Kit and Ace Brand Roll-Out, Store Launch & Media Event
Kit and Ace engaged Yulu to launch its first concept store in Vancouver, landing features in local and national top tier publications.
The Challenge
In the summer of 2014, Yulu was recruited to promote the launch of a new lifestyle brand called Kit and Ace. The brand, launched by Shannon and JJ Wilson (family of lululemon founder Chip Wilson) was created to offer ?technical luxury? a new proprietary blend of cashmere and technical fabric. In order to launch their first concept store in Vancouver, Kit and Ace engaged Yulu to maximize influencer attendance and media engagement. In addition, Kit and Ace was eager to separate the brand from lululemon, a tie that was bound to occur because of the significant name recognition of the Wilson family.
The Solution
Because of the significant profile of the Wilson?s, buzz had already been generated around the Kit and Ace launch. Yulu identified that a strategic plan was required to identify key influencers in the online and media realms, targeting outlets that would give Kit and Ace maximum profiling. As Kit and Ace intended to roll out several other concept stores across North America, influential bloggers from those markets were handpicked and flown into Vancouver for a full experiential package during the launch weekend. Select Vancouver media were invited to the event and provided with high-resolution photography. The event was also specially catered by local artisans, restaurants and breweries to compliment the Kit and Ace ?hyper-local? aesthetic.
The Result and Impact
Attendance at Kit and Ace?s launch exceeded capacity and media interest was high. Over the course of several weeks, Kit and Ace was featured prominently in local top-tier media such as the Vancouver Sun, Huffington Post and The Province. Kit and Ace product lines were featured online through blogger profiles and interest from major fashion publications such as Women?s Wear Daily (WWD) and Fashion was peaked. Kit and Ace continues to build their profile as they build out their concept store expansions. They have retained Yulu in their media engagement efforts.