The Client
DARI is a local furniture brand that sets out to produce a new line of furniture that stands out, merging local creative designs with innovative production techniques that have only been seen in foreign markets prior. DARI’s furniture is designed to exist in harmony with people’s homes and through a collaboration with local designers and architects, Dari’s aim is to be the change necessary in your home for a novel chapter to take its course.
The Objective
DARI’s mission was to make itself known to its audience. Due to the brand’s already high standard, customers thought that this brand was just another foreign furniture company. However, Dari’s strong point is that it is all LOCAL. Dari brought me on board to create their online strategy and execution to launch to the Maltese market.
My Approach
Digital Marketing Strategy
After getting a good look and feel of the brand, my role involvement began with creating a digital marketing strategy to launch Dari’s first marketing campaign. I also took on the role of project management in which I liaise with different party members such as the content writer, website development team, photographers, and graphic designers, to have all the material in place to launch the campaign.
Communication Strategy
Dari’s successful campaign was titled ‘I am Local’. The reasoning behind this was to emphasise that this brand is made up of a local product despite the fact that the product, designs, and quality characteristics are of a level that is normally associated with a quality foreign import. Our main communication message was that even though the presentation was of such a high standard, the product that Dari is offering is all local. That was their unique standpoint and, I believe that through this campaign, that message stood out.
Merging the Online & the Offline
My go-to strategy was to have both an online and an offline campaign working seamlessly together. The online strategy consisted of search marketing while the offline strategy was communicated through a number of billboards and a radio campaign ad. Both of these tactics were simple but extremely effective to bring the message across that Dari is a local brand.
DARI’s 2022 Radio Advert
‘I’m Local’ Billboard showcased all across Malta
Social Media Strategy
To tie all this together, I set up a social media strategy to introduce Dari’s products one by one and promote them and boost them online for the audience to make their own discovery of the brand. As part of the brand awareness, we also created a number of interview videos of the key people involved in making this brand a success story. The latter also proved successful in humanising the brand.
Paid Advertising
Together with Bullshark, a digital marketing agency, we worked on the PPC and SEO strategy. Together, we identified the keywords that will improve our ranking. The PPC strategy consisted of social media ads and search ads. The keyword strategy was also intense here, classifying keywords as broad match, exact match and phrase match to hit the right audience.
The Results
A brand that understands its needs and how to achieve them
One of our biggest challenges was how to be visible to the right target audience. We wanted to explain the brand’s success to the right people. I overcame this challenge by educating the client and explaining my strategy process. Whenever I take on clients, my aim is for them to understand whatever strategy I am implementing. Education is the key to success.
An increase in leads and customer enquiries
Through the right communication strategy, and also by merging the online and the offline world, customers were increasing and the enquiries kept escalating. The right target audience was being reached and convinced which was Dari’s main aim, to begin with.
Client Testimonial
Gordon has been a great asset to the DARI team. Gordon has been with us through the initial phases of the DARI concept development and also during the initial phases of our launch within the market. A really organised person and manages tasks within his portfolio very well! Through Gordon, we were able to look at things from an external perspective through his ability to put on the table the right questions.
Mark Cassar – Commercial & Brand Manager
Get to Know me
Looking to create your own digital marketing strategy for your brand?
Feel free to ask and reach out for my help!
