2. ‘‘It is totally impossible
to be well-dressed
in cheap shoes.’’
Hardy Amies
2
3. Table of Contents
3
Table of Contents.................................................3
Brand Overview......................................................4
Introduction...................................................5
A Walk To Remember............................6
Current Allen Edmonds Man............8
Current Advertising...............................10
Competitors............................................................13
Target Audience..................................................17
Consumer Journey............................................18
Touch Points...........................................................30
Recommendations............................................64
Conclusions............................................................78
Work Cited................................................................79
5. LET’S TALK
DRESS SHOES.
12 weeks, 12 in-depth interviews, 24 survey responses and a few gallons
of coffee have culminated in the final step of the Allen Edmonds account
planning process: crafting the consumer journey to buying dress shoes
and selecting touchpoints with which the target interacts during each
step. For each of these touchpoints, we also made recommendations
on how to enhance the medium, including the types of content they
should include and the messaging strategy behind the content. With our
research, we hope to usher Allen Edmonds into a new era of top-of-mind
awareness among millennials.
We gathered support for our consumer journey, touchpoints and
recommendations from primary and secondary research. We conducted
12 in-depth interviews and a media consumption survey of 24 men in
our target. In the interviews, we discussed dress shoe shopping habits,
buying processes, media habits, personal style and dress shoe
preferences. Our media consumption survey focused on our target’s
data usage to better enhance our touchpoint recommendations.
Secondary research served to better explain our individual research in
the context of all shoppers, making our recommendations more
applicable to the overall target audience.
5
6. .
A WALK TO REMEMBER:
1922: Company
founded in Port
Washington, WI,
gained acclaim for
high-quality, hand-
crafted footwear.
1930s: Many small American
companies saw a significant
decline in sales, and Allen
Edmonds was no exception.
With a whole-hearted commit-
ment to company values, the
company continued to craft
their product, awaiting a return
to post-depression, healthy
American buying power.
Luckily, a new decade would
bring major acclaim.
1939: Allen Edmonds
was the “shoe of choice”
for both the U.S. Army and
Navy. They gained wide
acclaim amongst Gener-
ation Y as a trusted shoe,
still looked upon today
with sentimental value.
1950: American men began
re-entering the white-collar
workforce and Allen
Edmonds walked from the
battlefield back into the
office. As a trusted brand of
the previous decade, the
company had strong top-of-
mind appeal among
professional men for its
quality and American
craftsmanship.
1981: President Ronald Reagan
donned Allen Edmonds at his
inauguration, beginning a tradition
carried on by three subsequent
presidents. The brand gained
acclaim among college-aged men
as the “formal dress shoe of choice.”
Though they retained a fond emo-
tional connection with the brand,
older generations were too practical
to invest large sums of money on
Allen Edmonds shoes. The brand
held its appeal almost entirely in the
professional sector.
6
7. 1993: Bill Clinton wore the
Park Avenue at his
inauguration.
2015: Looking for Allen
Edmonds wearers? Step into a
might see one. Elsewhere?
Probably not. Though company
sales have remained steady,
Allen Edmonds has struggled
to bring in a new generation of
young executives. With that,
we present a new chapter in
Allen Edmonds’history.
1989: George H.W. Bush wore the Park
Avenue to his Presidential Inaugura-
tion. Meanwhile, formal dress is still the
workplace norm. Men are expected to
wear suits with a formal dress shoe akin
to Allen Edmonds. American-made
was still an important feature, though
foreign shoes began gaining traction,
with Italian brands like Bruno Magli and
Salvatore Ferragamo snatching many
big-spending professionals from the
Allen Edmonds customer base.
2001: George W. Bush wore Allen
Edmonds at his inauguration. In the
meantime, casual Fridays led the
transition to business casualwear in
the workplace. Though not everyone
could sport the Steve Jobs-esque
jeans and New Balance shoes, khakis
and soft-sole shoes had clearly re-
placed the once suit-ridden workplace.
Allen Edmonds took the hit as men
began spending less on the their dress
shoes.
2008: Sales progressively declined
in the midst of financial recession,
and Allen Edmonds felt the hit. With a
25 percent drop in revenues be-
tween 2007 and 2009, the company
brought on a new CEO. In hopes
of turning things around, the brand
introduced a lower-priced line - AE by
Allen Edmonds - to compensate for its
deteriorating customer base.
7
9. “I picture someone who is in his
50s and is well off. I see people
from the East coast who go to
country clubs and wear sweaters
around their necks. They wear
their loafers by the pool.”
Jacob Scholl, interviewee
9
10. CURRENTADVERTISING:Current Allen Edmonds advertising efforts primarily consist of print ads, display
ads and social media. The print ads are composed primarily of photographed
shoes set against dark backgrounds. Display ads show an Allen Edmonds shoe
and link to the company website. Social media is a major part of Allen Edmonds’
advertising effort, but that will be discussed later.
WEBSITE:The Allen Edmonds website was recently re-vamped to a darker color scheme
and visual homepage design. The site does not have the “fashion
lookbook feel” many of its competitors have. Features could be more
streamlined, but the website offers effective purchase functionality overall.
CATALOG:When it comes to its catalog, Allen Edmonds focuses solely on
images and short descriptions of its products. While many catalogs in the
apparel industry have evolved visually and digitally to display images of models
wearing a company’s products and serve as inspiration to its consumers, Allen
Edmonds’ catalog appears to be stuck in the past with its plain imagery.
10
11. The Allen Edmonds storefront reflects the look and feel of
its products, sticking to neutral tones and classic design.
Prevalent store features include yellow-white lighting, oak
wood paneling and patriotic knickknacks, which come
together to produce an unrefined look contradicting the
luxury of Allen Edmonds’ products. The store has the
feeling of being in a father’s home office, as it reflects
stereotypical Baby Boomer interests such as golfing and
bartending literature. The brand’s American values and
pride is displayed throughout the store.
STORE:
11
14. “Style over fashion”
Since its founding in 1983, J. Crew has prided itself on redefining the preppy
professional. J. Crew provides on an array of pieces that can seamlessly transition from the office to an after-work happy hour. Classic pieces
matched with quirky prints and bright colors fill J. Crew’s product repertoire, giving the company high brand-awareness among put-together
young professionals hoping to make a tasteful fashion statement. Customers have come to expect quality and integrity from both in-store
experience and J. Crew’s products. J. Crew constantly revamps its retail experience, offering unique partnerships with various makeup,
fragrance, electronic and shoe brands to serve as a one-stop shop for its millennial shoppers.
Famous wearers: Michelle Obama, Diane Kruger, Josh Duhamel, Adam Brody
J. Crew
14
15. “A company with a history of
value”
Since its founding in 1818, Brooks Brothers has served as the tas-
temaker for professional men’s fashion with a
country-club-esque touch coveted by millennial men. Brooks
Brothers is the country’s oldest clothing retailer, outfitting Union
officers in the Civil War to Barack Obama today, and upholding
strong traditions and commitment to its values for nearly two
centuries. Since launching the ready-to-wear suit in 1849, the
brand has managed to stay prevalent by providing a one-stop
shop for casual and formal wear.
Famous wearers include 39 of the 44 U.S. presidents, Andy
Warhol, Stephen Colbert, Reese Witherspoon.
Featured on TV & movies: “Mad Men,” Great Gatsby (2013),
men of “Gossip Girl”
Brooks
Brothers
15
16. The following brands have been
selected as direct competitors to
Allen Edmonds based on price point,
quality, style and similar brand
perception. During department store
visits, shoe retailer websites and
in-depth interviews, the following
brands shared close vicinity to Allen
Edmonds in terms of
brand-awareness for the product
category.
These brands include: Santoni, Bruno
Magli, Salvatore Ferragamo, Red
Wing Shoes, Cole Haan, Ecco,
Johnston Murphy, Alden,
Rancourt, and Clarks.
DIRECTSHOE
COMPETITORS:
16
17. PART 3
TARGET
AUDIENCE:
17
Our target consists of 21 to 35-year-old men. These men are either college
upperclassmen or just beginning their first couple of years in the
professional workplace. Our target works in or studies professional fields
such as law, finance and banking. Men in our target aspire to become self-
made men, and aim for success in everything that they do.
Men in our target are style-conscious, but have yet to establish a personal
style. In trying to solidify a fashion identity, our target focuses on finding
versatile pieces for his wardrobe and is willing to pay more for quality
products. Our target appreciates the classics, yet constantly seeks new
inspiration for his professional and everyday look.
20. The spark begins the dress shoe buying process. The spark can
range from word-of- mouth to an invitation to an event. The
consumer feels excited to embark on the shopping process, and
perhaps a bit anxious since men’s dress shoes are an investment.
The shoe-buying journey now splits into two categories: a want
and a need. A ‘want’ can simply be an urge to buy shoes, whereas a
‘need’ relates to an event, thereby giving a deadline.
STEP1:THESPARK
20
21. RESEARCH(WANT)
STEP2:
The research step signifies when the consumer searches through
available products. He can talk to friends, read online reviews and
search for style inspiration on blogs. The research step represents
when the consumer decides which brands and styles he wants to
pursue in the next step. On the ‘want’ path, the consumer takes his
time, assessing resources at a leisurely pace.
21
22. STEP2:
RESEARCH(NEED)The research step for the ‘need’ journey moves at a faster rate. The
consumer still goes online to find products and asks his friends for
opinions, however he can’t use all of his resources if he wishes to
meet his deadline.
22
23. STEP3:
EVALUATING
OPTIONSDuring this step, the consumer tries on his desired
shoes in person to check the fit and style. The
consumer wants to make sure that if he’s paying
for the large price tag, the product meets all of his
criteria. The shoe must be stylish, durable and can’t
go past his budget.
23
24. STEP4:
JUSTIFICATION(WANT)In the justification step, the consumer identifies a pair of dress
shoes. However, he isn’t quite ready to buy. Since purchasing
will be a big investment, he hopes to eliminate any uncertainty
or hesitations about the product. He goes through his closet to
see what can accompany his new shoes, asking himself how
realistic the purchase is, and and consults his friends for
approvall. For the ‘want’ path, this step also can take more time
because the consumer doesn’t need the shoes for a certain
event. Additionally, the consumer has the option to end his
journey here.
24
25. Although the ‘want’ journey is more laid-back in
comparison to the ‘need’ journey, it also has a
higher risk of ending. Due to the carefree nature
and lack of a deadline in the ‘want’ path, the
consumer doesn’t have to purchase the shoes. If
the store is out of his size for immediate purchase,
or the shoes don’t fit with anything else he owns,
he has the option of ending the journey here. It’s
disappointing, but ultimately isn’t a big deal. No
harm, no foul.
POSSIBILITY
OFJOURNEY
STEP4:
TOEND(WANTONLY)
25
26. STEP4:
JUSTIFICATION
(NEED)
During the justification step for the need path, the
consumer is hopeful the pair he found will work.He’s
already tried them on, so they need to do a quick
evaluation to make sure it’s a realistic purchase. Like the
‘want’ path, he is going through his closet and asking his
friends to make sure that the pair of dress shoes is going
to work. However, unlike the ‘want’ path, he can’t stop
here if the pair of shoes he really likes doesn’t work out.
Luckily, he has a couple pairs in the back of his mind
from the evaluation step that he will have to make work.
26
27. STEP5:
POINTOF
PURCHASE
This is the last step in the consumer journey
to purchasing men’s dress shoes. At this
point, the consumer has chosen a pair of
shoes and is buying them. He is
happy with his purchase because he
knows he did the research to find the
perfect pair, regardless of whether the
path was a want or need. The consumer is
happy that he took the time to explore his
options and knows that his pair is the right
pair for his particular lifestyle.
27
28. STEP6:
CONTENTMENTAfter the point of purchase,
the consumer experiences a
sense of contentment. He has
gone through all of the
necessary steps of research
and evaluation, which led
him to the best option. The
consumer is now a confi-
dent owner of a new pair of
high-quality dress shoes.
28
33. TOUCHPOINT#1:
IN-STORE
RETAILMARKETING Allen Edmonds’ storefront conveys the look and feel of being in
your father’s home office. The store reflects stereotypical Baby
Boomer interests like golf and bartending. Allen Edmonds also
showcases its “Made in America” values by having an American
Flag proudly displayed in the front window, and copies of the the
Declaration of Independence placed throughout. The brand’s
pride in its products can be seen throughout the store in the
numerous 3D diagrams emphasizing the craftsmanship and
quality of its shoes. They do not have pictures of models and rely
solely on “Master Fitters” for visualization of complete outfits with
Allen Edmonds shoes.
33
34. TOUCHPOINT#2:PROMOTIONSAllen Edmonds only advertises its
promotions to customers connected to
the brand’s social media and the
companymailinglistinordertomaintain
an image of luxury to new prospective
buyers. Allen Edmonds publicizes
seasonal sales, typically offering
discounts between 15 and 30 percent,
most prominently on Instagram, Twitter
and the company email newsletter.
34
37. TOUCHPOINT#5:
SOCIAL
MEDIA
37
Allen Edmonds uses various social media platforms
to interact with both potential and loyal customers,
including Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube,
Pinterest and its company blog.
62. TOUCHPOINT#6:
WEBSITE
The current Allen Edmonds web-
site features a black, gray and gold
color scheme and visual home
page. The site has good overall
purchasing functionality and pro-
vides visitors with an organized and
easy-to-navigate interface. The bot-
tom portion of their page provides
links to their social media.
62
63. 63
“I like the convenience of
shopping online. You can look at
it anywhere and the options are
endless. I don’t have to go to a
bunch of places, so it’s quick.”
Michael Braverman, interviewee
65. RECOMMENDATION#1:
IN-STORE
RETAILMARKETINGTo appeal to the target through its storefronts, Allen Edmonds would greatly
benefit from providing relevant visuals. The target responds best to relatable
visual stimuli for inspiration. Furnishing the storefront with images of models
wearing Allen Edmonds in everyday situations would allow for those in the
store to visualize themselves wearing the product; Allen Edmonds should
focus less on a branded image and more on style. Images showing men with
looks that go from day to night will help the target visualize wearing the product
in the justification step. To further capitalize on the target’s search for
inspiration, Allen Edmonds should revamp its “Master Fitters” with a sleek, new
look to spark style imagination. Given the pricing and quality of their shoes, the
brand should consider redecorating stores to give off a more sophisticated,
high-end look.
65
66. RECOMMENDATION#2:
PROMOTIONSThe target is skeptical of spending $300 to $400 on a pair of shoes, however
creating promotions a first time purchaser could make the Allen Edmonds
investment more attractive. We understand that Allen Edmonds doesn’t want
to come off as “cheap”, so we recommend the brand create a special
program for shoe buyers preparing for a first real job or big event. For
example, giving a free tie with shoe purchase as a celebration or “good luck”
token for an interview. We want the target to connect with the brand by
feeling inspired and self-made, values important to the Allen Edmonds Man.
With a tagline like “Dressing America’s Greatest Since 1922,” the target would
feel part of a legacy of success, and instead of having to fit into the brand’s
mold.This would benefit the evaluating options and point of purchase steps
in the journey, because it gives the target a benefit to purchasing Allen
Edmonds over another brand.
66
67. RECOMMENDATION#3:
PRODUCTPLACEMENTAllen Edmonds should be doing more product placement in mediums rele-
vant to the target. Almost all of our interviewees in primary in-depth interviews
mentioned watching “House of Cards,” which would be a logical place to
showcase Allen Edmonds products. We also recommend that the brand tie
placements into social media, whether as retweeting these shows when they
start back up, or Instagramming a picture of Frank Underwood wearing Allen
Edmonds with the caption, “Check us out in season three of ‘House of Cards!’”
This would be beneficial for multiple steps in the consumer journey, such as
sparking inspiration, justification by visualization and contentment when the
target sees favorite characters wearing Allen Edmonds products.
67
Check out Frank Underwood sporting the
#ParkAvenue the Season 3 Premiere on Netflix!
69. 69
Content marketing is sometimes called brand journalism or brand-
ed content. This type of advertising rarely mentions the brand itself,
but positions the company as an authoritative thought leader in a
subject area. Content marketing aims to build long-term trust with
consumers, providing valuable material for their customers with-
out asking for anything in return. Some relevant topics for content
marketing for Allen Edmonds are articles about style advice, wed-
dings and career tips. An article like “10 Best Things to Say in an
Interview” or “How to Make the Best First Impression” would appeal
to the target by providing content that is useful to them. This con-
tent would provide inspiration and interest the target without bla-
tantly advertising the product. In the consumer journey, this would
help with sparking a reason to buy, justification and contentment
because the customer can relate to and trust that the brand cares
for the consumer outside of just the product.
Native advertising is a form of advertising dressed up to look like
editorial content and placed in publications. This form of
advertising can take the form of sponsored stories on Facebook,
sponsored Tweets on Twitter, sponsored e-mails, or
sponsored articles on websites. Native advertisements are all paid
for by the company, and therefore operates with the
purpose of encouraging consumers to purchase from the com-
pany. Allen Edmonds could create a Buzzfeed quiz such as “What
Type of Shoe Should You Buy for Your First Interview?” or a web-
site article such as “Your Personal Guide to Dress Shoes.” These
would appeal to the target market by providing relevant content,
and work for the company as a mode of sale. Native advertising
would reach the consumer throughout the journey to dress shoes,
including the spark, research, justification, evaluating options, and
contentment steps.
CONTENT MARKETING: NATIVE ADVERTISING:
70. RECOMMENDATION#5:
SOCIALMEDIA
Through our media consumption survey, we found that Instagram, Twitter,
Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest and blogs are all used and viewed on a
regular basis by the target. From these results, we concluded that having Allen
Edmonds focus on adjusting their messaging strategy and content on these
social media platforms would effectively enhance the target’s journey
experience, especially while at the research and spark steps.
Allen Edmonds already uses these social media platforms, however they fail
to provide interesting and differing content on each separate account. The
brand should try to curate a variety of topics that provide a tangible benefit to
the customer across all platforms. While the focus of its accounts are on the
products, Allen Edmonds should work to position itself as a lifestyle brand.
This can be accomplished by sharing stories, videos, and photographs of
relevant and interesting subjects, such as city landscapes, drinks, food,
weddings, interviews, and style advice.
INSTAGRAM: RECRAFTING ITS IMAGE
Allen Edmonds’ account lacks blue verified badge status since Instagram introduced
the feature in December 2014. Verified badges ensure authenticity and help people
easily find the public figures, celebrities and brands to follow. Allen Edmonds holds
a strong legacy with presidents wearing the brand at their Presidential Inaugurations
and celebrities wearing shoes to charity events and award shows, however, they do
not capitalize on the brand’s clout within these highly respected circles. Instead, Allen
Edmonds’ focus on quality and craftsmanship seems forced, and makes it difficult to
identify the brand’s esteem through this medium.
Recent research by TrackMaven indicates filters affect engagement, as Inkwell, May-
fair and unfiltered pictures drove the most interaction. Researchers at the University of
Wisconsin found people engage with unfiltered, professional-looking photographs
more than comparable images distorted by filters. Quality photographs also generate
higher shopping rates. Allen Edmonds provides an eclectic mix of pictures on Insta-
gram, some professional and polished, others pixelated, over-saturated and grainy. The
brand would benefit from establishing a higher standard for all its images, consistent
with brand quality, to ensure a cohesive presentation of its shoes.
70
71. 71
INSTAGRAM: ALLEN EDMONDS CAN LEARN FROM:
Cole Haan
Allen Edmondsalreadydoesagreat
job of responding to consumers on
Instagram, unlike Cole Haan. How-
ever, Cole Haan does a phenome-
nal job of balancing user-generated
content, its own professional photo-
graphs of Cole Haan products, and
photographs of timely, creative, or
interesting settings and items. Allen
Edmonds should attempt to mimic
this type of content, furthering brand
image and increasing the potential
for more followers.
Rancourt
& Co.
Rancourt & Co. provides
eloquent descriptions of its shoe
lines in captions that fluidly con-
nect the shoes’ high-end mate-
rials to the brand’s esteemed cli-
entele. Creative timelapse videos
captured within the Rancourt fac-
tory effectively break up the mo-
notony of the picture stream and
depict the care with which shoes
are made.
Brooks
Brothers
Brooks Brothers captures brand
essence through the quality and
style of pictures on its Instagram ac-
count, while keeping posts interest-
ing and engaging. Allen Edmonds
should embody this method, making
sure each photograph fits within the
overarching message of the brand.
Similar to Cole Haan, Brooks Broth-
ers does a great job of making sure
each post relates to and intrigues the
target market. Brooks Brothers does
not solely focus on products, but it
post about things relevant to the ev-
eryday life of the consumer.
J. Crew
By integrating fun copy, bright col-
ors and a well-curated combination
of music, culture, travel, art, archi-
tecture and sports, this account ef-
fectively captures the essence of J.
Crew. Allen Edmonds would benefit
from positioning itself as a lifestyle
brand and doing more to reach out
to artists, musicians, athletes and
relevant businessmen to appeal
to its target. The brand should also
think about what is going on in the
world and what the Allen Edmonds
consumer is focused on beyond
the brand. In offering content that
will interest its followers, Allen Ed-
monds will foster a natural relation-
ship with potential consumers. This
will influence the way the brand is
perceived, beyond the quality con-
struction of its high-end men’s dress
shoes.
72. TWITTER: RECRAFTING ITS IMAGE
Allen Edmonds uses a multitude of hashtags, though it should try to stick to only a few hashtags to describe their brand. Allen Edmonds also
loses a chance to encourage interactions from customers by failing to reach out in a personal way. This could be done by asking them to tweet
at the Allen Edmonds account using designated hashtags or including pictures of their Allen Edmonds shoes for the chance to be featured on
a social media account. This would showcase Allen Edmonds shoes in an interactive and engaging way. It would also provide a platform for
the target to visualize wearing Allen Edmonds products. While the brand has recently increased Twitter usage, it needs to tweet at more relevant
times of day to keep up with other brands.
ALLEN EDMONDS CAN LEARN FROM:
Cole Haan
While Allen Edmonds has great
customer service, Cole Haan pro-
vides immediate calls-to-action on
its profile. The brand encourages
followers to tweet @ColeHann in its
bio, enhancing customer engage-
ment with the Cole Haan account.
Cole Haan also does a great job of
keeping content relatable, fasci-
nating and current. The brand not
only advertises products, but also
Tweets, posts stories and shares
pictures that make consumers want
to spend more time on the page.
Unlike Allen Edmonds, Cole Haan
fits its brand into the lives of the tar-
get market. Cole Haan also draws in
customers with better promotion on
Twitter of its sales.
Rancourt
& Co.
Rancourt & Co.’s Twitter account
links to its Facebook, Instagram,
Vimeo and other social media
accounts, creating a seamless
audience experience. The brand
also effectively connects poten-
tial customers to outlets offering
more information and oppor-
tunities to buy Rancourt & Co.
shoes, such as personal style
blogs and retailer websites. Allen
Edmonds would benefit from ap-
plying some of these tactics to
better connect followers to useful
resources while they compare
dress shoes.
Brooks
Brothers
Allen Edmonds could follow
Brooks Brothers’ lead in publi-
cizing its celebrity promotions
and product placements in a
creative manner on Twitter.
Brooks Brothers also puts to-
gether content that interests
readers aside from its product
lines, such as wedding style tips
and company history.
J. Crew
Nearly every single of J. Crew’s
tweets links to a featured product
on their website. These posts follow
an adaptable formula: clever cap-
tion, professional photograph and
link to the product being advertised.
This subtly offers potential custom-
ers the option to learn more about
a product that catches their eye.
Allen Edmonds needs to establish
a similar photographic standard for
its images and offer followers easier
access to the products featured in
the tweets.
72
73. FACEBOOK: RECRAFTING ITS IMAGE
While Allen Edmonds has wonderful customer service, it could be more fun and personable in its responses. Often times, answers are straight-
forward where the brand comes off as insensitive to the customers’ wishes. Also, the brand should try to post content relevant to the consumer
showcasing its products. Allen Edmonds should include more customer content on its Facebook page. Though the brand occasionally reposts
a user-generated picture, it should make more of an effort to showcase customers’ style.
ALLEN EDMONDS CAN LEARN FROM:
Cole Haan
Allen Edmonds should model its
pictures after Cole Haan’s profes-
sional photos. Cole Haan’s images
are aesthetically pleasing; feature
interesting subjects and provide
value to the consumer. Cole Haan
does a great job of mixing up con-
tent, showing both products and
relevant topics similar to its other so-
cial media. On Facebook, the brand
also features sales from its blog, en-
couraging first-time buyers to visit
the website and make a purchase.
Rancourt
& Co.
Rancourt & Co. consistently
posts unique content to its Face-
book page, including videos, arti-
cles and pictures not posted on
Instagram. Loyal customers have
no incentive to follow a brand on
several social media platforms
unless they will see unique con-
tent on each, and Rancourt & Co.
successfully avoids this problem.
Allen Edmonds should learn to
curate content specific to each
platform of social media, instead
of posting repetitive pictures, vid-
eos, captions and links to its vari-
ous accounts.
Brooks
BrothersAllen Edmonds should mod-
el itself after Brooks Brothers’
number of posts, as the latter
has mastered how to produce
the correct amount of posts
each day. Brooks Brothers, simi-
lar to Rancourt, posts things that
are specific to the Facebook
page, such as videos of how its
clothes are made and videos
introducing a new seasonal line
or clothing collection.
J. Crew
J. Crew offers followers a constant
stream of relevant and up-to-date
content. The vast majority of cus-
tomer posts on its Facebook wall
express love for J. Crew’s products.
However, when loyal customers do
have questions, a J. Crew represen-
tative promptly answers questions
or directs them to more information.
Allen Edmonds can learn from J.
Crew’s strong customer service. By
being responsive, Allen Edmonds
can boost engagement, showing
customers the brand truly cares
about opinions and questions.
73
74. YOUTUBE: RECRAFTING ITS IMAGE
Allen Edmonds should use targeted YouTube videos on an on-going basis to extend its reach, drive channel engagement and grow its sub-
scriber audience. Currently, Allen Edmonds posts on a sporadic basis, and covers a very narrow range of topics. YouTube is the second largest
search engine behind Google, and SEO discoverability is key. It should brand their videos with titles, tags and descriptions that link to featured
products or related blog posts. This would help to connect viewers with the brand across a multitude of platforms.
ALLEN EDMONDS CAN LEARN FROM:
Cole Haan
Cole Haan posts a variety of videos
that accurately depict the brand’s
image. Allen Edmonds can learn
from the brand by using YouTube
as more than a way to showcase
handcrafted shoes. Brands can use
YouTube to benefit consumers by
offering style advice, helpful tips for
interviews and suggestions on how
to make a great first impression with
your boss.
Rancourt
& Co.
Building a brand essence is im-
portant. Allen Edmonds is already
known for its high-quality prod-
ucts, but this image doesn’t reso-
nate in the quality of the brand’s
YouTube videos. In just three
months, Rancourt & Co. has post-
ed several high-quality videos that
bring potential customers into the
factory to meet the brand’s crafts-
men and women, and see the
shoemaking process. Seasonal
videos act much like catalogs and
look books are eye-catching, and
help the viewer picture wearing
Rancourt & Co. shoes.
Brooks
BrothersIt would be extremely beneficial
to Allen Edmonds if the brand
would capitalize on its partner-
ships with celebrities and prom-
inent figures, similar to Brooks
Brothers’ current tactics. The
brand could create interest-
ing videos describing spokes-
persons’ experiences with the
brand. By taking this approach,
Allen Edmonds would be able
to showcase its high regard
within several professional in-
dustries.
J. Crew
J. Crew’s YouTube videos often
feature pop culture figures inter-
esting to viewers. The brand also
features different parts of the de-
sign and manufacturing process,
from fabric dyeing to fashion
shows. Allen Edmonds could take
a page out of J. Crew’s book by
making videos about the different
materialsitusesinitsproductsand
featuring famous bloggers and
figures wearing Allen Edmonds
shoes.
74
75. PINTEREST: RECRAFTING ITS IMAGE
Pinterest serves as a great marketing tool driving targeted engagement and harnessing the power of visual storytelling. This platform’s versatility
expands outside of just social media, and as exemplified by Nordstrom, can be used additionally as an in-store promotional tool and salesperson
app. Allen Edmonds would benefit from posting more regularly on its Pinterest account, and paying attention to picture formatting. The brand
should also take a closer look at which posts receive the most favorites and re-pins, and use that information to build stronger content. For in-
stance, lifestyle brands often feature models or customers wearing products as part of a greater ensemble. Allen Edmonds needs to post more
pictures of people in its shoes, as opposed to simply photographs of shoes set against plain backgrounds.
ALLEN EDMONDS CAN LEARN FROM:
Cole Haan
Cole Haan does a phenomenal
job of making sure its pins are aes-
thetically pleasing, relatable and
fun. The brand features pictures of
its products, but also destinations,
art, food, drinks and events that are
relevant to the brand’s consumers.
The account does not overwhelm
followers with its products, and
pinners are more likely to follow for
the brand’s unique images. Allen
Edmonds only has a few boards,
which blend in together in content.
Cole Haan keeps posts interesting
and colorful, making each board
stand out and draw pinners to the
content.
Rancourt
& Co.
Rancourt & Co. recognizes the im-
portance of helping potential cus-
tomers visualize the well-dressed
man they wish to emulate. Allen
Edmonds misses this opportunity
on Pinterest by focusing mainly
on photographs of products set
against plain white or dark ma-
hogany backdrops, rather than
photographs of people wear-
ing Allen Edmonds shoes. While
these types of images certainly
have their place, Pinterest is bet-
ter geared toward inspirational,
creative and stylish pictures. Allen
Edmonds should harness this so-
cial platform to share images that
inspire shoppers to emulate the
classic style associated with the
Allen Edmonds brand.
Brooks
BrothersAllen Edmonds should follow
Brooks Brothers’ lead by creat-
ing boards to inspire its custom-
ers. The brand pins engaging
content that helps to educate
the pinner. For example, the
“Did You Know…” board includes
diagrams with names of differ-
ent parts of shirts, suit jackets
and shoes. Brooks Brothers also
provides inspiration to its con-
sumers through its “Style Icon”
board.
J. Crew
J. Crew expertly balances promo-
tional content and lifestyle images
on Pinterest, positioning the brand
among leading fashion brands.
The brand image balances clas-
sic and youthful, tailored and
free-spirited, thereby appealing
to everyone from back-to-school
shoppers to stalwart supporters
of high fashion through its Pinter-
est content. J. Crew uses its dif-
ferent Pinterest boards to capture
the different interests of its diverse
target market. Allen Edmonds
should create boards specific to
the younger demographic while
maintaining the brand’s already
loyal older demographic.
75
76. BLOG: RECRAFTING ITS IMAGEWhile the blog gives the brand a personal touch, posts lack consistency and are incredibly sparse. As one of the company’s oldest social media
engagements, the blog boasts a meager average of 14 posts per year and doesn’t offer opportunities for customer engagement on the site.
While the blog occasionally discusses things beyond Allen Edmonds products, the main focus is on the company itself. Allen Edmonds should
focus the blog as a channel for inspiration. The blog should be visually driven rather than text-heavy. Redesigning the blog to make the content
more cohesive, aesthetically pleasing and well organized would also help keep consumers on the page.
Cole Haan
Cole Haan’s blog gives off a fun,
inspirational vibe. Allen Edmonds
could take after Cole Haan’s blog by
offering style advice and ideas. Cole
Haan’s blog has a seamless and
clean look, helping drive consum-
ers to look through all of the brand’s
posts with easy navigation. Allen
Edmonds could work to follow the
same linear style for a more cohe-
sive and navigable site. Cole Haan
does a good job of speaking directly
to the consumer when writing posts,
giving readers an insider view. Allen
Edmonds also misses an opportuni-
ty to capitalize on building inspiration
for their consumers by dismissing the
social media platform, Tumblr. This
microblogging platform allows users
to post multimedia and other content
to a short-form blog. Users can re-
blog photos or posts that then show
up on their followers’ homepages.
Tumblr’s re-blogging aspect would
has strong potential as an owned
platform for Allen Edmonds.
Rancourt
& Co.Rancourt & Co. is a master of sim-
plicity. Majority of the brand’s blog
posts offer insights and informa-
tion while remaining short and to
the point. This allows the brand to
post more frequently and cover a
wide range of topics on the sur-
face level. Allen Edmonds needs
to be more consistent in posting
blog posts, without large lapses
of time between each post. Ran-
court&Co.alsoorganizesitsposts
with common tags, such as “new
shoes,” “weekly new release,”
“before and after,” and more. This
helps readers find articles on top-
ics they would like to learn more
about.
Brooks
BrothersThe clean-cut and well-designed
Brooks Brothers blog has a us-
er-friendly interface that fits within
theoverallbrandimage.Theposts
are often written in a conversation-
al, polished tone, consistent with
the perception and reputation of
the brand. Once again, Brooks
Brothers balances product-based
and lifestyle-related content.
J. Crew
ALLEN EDMONDS CAN LEARN FROM:
76
J. Crew’s blog fits seamlessly into
the brand’s website. It is primari-
ly visually driven, with brief article
titles accompanied by a diverse
array of pictures describing the at-
tached content. The blog is set up
much like Tumblr, using pictures
to grab readers’ and lure them
to read additional content. The
shoemaker would benefit fro dis-
playing its shoes and suggested
lifestyle images to create content
furthering the readers’ perception
of Allen Edmonds as a classic
and timeless brand with an under-
standing of the modern business-
man.
77. RECOMMENDATION#6:
WEBSITE
The Allen Edmonds website would appeal to a
younger target market by incorporating its different
social media platforms on the website. Examples of
this are a live stream of Allen Edmonds’ Twitter and
those tweeting about the brand as well as a feature
stream of happy customers incorporating Allen
Edmonds into their everyday outfits.
77
78. CONCLUSIONS:Through our primary and secondary research, we crafted this con-
sumer journey as well as corresponding touchpoints for the new Al-
len Edmonds man. These touchpoints aid the wants and needs of the
consumer throughout his journey to purchasing dress shoes and
correspond to his media consumption habits.. By focusing on these
mediums and using our recommended messaging strategies, Allen
Edmonds will be able to interact and attract the target.
78
