Project Rebrand
Rebranding Soulié
The goal of the project was to work with a group to rebrand a small local business. I had the pleasure of rebranding one of my professor brands, Soulié. Soulié is a yoga lifestyle brand with the purpose of Fostering culturally conscious economic development through mechanisms that preserve culturally important artistic and craft traditions.
Target Market
Before
At the moment, Soulie has an actual market of women ages forty-five to sixty five that have higher incomes that live in a non-urban environment. Owner Renee Lamb is open to many customers and considers herself a brand for all people but desires to expand her target market to customers aged twenty-five to thirty-five that earn a middle income. Their main interest would be in health,wellness, and yoga and they would live in a more urban environment that her actual customer does today. She desires her brand to reach out in a way that young people can use her products in a fast, urban environment and feel good about the products they are using.
After
Soulie began with a target market of predominantly urban women aged 25 to 35, interested in yoga with a medium income. The brand discovered their ideal customers are non-urban women aged 45 to 65 with a high income. Moving forward the brand seeks to redefine their target market as 35 to 65 aged woman with a larger disposable income.
Competition
Matter
Supplies ethically-made clothing with artisan-designer collaborations, eco-friendly & natural dyes, and have a hybrid supply chain.
Able
The brands products are made all over the world by female artisans paid fairly who have overcome extraordinary circumstances.
Nisolo
Collaborates with local artisans in Peru for design and handmade production The brand provides fair wages and full-time employment to all of their artisans.
Competition
Matter
Supplies ethically-made clothing with artisan-designer collaborations, eco-friendly & natural dyes, and have a hybrid supply chain.
Able
The brands products are made all over the world by female artisans paid fairly who have overcome extraordinary circumstances.
Nisolo
Collaborates with local artisans in Peru for design and handmade production. The brand provides fair wages and full-time employment to all of their artisans.
Rebrand Position Strategy
As a brand positioning strategy, the brand seeks to maximize customer relevancy and competitive distinctiveness. The target market seeks higher quality, ethical products. Soulie holds a position in the market based on their high-end artisan made products. The brands focus on craftsmanship and artisan empowerment places them in a unique niche market. As a result of this differentiation, brand value is expected to increase. In addition to shifting the brand to further emphasize that they are artisan-made, geographically the brand must reposition itself. Richmond, Virginia is currently not the best market for Soulié and the brand plans to shift the focus towards northern Virginia. Northern Virginia has the highest disposable income in Virginia and already has an established self awareness market the brand can tap into. In comparison to the brands current position, Soulié’s repositioning plan aligns them with Brands like From the Road, a high end ethical brand that can be found in Saks avenue.