Helping Ankorstore champion the UK high street

An integrated campaign helping Ankorstore position itself as a leading independent retailer advocate in the UK

Introduction

Ankorstore connects brands and creators with independent retailers across Europe. It tasked Clarity to build a campaign with purpose, tied back to its objectives and Clarity delivered.

The Challenge

The team was raring to drive positive impact for a real issue they see every day. The ongoing polycrises have crippled the UK high street, with 47 shops closing per day in 2022. Ankorstore is fighting back against this by ‘Rewilding Retail’, restoring the retail ecosystem by supporting independent retailers in a competitive market by connecting them with brands that will help them stand out.

From a business perspective, Ankorstore also wanted to drive UK brands to sign up to, and list stock on Ankorstore, as well as increasing sales of brand stock to independent retailers in the UK through the platform.

Our Strategy & Solution

Small retailers are the lifeblood of our economy, and Clarity needed to support ‘Rewilding Retail’ with a strategy delivering tangible support, not just for now but long-term. The comms strategy would:

Get independent retailers 

Who are concerned about their future 

To see Ankorstore as platform enabling their growth and resilience 

By establishing it as the brand championing, and helping to save, the struggling UK high street

Clarity and Ankorstore gathered the critical consumer trends independent retailers needed to survive, amplifying these insights through mediums that inspired retailers, and engaged consumers, about the state of British retail. And who better to spearhead this initiative than Queen of the High Street, Mary Portas. Clarity liaised with Mary to help Ankorstore become a champion of its cause, further elevating its key messages and brand trust.

The team embarked on a PR campaign with a steady drumbeat of launch moments to ensure this news wouldn’t drop from the agenda or consumers’ consciousness. ‘Quiet periods’ weren’t an option in the face of a stark, and worsening, situation for retailers.

The first launch communicated Ankorstore’s mission and the appointment of Mary Portas. All additional launches tied to topical consumer insight reports for retailers, raising awareness of the high street’s current state, highlighting problems while providing real solutions for retailers, alongside giving consumers actionable understanding around retailers’ plight. 

Data engaged media between launches to retain a drumbeat of conversation tied to key events, like the Autumn Statement and the start of the cost-of-living crisis. Ankorstore GM Tarun Gidoomal was the campaign’s spokesperson alongside Mary Portas, further building trust in Ankorstore, with Gidoomal quoted as an expert across radio, national and regional press, and trade media.  

Reflecting the environment experienced by independent retailers, the campaign needed to remain flexible to provide its audience with the most timely insights, navigating challenges like the media black-out during the Queen’s mourning period which coincided with a key launch moment. Data that was supposed to be launched at a roundtable during the period was repurposed into two timely press launches once the mourning period ended, allowing Ankorstore to communicate key messages to broad and targeted audiences despite the circumstances.

Stemming from the research and partnership with Mary Portas, the team advocated for the survival of the high street via:

• Five press announcements from July to November 2022, launching five reports produced by Clarity 
• A four-part branded YouTube video series hosted by Mary Portas, highlighting independent retailers’ real-life stories, amplified via organic social campaigns
• Sponsorship of a season of Mary Portas’ podcast series Beautiful Misfits, amplified via organic social campaigns. Beautiful Misfits tells the stories of those who don’t accept the status quo, including small retailers using their unique offerings to create a better future
• A webinar The Future of Independent British Retail hosted by The Retail Gazette, Ankorstore and Mary Portas, to provide interactive, actionable insight to audiences

Impact 

The integrated campaign meant in a five-month period Ankorstore consistently communicated its key messaging around the plight of the high street to broad audiences, while providing independent retailers with insight and solutions to enable resilience. 

All tying back to the objectives, Clarity was proud to make a real difference with Ankorstore including:

• Broad awareness and key message penetration through PR amplification: 923 total pieces achieved including 23 national pieces, 776 radio segments and 31 articles in SMB publications.
• Industry engagement with data-lead thought leadership: 858 report downloads, and 380 attendees at The Future of Independent British Retail webinar.
• Engaging audiences through quality content on owned channels: 4.5K views and 202 engagements of the four-part YouTube series, which elevated four independent retailers. 
• Brand trust through quality insight from campaign spokespeople: Mary Portas or Ankorstore’s Tarun Gidoomal quoted in 47% of press coverage.

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