Stripe & Stare has expanded its sales from roughly £4 million to around £15 million in just over two years, but its next hurdle involves shifting from customer acquisition to brand recognition before shoppers even begin searching for underwear.
Andrew Boddy, the company’s growth director, identified the core issue early: most buyers discovered Stripe & Stare only after searching online rather than through organic brand awareness. “We’ve got the confidence now that the product’s good and customers love us once they’re in our world,” he says. “We just didn’t have enough people in our world who were aware of our world.”
Instead, the brand expanded into podcasts, printed catalogues, affiliate marketing, influencer partnerships, and—most importantly—video and streaming services.
Data confirmed the need for change. Tracking revealed that despite 40% year-over-year sales growth, marketing efforts had not reached the majority of potential customers. “We’re growing consistently about 40 per cent on the year every year, and we’re not even where the mass majority of people are,” Boddy says. “So what if we create something that is cut-through enough and punchy enough for a smaller scale-up brand like ourselves, but is in the place where, in terms of fishing, it’s a very rich pool of people?”
Rejecting Perfection: The ‘For All of You’ Campaign
Instead, it adopts the contradictions, frustrations, and everyday realities of women’s lives, what Boddy terms the “multitudes.” “Everyone talks a good game,” he says. “Everyone will say they’re for women. They’ll say they want to give you confidence or whatever it may be. And then the reality, the execution, how it comes to life, is perfection again. It’s amazing lighting. It’s an unbelievably glamorous Hollywood star.
For All of You serves as more than a campaign; it is intended as a long-term platform shaping Stripe & Stare’s identity for years. This consistency also simplifies marketing. Every influencer deal, digital ad, or in-store display now aligns with the same core message, eliminating the need for constant reinvention.
Measurement remains a cornerstone of the strategy. Unlike many challenger brands struggling with attribution, Stripe & Stare maintains a disciplined approach: track what delivers results. Partnerships focus on shared values, such as a wellness podcaster linking products to self-care routines, rather than superficial reach.
Why Underwear Marketing Demands Emotional Storytelling
Boddy asks.
Brand awareness remains the ultimate objective. Boddy’s goal is for Stripe & Stare to rank among the first three names consumers consider for underwear, alongside M&S, Calvin Klein, or Victoria’s Secret. “Top spot would be the dream,” he admits.
Unlike traditional lingerie ads, often relying on aspirational imagery or celebrity endorsements, Stripe & Stare now prioritizes relatability. Recent campaigns feature real women discussing underwear choices in everyday settings, avoiding glamour shots or retouching in favor of unfiltered conversations about comfort, confidence, and daily practicalities.
This served as a testbed for translating its messaging into in-store experiences. Unlike conventional lingerie shops, often dominated by visual product displays, the pop-up featured interactive elements, including a “confession booth” where customers could anonymously share underwear-related frustrations or successes.
