Meet Poplin & Co. – an inspiring Canadian small business that was selected as a finalist in the Marketing Magic category of our Small Business Tales of Triumph Contest. This category of the contest is reserved for businesses that are investing in marketing to strengthen and support their growth. Let’s get to know this amazing company and learn how they’re doing exactly that.
About Poplin & Co.
Created by Antonio Krezic and his wife Shadi, Poplin & Co. is a Canadian menswear company. They make and sell responsibly made, 100% cotton apparel.
Creating exceptional products
Poplin & Co.’s conversation-starting menswear pieces are designed to boost happiness and confidence in the wearer. They combine hand-drawn prints and patterns with simple silhouettes for a truly original look. Their pieces are produced ethically in factories that meet the exacting standards of the Better Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI) and the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI). They’re machine washable, pre-shrunk and built to last.
Find out more about Poplin & Co.
Visit their websiteHow Poplin & Co. markets itself
Poplin & Co.’s marketing strategy has evolved out of necessity.
Using social media to drive engagement
Last year they focused their efforts on their social media, consistently posting on Facebook and Instagram. Sadly, they’ve discovered that they can’t rely on organic posts to grow their audience anymore. Facebook has been throttling organic visibility, prioritizing a pay-to-play model. This shift has forced Poplin & Co. to stop and think about other ways to use those channels and has spurred them to explore new places to share content. They recently shifted their focus to stories and reels on Instagram and Facebook which currently generate more engagement. They’ve also started using professional video content and promote Poplin & Co. through Facebook Ads Manager.
Going to market
Poplin & Co. has had great success in online B2B marketplaces like Faire, Abound and Tundra. These markets have boosted both their retail presence and their online presence. They’ve provided an effective way for Poplin & Co. to access organic traffic that costs them nothing and find new retail partners across the border.
Increasing reach and relevance through local publications
When the pandemic started, many stores locked down and the online demand for products like Poplin & Co.’s unique shirts plummeted. They were sitting on a lot of stock and needed to make a change, fast. They noticed a rise in demand for face masks, so they pivoted, adapting to produce them. They cut up their stock of shirts to make face masks!
Their pivot to mask production was massively successful. Hoping to spread the word, they reached out to local and national publications and managed to get featured in Vancouver Magazine’s print and online editions. This free publicity attracted new customers and boosted their revenue significantly.
Winning over loyal customers with their values and customer-centric tactics
Poplin & Co. won over the new customers they attracted through their pivot to PPE mask production. Those new customers wanted to find out more about their ethical manufacturing practices which strengthened their relationship. Ultimately, they converted their new mask customers into loyal shirt customers because they aligned with Poplin & Co.’s ethics and valued their innovative customer-centric approach.
There’s so much to learn from an amazing business like Poplin & Co. They’re not just a menswear brand – they’re taking the pulse of their community and pivoting to deliver more for Canadian consumers.