basis. Followers are attracted to their lifestyle, taking in what they wear, where they hang out/eat and how they decorate their homes. Partnering with them allows this unique POV to reflect on your own brand.