SITUATION

lululemon is the world’s 4th biggest sports apparel brand. It’s famous for its yoga pants, instrumental in establishing yogawear as a staple in women’s wardrobes, now a $32B category.

By 2021 lululemon gained more market share globally than any rival.

In 2022, it announced plans to double revenue by 2026 to $12.5B

One product was at the center of everything: the Align leggings – the “gateway” for new customers.

Then the “dupes” trend hit, and everything changed.

BRIEF

Change the story and make the brand special again with an earned-first idea.

OBJECTIVES

Business

- Protect revenue by neutralizing the “dupe” threat to the $1B Align franchise

Marketing

- Create a localized catalyst of 500 socially-savvy women choosing genuine lululemon leggings over dupes to reach the broader population via earned and social

Communications

- Drive reappraisal and shift national conversation from “dupes are just as good” to “nothing beats lululemon.”

Creative Insight: You got duped by a dupe. And we can prove it.

Earned Idea: lululemon #DupeSwap

lululemon challenged dupe-culture head-on with the first ever “Dupe Swap”, giving young buyers a chance to experience the quality and comfort of a product they typically covet from afar, while exposing dupes as poor imitators.

We put aside 500 pairs of Aligns and sent out a challenge over social media: come and feel the difference for yourself by trading in a pair of off-brand dupes for legitimate Align leggings.

Meeting target audience where they were, the disruptive, IRL try-on experience in a key local market (Los Angeles) rippled out and multiplied online across the US. In doing so, it changed the conversation across social and earned media and reverberated across culture. The brand bet big on consumers’ ability to see, feel, and recognize the elevated quality of its products – and it won.

Insight:

Once, the coolest girl was the one who could spend the most. Today it’s the one who can save the most.

We needed to both play into this trend and simultaneously prove that lululemon is the exception to the rule.

Key Message:

We stand by the feel, fit and quality of our Aligns, so we’re willing to put any other legging to the test. Because when you buy dupes, lululemon isn’t the only one getting duped—you are too.

Target Audience:

Gen Z and Millennial “cool girls.”

Aged 18-35

They are at the forefront of the latest trends, spending around $100 a month on apparel, combining athleticwear and elevated pieces to create their own look.

Heavy social users, they are inspired by TikTok and Instagram influencers.

92% of “cool girls” make purchases based on influencer recommendations.

Assets:

• Event flyer, hero visual

• Event imagery

• B-roll and social content

There were five key elements:

1. SEED. Engage media and influencers. Embargoed outreach to select national media, along with influencers and brand ambassadors generated initial interest.

2. HYPE. Build public excitement. Embargo lifted one week before and the story gained traction with media – HypeBae, Teen Vogue, GMA. Owned channels amplified the activation.

3. PREVIEW. Influencers increase anticipation by showing their followers what’s in store. Local media and a group of influencers were invited in before the public to cover the event and share their experiences with followers.

4. ACTIVATE. Open to the public. Every element was designed for shareability, from the moment they got in line to when they left, guests were the voice of the activation and helped generate a groundswell of conversation.

5. RE-ENGAGE. Keep the momentum going. Social conversation continued the story and offered an opportunity to re-engage media via post-event interviews and sharing key assets.

Business results

*See confidential section

Marketing results

Thousands came. Many camped overnight. Thousands were turned away.

1,000 swapped dupes, 2x the target

56% of participants were new/lapsed customers

Afterward, many visited the nearby Century City store.

Stores sales increased X%* (see confidential)

Comms results

Drove reappraisal from “dupes are just as good” to “nothing beats lululemon.”

+8% increase in perception of product leadership related to leggings

+7% increase in perception as “stylish/fashionable”

Increased brand awareness and familiarity.

+X% increase in online brand engagement* (see confidential)

3x organic search increase for Align

Generated national conversation in favor of lululemon versus dupes.

#1 SOV in dupes conversation, from 27% to 60% vs. target of 50%

230+ earned placements vs. target of 75

1.7B earned media impressions vs. target of 1B

3.6m views of owned social content