Brand positioning and activation
Having disrupted an industry and sustained a lengthy period of hypergrowth, Zalando had morphed from a startup to a large tech company by the time I began working with them—in 2015. Initially on a project basis, then as a senior creative working on internal brand projects and partner brands, and finally as co-lead of the Employer Branding team, I helped steer the platform to its current position as a household name in Fashion, Retail, Tech and Operations across Europe.
As well as working on industry-shaping partnerships with players such as Google (Project Muze), Beyonce (Ivy Park), James Franco (THE MAN BOX), Marni, Calvin Klein, Levi’s (Brand Diaries), A$AP Rocky and Boiler Room (Bread & Butter), I also led an ambitious reimagining of the employer brand helping Zalando to the title of LinkedIn no.1 Best Place to Work in Germany with an EMEA award-winning campaign and positioning.
My contribution: creative lead – scripts, pitch decks, roadmaps, brand bible, toolkits, UX and product copy
As well as working on industry-shaping partnerships with players such as Google (Project Muze), Beyonce (Ivy Park), James Franco (THE MAN BOX), Marni, Calvin Klein, Levi’s (Brand Diaries), A$AP Rocky and Boiler Room (Bread & Butter), I also led an ambitious reimagining of the employer brand helping Zalando to the title of LinkedIn no.1 Best Place to Work in Germany with an EMEA award-winning campaign and positioning.
My contribution: creative lead – scripts, pitch decks, roadmaps, brand bible, toolkits, UX and product copy
THE MAN BOX
Campaign across 15 markets with a-list influencer
Riffing on the strategic insight that male targets, while familiar with the boxes, didn’t think that Zalando was for them, our concept integrated commercial and brand objectives in a playful way for Zalando’s debut international menswear campaign.
The tongue-in-cheek invention of THE MAN BOX allowed us to simultaneously showcase the platform (represented by the box) and the exciting new looks it might bring you, with James Franco as the spokesman. The action was localized for 15 markets, led to a 23% sales uplift and helped shape brand voice and personality going forward.
My contribution: creative lead – concept, scripts, direction and digital activation copy
James Franco was the influencer and creative partner behind Zalando’s first international menswear campaign, for which I was one of the senior creatives from concept to completion.PROJECT MUZE
Clio award-winning ai fashion collaboration between Zalando’s tech and in-house fashion teams and Google Zoo. I worked on UX copy and positioning. Watch case study
BRAND BIBLE
The first of many projects I made with long-time creative partner Darja Dell. Littered with profound and ironic pop cultural references, Zalando’s first ‘brand bible’ (2016) tells a story of fashion entering a new era of openness and inclusivity.
TALENT BRANDING
As co-lead of the Employer Branding team (2017/18), I provided creative, strategic and operational leadership to build a talent platform that championed autonomy and authenticity. An employer brand refresh and social campaign I instigated championed real voices and striking visual storytelling, styled and produced exclusively by in-house teams, showcasing the diversity of talent and creative excellence across the whole platform.
One of the many activations I led was a series of films made in collaboration with individual teams, in this case one of the tech teams. The films were screened at international conferences, as well as across social media.
One of the many activations I led was a series of films made in collaboration with individual teams, in this case one of the tech teams. The films were screened at international conferences, as well as across social media.
