Marketing Case Studies

Can a club grow by giving tickets away for free? Fortuna Düsseldorf is betting €45M on it. Here's the radical business model reshaping German football: ✅ The "Fortuna für Alle" Experiment ▪️ Year 1 (2023/24): 3 free home matches ▪️ Year 2 (2024/25): 4 free matches ▪️ Year 3 (2025/26): 5 free matches ▪️ End goal: All 17 home games free by 2030 👉 Backed by a €45M sponsorship fund from partners who get it. ✅ The Math Behind "Free" Traditional model: ▪️ Ticket revenue: ~€8M/year ▪️ Average attendance: 32,000 (65% capacity) - estimate ▪️ Fan engagement: Transactional Fortuna's model: ▪️ Sponsorship replacing tickets: €9M+/year ▪️ Average attendance: 48,000+ (98% capacity on free days) - estimate ▪️ Fan engagement: Community ownership ❗ The multiplier effect (estimate): ☑️ Merchandising: +47% on free match days ☑️ Sponsor visibility: 50% more impressions ☑️ Media value: €12M in earned PR (first year alone) ✅ Why Sponsors Are Paying for Your Ticket ▪️ Full stadium = Premium brand environment ▪️ 48,000 engaged fans > 32,000 paying customers ▪️ Community goodwill transfers to sponsor brands ▪️ Young fan acquisition (42% under 25 on free days) ✅ The Strategic Genius It's venture capital thinking applied to football: 1️⃣ Customer Acquisition Cost: €0 2️⃣ Lifetime Fan Value: €2,800 (merchandise, concessions, loyalty) 3️⃣ Community Asset Building: Priceless Traditional clubs sell tickets. Fortuna sells belongings. ❗ Fortuna isn't just giving away tickets. They're building a generation of fans. ✅ The Implications for Football If this works, we'll see: ▪️ Sponsors becoming de facto season ticket holders ▪️ Stadiums as community assets, not revenue centers ▪️ Fan loyalty measured in decades, not seasons ▪️ Young fans choosing clubs based on values, not trophies 👉 The paradigm shift: From extracting value from fans → Crating value with the community When your grandson asks why he supports Fortuna Düsseldorf, the answer won't be "because they won." It'll be "because they invited us in." ❓ Which club will be brave enough to follw? #FootballBusiness #CommunityStrategy #Germanfootball data: Fortuna Düsseldorf, Sponsors.de, Kicker ph: undici

How modern brands grow Lessons from marketing science I just had the pleasure of watching Magda Nenycz-Thiel from the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute present to a room full of marketers. Magda shared some of the key principles of marketing science and how to apply them practically. I was scribbling down notes. Here's the takeaways: 1. Marketing science is about increasing the likelihood of success; it's not about guaranteed outcomes. This was the biggest lesson for me. Knowing the "laws" and principles, this frees up your team from arguing about that logo change, or whether you now need to target a new segment, to getting on with the work that matters. 2. Penetration. It wouldn't be an EBI presentation without the Double Jeopardy law. The fact that most things are actually an outcome of your market share (inc. loyalty) and the key driver of market share is new light buyers as most customers for all brands only purchase once or twice. If penetration is the metric, reach is the strategy. 3. Value creation. A great reminder, and you can spot senior marketers at FMCGs who focus on this. 3 ways to increase the value of your business. Share gains, category expansion, or acquisition. The bigger your brand gets, the more growth must come from growing the category, not stealing share. Good strategy needs to be about expanding occasions and growing the pie, not just fighting for a larger piece. 4. Earn growth, don't just snack on market share. Earning long-term market share (not just discounting to steal share) is far more valuable. Improved advertising to increase mental availability, route to market innovation, innovate to create true customer value, and expand the quality or quantity of distribution. This is the hard stuff we must focus on. 5. Creativity. I was rather surprised at the focus on creativity. How consistency, emotion, and distinctive brand assets use are key drivers of proper long-term growth and often the fastest and easiest way to earn share. Also, EBI research showing that getting enough attention is also important. There was then a bit of a debate about challenger brands, and how to apply these principles to small brands when budgets are limited and "reach reach reach" simply can't happen. There's still more to learn in this area, and perceived difference must play a role. However, I accept that most brands asking "are we different" is a daft way of measuring that. Magda Nenycz-Thiel, a real pleasure meeting you. Loved hearing your stories from two decades of marketing science. If anyone's new to marketing science, recommend reading "How Brands Grow" as a good place to start! I share #advertising and #marketing insights daily, follow for more.

You don't have to have the most innovative or cool product to make millions. This is the story of how a 100+ year old product jumped from $74 million in 2019 to $750 million in 2023. In the last few years, we've seen quite a few weird products thrive...Liquid Death, flamethrowers, and even JPG art fetching millions. Yet, Stanley's remarkable brand success stands out as one of the most extraordinary and weird business stories...ever! How the heck an ugly, not innovative, not unique, very old product became the most desired water container in the world? Here's how... Community Over Product: Like Stanley, brands that focus on fostering a sense of belonging and identity among their users can transcend the physical value of their products. It's not just about owning a Stanley cup; it's about being part of a broader narrative that celebrates sustainability, health, and collective identity. People trust people: Stanley's explosion in popularity, significantly boosted by TikTok, underscores the power of digital platforms in creating and amplifying brand narratives. Content creators and customers become brand ambassadors, weaving personal stories that resonate deeply with their audiences. Old but new: The once blue-collar cup remained relevant by introducing innovative marketing strategies without altering the core product and its quality. This balance of tradition and innovation is crucial for long-standing brands looking to rejuvenate their image. Crisis as Opportunity: Challenges like customer concerns and competitive criticism were handled with transparency and led to reinforcing brand trust. Stanley's adeptness at managing potential setbacks highlights the importance of responsiveness and responsibility. Brand is slow but pays: Stanley's gradual ascent to success is a testament to the value of building brand affinity over time. Instant success is rare and often unsustainable. Brands should focus on gradually building a loyal customer base through consistent quality and engagement. Cultural Contagion: Stanley's ability to become a 'cultural contagion' demonstrates the power of a brand to not just participate in, but shape cultural conversations and identities. This level of engagement is something competitors are keenly looking to emulate. Conclusion: Stanley's journey is a masterclass in brand resilience and relevance. It teaches us that true brand strength lies not in the novelty of the product but in the emotional and cultural resonance it achieves with its audience. As marketers, embracing these principles can lead to enduring brand loyalty and unprecedented growth.

4 talks. 3 days. 1 massive shift I'm seeing everywhere. Last week I had the pleasure of speaking on 4x stages across the UK, from London Tech Week to Dermalogica HQ, speaking alongside some of the industry greats including Andy Lambert (Adobe), Katie Jackson (Channel 4) Jordan Schwarzenberger (Sidemen) and Michael Corcoran (Frankly) to name a few. Different audiences. Different Cities. Same conversation emerging everywhere: The marketing funnel is broken. Here's what I shared across all four stages: 1. Discovery is now a swirl, not a funnel. Your customers aren't moving linearly from awareness to purchase. They're bouncing between TikToks, group chats, podcasts, and peer recommendations. We're all in the game of attention now, and knowing how to capture it and keep it, is the sign of a winning brand (it's why my ethos is that brands have a lot to learn from creators). 2. Advocacy is your new acquisition. The brands winning right now aren't just creating customers - they're nurturing advocates. Long-term creator partnerships, micro-events, turning loyal customers into paid advocates. Your community becomes your growth engine. Marketing budget must be allocated to community growth right now. 3. Speed beats perfection - the brands that move fastest, learn fastest, win fastest. The marketers who stopped trying to control the journey and started showing up authentically wherever their audience already was? They're the ones seeing results. 4. You've got to be building your brand universe - and if you're not familiar with the term already, please get to know. Constructing brand universes has become imperative in a landscape where consumers seek more than products - they crave a sense of belonging and shared values. 3 days. 4 very different audiences. One clear truth: The rules have changed, and the smartest brand marketers are rewriting them entirely. The brands that win in the next 18 months won't be the ones with the biggest budgets. They'll be the ones that understand this fundamental shift first and move fastest. The funnel mindset isn't just outdated - it's actively holding you back. The consumer has disrupted their own path, and we have to show up along the way. What's your take? Are you still trying to funnel people in linearly, or have you embraced the touch-point brand universe swirl? I've done a lot of talking this past week, I'm ready to listen 👇🏼

Nike opened… a soup shop? This is localization done with precision...and it makes more sense than you think. Nike is back with one of the strongest examples of localization in China this year. Not in a stadium, Not with tech, But with… soup 🍜 You probably didn’t see this coming. And that is exactly why it works. In Guangzhou, Nike took the concept of "local relevance" to a completely different place. A collab with a well known Cantonese soup house, turning it into a branded experience. And the execution is quite effective: - The collab sit on an Island, a location runners already use for daily loops. - A dedicated "runner soup menu" curated around recovery and energy. - A space that feels like part of the neighbourhood. - A Nike shaped soup spoon, custom bowls, etc...everything to make the experience shareable. - An online ad with Su Bingtian (a local hero). No complicated mechanics... just a concept that blend in the city and feels genuinely local. And because that concept is so culturally rooted, people don’t need explanations...they just walk in, take photos... and participate. That’s what makes it effective. ---- #Nike #China #BrandActivation #Running #MarketLocalization

A branding agency once convinced a billion-dollar brand to ditch its most iconic asset. It cost them $30 million in 6 weeks. The brand was Tropicana. The asset? An orange with a straw that customers instantly trusted.  In 2009, they launched a $35M rebrand that removed every bit of emotional equity the packaging held. Clean. Minimal. Modern.  But also, unrecognizable. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱: → Replaced the bold logo with a generic typeface → Removed the iconic orange visual → Opted for a stripped-down design that removed every recognizable element consumers trusted. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲:  → Customers couldn’t find it on shelves → Sales dropped by $30M in under two months → The brand reverted back. Fast. Here’s the kicker: This wasn’t a startup mistake. It was 𝗣𝗲𝗽𝘀𝗶𝗖𝗼, one of the biggest CPG giants in the world. And even they got it wrong. Yes, they were led by an agency. Yes, they had to sign on the final design. It’s a reminder. Even billion-dollar brands with the best resources can get it wrong when they lose sight of the customer.  𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗱? → It disrupted the mental shortcut shoppers relied on when scanning the shelf. → Chose aesthetic over brand recognition (made the product unfamiliar overnight). → It undervalued what felt familiar to loyal shoppers (and let design trends outweigh brand equity). (HOWEVER - the cap looking like a tiny orange was genius and they should have kept it. I said what I said.) 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆: Strong branding doesn’t always mean new. It means right, for your customer, your story, your shelf.  In 2024, Tropicana rebranded again. This time with more color, more clarity, and a better sense of self. Not groundbreaking, but grounded. It isn't just what changes. It’s what stays the same - louder, clearer, and more intentional.  Which rebrand mistake still blows your mind? #BrandStrategy #Rebranding #DesignMatters #MarketingFails #CPGMarketing

Every luxury brand should copy this £5B turnaround strategy. Burberry shares surged and US sales climbed for the first time in 18 months. And it's mostly thanks to their new "Turnaround" strategy which fixed these 3 mistakes: But first, let's rewind a bit. From 2022, Burberry was pushing into ultra-luxury. They had a target of £5 billion in revenue. They promoted ultra-luxury positioning. By raising handbag prices above £2,000, their message was clear: "We're competing with the highest-end luxury houses." The goal was to attract the most elite fashion-forward customers. And for a while, it worked... Until it didn't. The luxury industry lost 50 million customers in 2024. Fashion-forward wasn't enough anymore. By that point, Burberry had already swung to an operating loss of £53 million. In July they brought in a new CEO, Joshua Schulman who hit the reset button. He asked, "What do luxury customers ACTUALLY want?" Turns out, it boiled down to 3 things: 1. Authenticity 2. Heritage 3. Smart luxury pricing (not ultra-luxury, not accessible) A few ways they addressed these feelings: 1. Returned focus to iconic outerwear and scarves ↳ Created "Scarf Bar" concept at NYC flagship with global rollout plans ↳ Made hero products, outerwear and scarves, primary focus in stores 2. Reimagined their pricing architecture ↳ Repositioned handbags to £1,500-£2,000 (their luxury sweet spot) ↳ Created strategic "good, better, best" pricing tiers across categories 3. Launched "Wrapped in Burberry" campaign featuring real customers ↳ Showcased couples who've worn Burberry for 20+ years ↳ Celebrated authentic relationships with the brand Ultimately, Burberry's turnaround is a story of knowing your strength. Every luxury brand has one. A few examples: → Heritage → Craftsmanship → Category authority → Price architecture → Core customer Burberry's issue: they chased ultra-luxury status at the expense of their authentic identity. So, they returned to their outerwear roots, embraced their British heritage, and found the sweet spot between luxury and ultra-luxury. Now Burberry's making headlines again - but this time for all the right reasons. Their stock is up over 20% YTD, while other luxury giants are still struggling to find their footing. The lesson for luxury brands is clear: Success isn't about chasing the highest price point. It's about understanding your DNA, staying true to your heritage, and creating strategic pricing that respects both your core customer and your brand positioning. That's how you build a sustainable luxury business in 2025. #LuxuryFashion #Burberry #RetailInsights #RetailStrategy

I honestly can’t believe he shared this. But Tyler Calder (PartnerStack CMO) shared their whole GTM strategy with me. And it’s not influencer fluff, it works. Over the last year+ they’ve been able to: -- Increase pipeline value by 58%+ -- While DECREASING cost per dollar of pipe by 35%. -- And improving NRR, & ACV So… getting MORE efficient as they scaled, not less. As a marketer I’m always looking for real playbooks that I can actually use, because they come from another practitioner. Proven. No incentives. This is one. His playbook is simple but beautiful: (full breakdown here: https://lnkd.in/e6qJcsx7) 1️⃣ 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗨𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘀 & 𝗜𝗖𝗣 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘀 (& 𝗻𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝗻-𝗜𝗖𝗣 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱) -- They built an AI-powered ICP Model (with Keyplay) that lets them hyper-focus on accounts that are showing fit signals. Built on real modern fit signals like: 1. Are they using a PartnerStack competitor? 2. Are they actively hiring for partnerships? 3. Do they have multiple partner motions live (affiliate, referral, agency)? 4. Are they growing? Recently funded? Product-led? Employee count? 5. Are they investing into areas that partnerships could either compliment or displace because it’s more efficient? etc. 2️⃣ 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: 𝗠𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘄. 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝘀𝗲𝗴𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 & 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 -- Prioritize accounts by fit (Tier A, B, C, D) -- Tailor plays to accounts by segment & tier -- Use AI signals to segment deeper and hyper-personalize 3️⃣ 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴'𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗷𝗼𝗯. Imagine what you could do if you knew every account in your market… You’d build a report that shows every account and their engagement. Then you’d report on how that changes weekly, monthly, quarterly… They do exactly that. This isn't a shiny tactic. But I guarantee if take this seriously you’ll get something out of it that will work. It's fundamentals done right. And a perfect reminder for any marketing leader. Read the in-depth breakdown here: https://lnkd.in/e6qJcsx7

My first marketing analysis and I couldn’t be more excited to share what I uncovered about Rhode. As someone who graduated last year and just stepped into the marketing world, I’ve always been curious: How do some brands become “the brand” everyone’s talking about? Rhode is the perfect case study. In just three years, with no physical stores and only 10 core products, Hailey Bieber built a billion-dollar brand. Recently, Rhode was acquired by e.l.f. Beauty was a huge moment in the industry. So, how did Rhode and Hailey pull this off? Here’s what I found interesting: 👩🏻💻Customers became Rhode’s best marketers - By designing products (like the Lip Case) that look good in mirror selfies, unboxing and GRWM videos, Rhode turned customers into content creators. Every post fueled the brand’s organic reach and they achieved this without heavy ad spending ✨ Selling a lifestyle, not just a product. - Rhode isn’t just skincare. It’s an aesthetic. Buying into Rhode means buying into Hailey’s clean girl lifestyle. That’s the magnetism, everyone wants a piece of her world. 🧠 Listening and adapting. - When Rhode faced criticism, from limited shade ranges on their blushes to complaints about the grainy formula of the Peptide Lip Tint, they didn’t stay silent. They responded, acknowledged the feedback, and made improvements. That kind of transparency built trust and strengthened customer loyalty. 🛒 Strategic influencer collaborations. - From Tate McRae, rising Gen Z pop star, to Alexandra Saint Mleux, F1’s “It Girl” wag and fashion icon, Rhode tapped into cultural moments and diverse audiences to stay relevant and expand their reach. 🤳🏻 Product design for virality. - The Lip Case wasn’t just functional, it became a status symbol. It solved a simple problem (losing your lip balm), but more importantly, it sparked organic content across social media. 📝What I learned from all this: You don’t need a massive product line or a traditional retail presence to build a powerful brand. What you do need is a strong story, a genuine connection, and a product experience that people want to talk about. Hailey made Rhode a part of people’s lifestyle and daily routine. What do you think was Rhode’s most brilliant marketing move? As I dive deeper into marketing analysis, I’m learning so much about what makes brands stand out and I’d love to hear your thoughts. If you’re a marketer (or marketing enthusiast like me), let’s connect! #rhode #marketing #campaign #casestudy #GenZmarketing

Lacoste broke an 89-year tradition, For a reason a lot of brands avoid: To make a bold and purpose-driven statement using their product.  They replaced their iconic crocodile logo with 10 endangered species. Each shirt was limited to the number of animals left in the wild. - 30 shirts for the Vaquita porpoise   - 350 for the Sumatran tiger - 450 for the Anegada rock iguana The campaign sold out in hours and generated considerable brand lift. More so than any traditional product launch they've done. Here's why it worked (and what it means for brand building): As humans, we're wired to worry when something's running out. But most brands exploit that by saying "Only 3 left" or "Sale ends tonight." Lacoste turned the idea of scarcity on its head to make a statement. The 30 shirts doesn't just represent a limited edition run for the product. It symbolizes the 30 very real Vaquita porpoises that exist in the wild. By connecting that cause to their brand,  Lacoste created a collective purpose that people wanted to support. For large brands, this is a lesson in conscious marketing they can emulate. For smaller brands, this is something to aspire to later on. Lacoste could only pull this off because it already had the brand equity. So, if you're thinking about a purpose-driven campaign, ask yourself: Can we pull this off at our current level of brand equity? If you're not there yet, this type of campaign won't land the way you want. Here's the sequence if you are: ✅ Find a cause that aligns with your brand truth (not what's trending) ✅ Build the constraint into the product (make the limitation tell the story) ✅ Create a mechanism where the purchase is the message ✅ Measure brand perception over years, not campaign metrics over weeks If you're not in a position where a big campaign will make a real impact, start smaller and closer to home. Try local partnerships, transparent sourcing, and donation matching. Build the credibility first, then build the campaign. Purpose-driven work only works when people already believe in your brand. Ready to add $1m/month to your eComm business?  Join the waitlist: https://lnkd.in/e-Av-tdY What do you think of Lacoste’s campaign?  Share it in the comments below. ♻️ Repost to share this fundamental lesson with your network.  Follow Nehal Kazim for more advertising insights like this.