Australian Wool Innovation’s (AWI) targeted marketing campaigns in China this fall and winter led to $122 million in extra sales of Australian wool.
This marks a 40 percent increase year on year from $87 million in Fall-Winter 2020, AWI said. Purchase intention for Merino wool significantly increased and the consumers who had higher intention rose 87.1 percent, up 22.4 percent from the previous year.
AWI’s acting CEO John Roberts said the results underline the importance of promoting Australian to major consumer markets around the world.
“This is more proof of AWI delivering strong results for Australia’s wool grower by tapping into the world’s most lucrative fashion market– China,” Roberts said.
The biggest selling items were in women’s wear including knitted sweaters and cardigans. The latest campaign highlighted the premium natural qualities and easy style of Merino wool, all with the aim to make Merino wool a coveted apparel fiber for consumers during China’s 2021 winter.
AWI’s wholly owned subsidiary, The Woolmark Company, partnered with TMallto put Merino wool at the front of digitally savvy shoppers’ minds, while further championing the wool products of premium Chinese and international brands. Tmall, which is part of Alibaba Group, is the most visited business-to-consumer online retail website in China and accounts for nearly half of all retail e-commerce sales.
The Woolmark Company’s collaboration with Tmall built on similarly successful joint campaigns in the previous two years. The Woolmark Company also worked with the No.1 live streamer in China, Viya, to host a livestream event on Sept. 27 that was especially popular.
Brand partners included MO&Co., Lily, Eifini, GXG, Dazzle, Edition and Banxiaoxue.
“Planning is already underway to build on this success and to create even more demand for Australian wool,” Roberts added.
In November, The Woolmark Company relaunched its Feel Merino marketing campaign to increase North American consumers’ awareness of Merino wool as a natural fiber that is soft on the skin and ideal for sports, outdoor and leisure pursuits. A key element of the Feel Merino campaign is to drive purchases of commercially available Merino wool performance wear on e-commerce giant Amazon.