Case Study
OluKai and Podean use Amazon Ads products to improve brand visibility on Amazon
Goals
- Maximize effectiveness on Amazon
- Overcome warehouse limitations
Approach
- Identified products for direct sales and optimized listings
- Created a phased integration strategy for Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, and Amazon DSP
- Elevated brand visibility using over-the-top video campaigns
Results
- 46% year-over-year increase in total sales
- 37% year-over-year increase in ad-attributed sales
When it comes to offering customers craftsmanship and comfort, premium footwear company OluKai “walks the walk.” To make their products more accessible across the globe, OluKai recognized that enhancing their visibility on Amazon could help them reach a broader audience.
To get started, the company needed to move away from relying on third-party distributors by establishing a direct sales channel on Amazon. However, this shift required expertise in content and advertising integration to overcome challenges such as product selection, warehouse limitations, and listing optimization. In May 2021, OluKai chose to work with Amazon Ads partner Podean to help navigate these complexities and maximize their effectiveness on Amazon in the U.S. and Canada.
Driving sales with a phased advertising approach
To successfully launch the brand on Amazon, OluKai and Podean began with a comprehensive analysis of OluKai’s product catalog and warehousing capabilities. The companies needed to balance demand and logistical constraints to identify the right products for OluKai’s direct sales channel. Once they selected the products, they optimized the listings to meet retail standards and began using sponsored ads to drive immediate sales.
As the campaign progressed, Podean and OluKai learned more about their audience’s shopping behaviors. This made it possible to achieve a strategic, phased implementation of different Amazon Ads products tailored for specific objectives. The companies first established a strong foundation using Sponsored Products and Sponsored Brands to boost product and brand visibility, then seamlessly integrated Amazon DSP to focus on reaching relevant audiences. After these methods solidified OluKai’s presence on Amazon, they further elevated the brand’s visibility, engagement, and immersion by activating over-the-top (OTT) video campaigns.
Finally, Podean’s marketing strategy employed continual optimization, particularly as OluKai launched new products. The partner dynamically adjusted their approach to align OluKai’s advertising mix with the unique characteristics and goals of each product. By adapting the strategy to accommodate new additions, OluKai and Podean maximized the impact of the campaigns and capitalized on the diversity of OluKai’s product range.
The precision of Amazon DSP helped us to reach the right audiences at the right time, which significantly boosted engagement and conversion rates. This strategic move underscored the importance of evolving our approach as the campaign progressed. It’s not just about being on Amazon; it’s about using the right tools at the right time to elevate your brand and drive meaningful results.
— Beth Thorp, vice president of nation sales, OluKai
Delivering long-term brand growth
By continually optimizing and adapting OluKai’s advertising strategy, Podean helped the brand remain dynamic and responsive in the evolving landscape. As a result, by 2024, OluKai’s total sales increased by 46% year-over-year (YoY), and their ad-attributed sales increased by 37% YoY.1
The successful campaign with OluKai created a blueprint for Podean to use with future clients. Podean has adopted transitioning their clients from basic to advanced advertising tactics as a standard process, and they plan to tailor this approach to each client’s unique needs to help them achieve a strong and sustainable presence on Amazon.
We’ve found unparalleled success in our Amazon Ads approach by partnering with a team that truly comprehends the intricate dance between retail, content, and advertising. Choosing a partner with deep and wide expertise not only delivered outstanding results but also became a cornerstone for internal education and strategic planning within our marketing team.
— Beth Thorp, vice president of nation sales, OluKai
1 Podean, US, 2024