Brave New Perspective
Selling shoes seems like a piece of cake. After all, everyone needs shoes, unless you’re lucky enough to live somewhere on the coast of Hawaii or on one of the world’s other warm, sandy beaches, where you can walk barefoot 365 days a year. In our part of the world, according to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, shoes are a basic need – something we absolutely need in order to survive. That sounds like a good starting point for a shoe brand. And if, like Paul Green, you make shoes exclusively for women, you already have a relatively clearly defined target audience.
But we also know that it isn’t (any longer) that simple. That we don’t consume a product simply because of what it is or what it can do, but rather as a reflection of who we are and how we see the world. People don’t just want to buy products; they want ones in which they recognise themselves. This also applies to Paul Green’s female customers.
However, Paul Green is doing well. It is a well-known name in German-speaking countries. A good company with a good product that has always prioritised sustainability in all its forms. And, as the positive reviews from satisfied female customers show, it has always been a loyal companion. Once you’ve worn Paul Green, you won’t want to wear anything else, say existing female customers.
And yet the brand feels as though it’s showing its age. It, too, is feeling the challenges of an increasingly fast-paced and digital world. It lacks a correspondingly young, digital target audience. Furthermore, the market is crowded; shoe brands and retailers are a dime a dozen, to stretch the metaphor mentioned above once more. A new pair of shoes is just a few clicks or steps away for women. Competition is fierce – now even in sustainable shoe production.
That is why we were tasked with working on the brand. To assess its foundations against the spirit of the times and make strategic and design adjustments. The clear objective: to appeal to a younger demographic of female shoppers, to become more digital, and to work on the brand’s ability to resonate – and thus its future viability.
Product > People
The starting point for developing the strategy was clear. Paul Green makes shoes. For women – and no one else. And has always done so. Yet even though women and what drives them have always been an integral part of the business, they never managed to step out of the background. They were lost amidst style, craftsmanship and product attributes. And in the brand’s communications, one rarely saw more of them than their calves. The shoe was the brand. The brand was the shoe. And so the opportunities to generate value were limited.
That is why the time was ripe for a change of perspective: to bring the person behind the product to the fore, to show the whole woman – in all her diversity.
According to cultural anthropologist and strategist Simon Sinek, there are two ways to move people: to manipulate them or to inspire them. The latter is clearly the way to build long-term relationships with one’s customers. And even though it seems logical and simple, it is often the bolder step. Because it requires a company to truly engage with its target audience and their needs. It is this understanding alone that lies at the heart of truly good brand communication and thus forms the basis of its sustainability and growth.
People > Product
Every woman is different; she embodies a different kind of femininity through her actions, her behaviour and her appearance. Shoes play a key role in this. They define our stance. Our posture. The way we walk. They symbolise both a firm footing and a sense of lightness. They have the power to complete an outfit or to tell a completely different story.
As part of the repositioning, a guiding principle was developed that does justice to this diversity. One that leaves room for all the different forms of femininity and promises to accompany women, whatever path they take. To tell their story, their version of it. To make shoes that carry them part of the way. Not simply to be worn. An understanding of the target audience that enables Paul Green, as a brand, to connect with people and allows women to see themselves reflected in the brand, both as customers and as women.
And that also includes respect for the environment. Shoes are, by their very nature, not sustainable. What is needed is precisely the approach that Paul Green has always practised: that sustainability must be conceived beyond the industry’s everyday understanding of the concept. It is not a single USP, but lies in many small details that, together, make a big difference. Buying shoes from Paul Green always means buying into a philosophy. They tell a story of respect and lightness – towards women and the environment.
That is why we have chosen the ‘companion’ as our archetype. Companion brands walk part of the journey alongside their customers. Leading the way, walking side by side as equals, or offering reassurance from behind. Always together – because that makes it easier for both of them.
We have created a brand with a great deal of empathy and a sense of reality. One that does not hold up ideals, but enables people to see themselves reflected in it. By placing itself on an equal footing with its female customers and fostering a strong sense of belonging. A brand that embodies flexibility and adaptability in different life situations. One that supports women’s self-confidence by giving them the feeling that they are on the right path in life and firmly grounded. It finds joy in everyday life and embraces sustainability with ease, without dogma, finger-wagging or barriers. Never aloof, yet discerning. Never loud and brash, but full of humour.
Mein Schuh. Mein Weg.
The slogan adopts the perspective of the woman, not the company. It sums up exactly what is described above – Paul Green aims to accompany women on their journey through life. To celebrate all their facets and their individual interpretation of femininity. To make shoes for women who go further.
In concrete terms, this meant that the brand essence would henceforth be based on three attributes: Respect. Lightness. Femininity. These define the brand’s attitude, actions and aesthetics. They are reflected not only in the products, but also in the tone, visual language and design.
In terms of design, the approach was the same as in the strategy: to strengthen what is already there, change the perspective and make minor refinements.
Whilst the logo has remained unchanged, the new layout grid and typography make the visual identity more in keeping with the spirit of the times and better suited to the digital world. The base colour scheme has also remained the same, as Paul Green has always been green. The subtle tweaking of the colour palette and the addition of a bold neon green skilfully bring the brand into the present. Complemented by a delicate green and a natural shade, we have created a robust modular system for the POS and the digital world.
In terms of communication, the repositioning opens up a wonderful range of possibilities, at the heart of which women and sustainability stand together in all their facets. Content that is as diverse as we women are, and which can be told across the brand’s wide variety of touchpoints (both analogue and digital).
And so the future of Paul Green lies in what has always been there: women and sustainability. Paul Green is convinced that all female customers can only thrive if our environment is thriving too. One depends on the other. We at moodley see it exactly the same way.
Do good and be nice to people – yes it’s that simple. But just so significant.
