PopLush Embroidery Case Study

Meet our first business, Studio MME: a perfectly decent embroidery kit company that was slowly dying of blandness. We had quality products, happy customers, and absolutely ZERO memorable brand presence.

The brutal reality check:

• Stagnating sales despite quality products
• Invisible in retail environments filled with other craft kits
• Missing opportunities with customers who would absolutely LOVE us... if they could find us
• No emotional connection between our brand and our badass customers

Working with Lucky Break Consulting, we dove deep into understanding who was actually buying our stuff. What we discovered was both embarrassing and exciting.

The jaw-dropping revelation: Our customers were roller derby queens, comic book lovers, and David Bowie fans. Basically, they were the coolest humans on the planet and our brand looked like it was designed by someone's boring accountant uncle!

The customer insights that changed everything:

• They loved bright colors, stripes, and blue hair dye
• They craved community and wanted to feel part of something special
• They were intimidated by learning new crafts but excited about the challenge
• They wanted to support businesses that "got" them

The uncomfortable truth: We were attracting amazing humans and then disappointing them with our vanilla brand experience.

Move #1: The Great Visual Revolution

We threw our boring brand in the trash and built something that actually matched our customers' energy.

The transformation:

• Bold purple and orange color palette (because life's too short for beige!)
• Comic book-inspired typography that screamed personality
• Custom icons like megaphobes and "POW!" graphics
• Website redesign that actually showcased our products like the art they were

Move #2: Packaging That Punches You in the Face (In a Good Way!)

While everyone else was playing it safe with brown Kraft boxes, we decided to be the purple unicorn in a field of cardboard ponies.

The packaging revolution:

• Signature purple packaging that screamed "PICK ME!" from store shelves
• Cellophane wrapping so customers could see the gorgeous contents
• Kit papers that opened into full tutorials (packaging AS education!)
• Huge photos of finished pieces to fuel anticipation and excitement

Move #3: The Supply Chain Glow-Up

We realized we were sourcing supplies like everyone else, which meant we were stuck with everyone else's limitations and costs.

The strategic sourcing shake-up:

• Partnered with beloved independent thread suppliers (instant community cred!)
• Sourced directly from overseas factories (30% cost reduction!)
• Created exclusive club patterns using excess inventory (waste = profit!)
• Built relationships that felt authentic to our brand values

Move #4: Making Crafting Less Scary (The IKEA Approach)

New crafters were terrified to try embroidery, which meant we were losing potential fans before they even started.

The confidence-building arsenal:

• Step-by-step visual guides inspired by IKEA and Lego instructions
• Pre-printed full-color patterns on fabric (instant confidence boost!)
• Online video tutorials for visual learners
• Infographics that made complex stitches feel achievable

Move #5: The Fan Club Experience

We wanted customers to feel like they'd joined a secret society of cool crafters, not just bought a product.

The community-building strategy:

• Weekly emails featuring customer interviews and finished projects
• Polls letting fans vote on upcoming designs (democracy in action!)
• Physical achievement certificates with online orders (because who doesn't love gold stars?!)
• Consistent unboxing experiences that felt like getting presents from your coolest friend