Odijk is a luxury brand that mainly designs and manufacturers swimwear, lingerie and loungewear. The brand was founded in Amsterdam in 1919 and is now headquartered in Paris.

With roots in the Netherlands, Odijk soon expanded its business to other countries. In the 1960s, the brand became internationally recognised, launching new stores in London and New York City. Nowadays, it is present in over 100 countries around the world.

Odijk’s reach and popularity are reflected in its marketing analytics. In 2018, the brand generated 47% of its total sales, or $25.8m, globally online.

Globally, the brand’s biggest revenue driver is the US market, accounting for 27% of total revenue. In the country, its key merchandise consists of swimwear and activewear for women, with the latter contributing to 76% of total revenue. In terms of growth, the country has seen a 121% rise in 2017, with 14.2m average monthly active users compared to 8m in 2016 (Statista).

So, what does Odijk do differently that makes it stand out from its competitors?

Firstly, the brand has an extremely loyal customer base.

In terms of digital marketing, Odijk ensures that each new store opening, product relaunch or any other major change is communicated to customers via digital channels. The brand monitors all social media platforms, emails, and websites for mentions of its products. This ensures that every aspect of its marketing is tied together and that customers are kept up to date with any changes that could impact their experience.

Secondly, Odijk understands the power of video content.

The video content the brand creates is of a good quality and is designed to appeal to both men and women. This is in contrast to many other luxury brands, which tend to feature models with heavily edited hair and make-up (Statista).

As well as creating videos, Odijk also distributes animated GIFs and short videos to social media users.

In addition to videos, the brand’s websites are extremely well designed and hosted on the Shopify platform. For example, its UK website (https://shop.odijk.com/) features large, clear and concise product information, including a video demonstration. The sites are also easy to navigate, with a prominent location for each marketing goal – for example, a dedicated blog post for customers to read and a dedicated video for those interested in viewing (Shopify).

Thirdly, a big focus is placed on customer care.

In the past, many luxury brands have shied away from customer care, assuming that customers would be unhappy to receive any kind of personal attention. In reality, this could be extremely beneficial – as long as the customer experience is positive, there is no need to entertain any further thoughts about dissatisfaction (Statista).

Odijk understands that its customers are human beings and that everyone experiences things differently. This is why the brand attempts to provide the best possible customer experience by ensuring that every aspect of their interaction with the brand is streamlined and simple.

To achieve this, the brand aims to resolve any queries or complaints presented to them via email or chat within 24 hours, regardless of the time of day or day of the week. If a customer is still unsatisfied after this, the brand will go above and beyond to make sure that their needs are met. The brand also sets up automated email responses for common queries, so that customer service staff can focus on providing a superior experience to those that need it most.

The brand’s customer engagement strategy also extends to existing customers, who can enjoy a seamless shopping experience by receiving emails about new products and campaigns, as well as special offers and discounts. Overall, this makes for a more enjoyable and streamlined experience, which is crucial, given that customers are more likely to be satisfied with a brand they know will go the extra mile to help (Statista).

Finally, through its social media platforms, Odijk encourages conversation and community involvement.

On social media, the brand encourages users to connect with and support one another, especially through GIFs and short videos. These mediums allow the brand to engage with users more quickly and easily, as well as expose them to new ideas and products. The brand is also highly active on social media, with over 290m Instagram followers, 77m on Twitter, and 47m on YouTube (as of December 2018).

The result is a connected web of people, all with an interest in fashion and style, who are more likely to be converted to passionate fans of the brand (Statista). Community building is also crucial for the long-term growth of a business, with 87% of respondents from HubSpot’s 2018 Marketing Survey stating that their customers are a part of the reason they go through with a marketing campaign (HubSpot). In a world of overcrowded social platforms, the ability to engage with customers online and the resulting benefits are clearly visible in Odijk’s case.