When a major European fashion retailer specialising in clothing for older women wanted to modernise its marketing, the challenge was clear. The brand had an aging but loyal customer base, with most customers over 80. Traditional marketing channels continued to perform well, but the business needed to attract younger customers, move into digital, and drive growth — all on a limited budget.
Highlights
- Subscriber growth increased to 60% year-on-year for three consecutive years
- Revenue per customer in email rose 28% annually
- Average basket value grew by 40%
- Conversion rates on landing pages improved by 34%
- A 40% saving on new CRM and email management systems
The Challenge
The task was to reduce reliance on traditional channels and build sustainable digital growth. The retailer wanted to expand its reach to younger customers, while improving efficiency through automation and stronger use of data.
The Approach
I created detailed customer segmentations and built automations across natural search, email campaigns, and PPC. These strategies targeted growth in subscribers, conversions, and revenue.
To support this, I improved landing page design and user experience, ran extensive A/B testing, and used behavioural data insights to refine performance. I also implemented a personalisation tool to tailor the customer journey and negotiated a 40% saving on CRM and email management systems, stretching the budget further.
The Results
The impact was significant. Subscriber growth reached 60% year-on-year for three consecutive years. Revenue per customer in email rose 28% annually through segmentation modelling. Average basket value grew by 40% with the introduction of personalisation, and conversion rates on landing pages improved by 34%.
These results not only proved the value of a digital-first approach but also demonstrated how thoughtful use of data, testing, and automation could drive sustainable growth in a traditionally offline market.
The Next Steps
The retailer continues to benefit from the younger audiences and stronger digital foundations created during this period. The website improvements, personalisation tool, and automated marketing remain part of their ongoing customer strategy.
Key Takeaway
This project highlighted that internal marketing and stakeholder management are just as crucial as customer-facing strategies. Navigating the challenges of a traditional brand’s resistance to digital initiatives underscored the importance of aligning internal teams and fostering collaboration to drive successful digital transformation.
His ability to manage budgets and create cost-effective marketing strategies has been instrumental in achieving strong ROI for our marketing initiatives.
Ian Addie, Marketing Insight Manager, European Fashion Brand
Rhys is a great addition to any team. He has strong attention to detail, is deadline focused and is great at stakeholder management through his clear management of expectations and his ability to simply explain complex technical matters so that it is easy for everyone to understand.
Riccardo Parrinello, Digital Marketing Manager, European Fashion Brand
Rhys Turton 