KUIU Expands International Marketing Reach With ESW
The outdoor performance brand has a DTC presence in 37 international markets, with plans to enter South America
KUIU’s taste for adventure and exploration is visible both in its product line and corporate strategy. The outdoor performance brand, known for its hunting gear and apparel, has renewed its partnership with ESW, a leading direct-to-consumer ecommerce company. The deal will propel KUIU’s global DTC marketing outreach to 37 international markets.
Founded in 2011, KUIU saw early success in North America, mainly targeting hunters with its products ranging anywhere from t-shirts to binocular harnesses. The brand eventually started to eye international expansion but lacked the technology and infrastructure to do so efficiently, first tapping ESW for its expertise in 2017.
ESW was instrumental in applying a more seamless purchasing experience for KUIU customers. This included adding a solution that ensured shoppers in each market get a domestic-equivalent brand experience online through a localized checkout. The ecommerce brand also added market-appropriate currency displays, locally recognized payment methods and displayed transparent duties and taxes to eliminate hidden fees.
“ESW has acted as an extension of the KUIU team and has been integral to our international expansion,” said Christy Ansari, KUIU chief sales and planning officer of ultralight hunting. “ESW was as invested as we were in making our international marketing programs as successful as possible. Having them onboard meant that we could leverage the ESW team’s years of experience and technology to enter new markets efficiently, effectively and at pace.”
KUIU extended the partnership once already in 2022 to include ESW’s demand-generation and marketing services to manage customer acquisition and retention. ESW then targeted English-speaking shoppers in Germany, Austria, France, Spain, Switzerland, Belgium and Norway, and also added social media, search and online campaign advertising to grow brand awareness, support customer acquisition and deliver conversions.
The brands re-upping their deal was a no-brainer. According to KUIU, ESW has delivered a 6.5x ROI for the outdoor performance brand. Moving forward, demand generation activity will encompass email marketing, outlet and free shipping thresholds. KUIU also plans to expand into the South American market in 2024.
“Having a robust global DTC solution is critical for brands hoping to take market share in an increasingly competitive sector,” added Martim Oliveira Avillez, ESW chief revenue officer. “We’re delighted to see the success KUIU is having and to partner with them for the next phase of their international growth.”