Case Study
Innerwear company NYKD increases brand awareness in India using an assertive marketing approach
Goals
- Improve profitability and reduce advertising cost of sales
- Draw in new-to-brand customers
Approach
- Launched protection campaigns to prevent others from advertising on product detail pages
- Used Sponsored Display ads to secure first-mover advantage
- Increased brand awareness by using Sponsored Products ads to establish brand presence on generic keywords
- Optimized campaign with AI to improve performance across sales funnel
Results
- 64% increase in ad sales
- 58% rise in new-to-brand sales
- 32% reduction in advertising cost of sales
Standing out in a crowded category can be a challenge, but Indian innerwear company NYKD took it on with confidence. The brand had a strong start on Amazon in 2021, and one year after launch, they wanted to ensure that their success would be sustainable. However, with an average advertising cost of sales (ACOS) between 25% and 30%, NYKD knew that to grow and thrive in the lingerie category, they needed to improve profitability and draw in new-to-brand (NTB) customers.
Because NYKD didn’t have an in-house advertising expert, they connected with Amazon Ads partner Upriver Ecommerce LLP (Upriver) to create a marketing strategy focused on lowering ACOS and refreshing their catalog while maintaining NYKD’s spending level.
Fostering brand growth with an assertive marketing approach
NYKD and Upriver focused on creating new hero products and securing optimal placement on generic keywords to maximize visibility and brand share. To do so, they first used brand analytics to obtain customer and purchasing behavior insights. Once they identified potential hero products and a strong set of keywords, the companies built a comprehensive funnel strategy to champion newly introduced summer styles.
Upriver’s approach was assertive. First, they launched a sequence of brand protection campaigns that prevented similar brands from securing placements on NYKD-branded keywords and product detail pages (PDPs). Next, they launched Sponsored Display banner and video ads on similar PDPs to seize the first-mover advantage for the summer season. Finally, they used remarketing campaigns to further boost sales and encourage repeat customer engagement.
With product-specific campaigns in action, NYKD and Upriver shifted focus to increasing brand awareness using Sponsored Products, which played a pivotal role in establishing the brand’s presence on generic keywords and helped them gain a significant share of the market. Furthermore, by using AI tools to optimize the campaign, Upriver improved performance across the entire sales funnel.
Upriver’s thoughtful approach ensured alignment with market demand and consumer preferences while enhancing visibility and accessibility. The strategic interplay between hero products and product placements was integral to achieving optimal market penetration and sustained success in the business landscape.
- Naman Arora, ecommerce manager, NYKD
Achieving significant brand milestones
After launching the campaigns, NYKD achieved a 64% surge in ad sales between February and May 2023, which was primarily driven by newly launched styles.1 NTB sales also increased by 58% within the same time frame.2 The most noteworthy result of the campaign, though, was the drastic 32% reduction in ACOS, which helped NYKD achieve its lowest ACOS to date.3
Through this campaign, Upriver developed a replicable strategy tailor-made for the apparel and innerwear category. By adeptly using remarketing campaigns coupled with a comprehensive and strategic approach, Upriver plans to help other brands create effective campaigns that maximize visibility, engagement, and overall market impact.
Through strategic collaboration and data-driven insights, we achieved remarkable success, which significantly impacted key performance metrics. This success is a testament to the effectiveness of our approach and the strength of our collaborative efforts.
- Gaurav Bohra, associate vice president, Upriver Ecommerce LLP
1-3 Upriver Ecommerce LLP, IN, 2024