Michaels, North America's largest arts and crafts retailer found themselves losing market share to competitors that leaned on cost and convenience. Michaels needed to transform from a transactional brand driven by promotions, to a bold new brand for creatives who wanted more than coupons or faceless online superstores.
Michaels needed to be here for the Makers.
Makers loved to make but lacked a sense of community in a hobby that felt increasingly isolated in a modern digital world. With its massive country-wide footprint, we knew that Michaels was uniquely positioned to connect and champion. So, instead of just highlighting their own prices like everybody was doing, their huge spotlight turned to the people who transform regular supplies into one-of-a-kind, amazing pieces of artwork.
Under the tagline ‘Made By You,’ R/GA Austin created a holistic brand platform centered around makers. A new design system driven by actual, attributed maker art rolled out in the store, website, print ads and even coupons. Real makers and their real spaces were the face and voice of the video campaign and interactive Instagram stories even let audiences virtually create their projects with the tap of a finger.
The diversity in the crafting community paired well with accurate targeting to ensure that audiences received relevant and inspirational content based on their interests from fine art to jewelry to papercrafting and more. The platform completely transformed the look and voice of Michaels from the bottom up because supplies are just supplies until they get into the glitter-dusted hands of a maker with an idea.
