Industry
Footwear & Outerwear
Scope of Work
Store Opening Strategy: launch strategy, scouting team members and sales team, network activation
Social Media Strategy: editorial plan, copy, visual assets, ad campaigns, social media management training
“Octonano’s hands-on approach to each and every project ensures strong execution and ultimate success.”
G. Nicoghosian, Global Brand Director
Pajar Canada
The Challenge
Headquartered in Montreal, Pajar Canada was planning on opening its first U.S. flagship retail store in Soho, NYC - one of the most prestigious shopping districts in the world - a challenging endeavor to undertake at any time, let alone during a pandemic. Furthermore, this opportunity was critical for Pajar to expand and strengthen its international presence, and the brand turned to Octonano to develop a strategy for success in doing so. As the first of many future retail locations to open worldwide, the launch of Pajar’s Soho store was a particularly significant moment for the company.
The Solution
Octonano started by building a strong sales team for Pajar’s Soho flagship store, including scouting the store manager, sales associates, and visual merchandising team to ensure a successful foundation for the company’s first U.S. retail location. Next, Octonano developed a comprehensive opening strategy for the brand, which included working closely with one of Octonano's PR partners to help promote awareness and assist with a series of dedicated events to boost interest leading up to the grand opening event. Octonano also provided creative direction for the overall social media and digital marketing strategy, including developing a detailed editorial plan for Pajar’s e-Commerce and brick-and-mortar stores to help the company grow and maintain a memorable presence. Octonano then continued to support Pajar’s business development by activating new partnerships and providing ongoing guidance as part of a customized “before-during-after” launch strategy for the brand. This also included the oversight and activation of unique, private in-store shopping experiences at the Soho location to increase brand awareness, foot traffic, and ultimately, boost sales.
The Results
Working in conjunction with one of Octonano's top PR partners, the team was able to garner widespread awareness of Pajar’s US brick-and-mortar shop opening. On October 20th, 2021, Pajar hosted an exclusive opening event to a total attendance of 250 media, influencers, friends of the Pajar brand and consumers, with 28 media attendees from top tier publications such as Complex, Footwear News, Modern Retail and more.
A branded photo booth and gift bags with Pajar accessories and treats paying homage to the brand’s Canadian roots were given to guests.
Several noteworthy influencers shared photo and video content to their combined Instagram audiences of over 1.2 million followers, and media placements covering the event appeared across a range of over 15 publications.
