Challenge:

SIGNA Sports United North American, Bike was established in the US in the spring of 2022 with the vision to be the most profitable single-source ecosystem for all quality bicycling needs. Phase one included:

• Launching US DTC websites for Vitus bikes and Nukeproof bikes in addition to the Hotlines US B2B site

• Driving brand awareness for Nukeproof & Vitus

• Creating content for brand familiarity and SEO

• Acquiring first-party data/lead gen

Despite exceeding goals in the first 10 months, the US headquarters was shut down along with numerous UK and European businesses due to the SIGNA Holding company reneging on a €150M commitment. Though it was shorted lived, it was an amazingly productive and rewarding period of time with an extraordinary team.

How I was instrumental:

• Lead a creative/content team that worked closely with the our counterparts in the UK

• Implemented processes and procedures including sourcing project management and DAM tools to ensure team efficiency and success

• Oversaw brand consistency for Nukeproof, Vitus, Hotlines and SSU NAM, Bike with intent to bring on additional brands and entities

• Partnered with global brand managers in the UK to build “Global consistency, local authenticity”

• Established new, elevated international standards for photo and video storytelling

• Collaborated with multiple photographers, videographers, and content creators to ensure they would align with each brand’s aesthetic

• The US team assumed responsiblity for all US/UK website copy and blogs for higher quality standards and SEO

• Used our brands and products as canvasses for unique, entertaining, and enticing artwork, creating word-of-mouth buzz and social sharing, drawing global impressions and organic storytelling.

Results:

Contrary to global bike industry trends and after just 10 months of operations, SSU NAM Bike concluded its first fiscal year in September 2023 with combined top-line revenues at 106% of goal and 100% budgeted GPM contribution, while marketing expenses came in >20% under budget. Starting in December 2022 with little to no domestic brand awareness and next to no familiarity compared with competitor brands, Nukeproof and Vitus were firmly established as significant contenders in road, mountain, and gravel segments: Vitus secured the top place in digital market share among its closest competitors Fezzari and Ventum, while recent US and international search demand for Nukeproof outpaced that of rival brands Transition, Pivot, and Rocky Mountain.

The NAM marketing team played a substantial role in both domestic and global marketing and commercial successes with abundant, high-quality content and creative that have secured top rankings in the brands’ social media channels as well as a significant count of earned coverage in dominant global bike media: 132 articles for Nukeproof, 120 for Vitus. This “trickle-up” effect on international marketing drove not only greater international awareness and consideration, but rapid and enviable domestic SEO lift for eventual lower CAC and reduced paid channels’ spend. Based on their results and skills, as well as global project management and collaborative teamwork, the US-based marketing team facilitated international efficiency and scalability for globally utilized rich content, copywriting, blogs, PR, and social media. The team was responsible for all Vitus copywriting and significant Nukeproof product launch copy for endemic media. US-based sports and ambassador marketing drove the year’s top-ranked social posts and engagement for both brands, with Kyle Strait’s “I’m fine” becoming Vitus’ 2023 best-performing video at >20k views, and the Nukeproof Digger video, “Unnecessary but Awesome,” ranking among the brand’s all-time best performers with >91k views in just 3 weeks. Strong relationships with media, 3rd-party creatives, athletes, and retailers – alongside distinctive and unique content like Vitus’ pop-art and Natural Light bikes – made Nukeproof and Vitus, and by extension SSU NAM, more trusted, respected, and demanded brands for consumers and businesses, both locally and globally.