Zulu Mien
A Strategy for Purpose-Driven Growth
My Role: Brand Strategist & UX Designer
Team:
Duan Johan Jacobs
Malebo Mokgalaka
Mark Hefer
Mpoi Matete
Ronan-Charles Wall Pereira
Tyla Roxanne Hutchison
2024
Understanding the Problem
The Challenge
Zulu Mien, a social enterprise with a powerful mission to empower rural women artisans, suffered from low digital visibility and inconsistent storytelling, failing to connect with an audience that deeply values authenticity and social impact.
The Business Goal
To increase brand visibility and awareness by 27% and boost customer loyalty by 18% within the first year of implementation.
The User Problem
Ethically-conscious consumers were unable to discover the compelling human stories behind the jewelry, preventing them from forming a deeper, value-based connection with the brand they would otherwise champion.
My Work Begins
Discovery & Insight
Our analysis revealed a critical disconnect: Zulu Mien’s greatest asset was its authentic story of cultural preservation and the empowerment of its artisans. However, its marketing was product-centric and its digital presence was minimal, rendering the brand’s unique value proposition invisible in a competitive market.
The Strategy & Key Decision
My strategy was to pivot the entire brand narrative from the jewelry to the jewelers. The key decision was to build the activation around the core concept, "The Hands Behind the Jewels," making the artisans the heroes of the story. This approach was designed to forge a powerful, emotional connection that luxury product shots alone could not achieve.
The Solution
The final solution is a multi-channel brand activation designed for clarity and impact. It includes a redesigned, immersive website with a dedicated "Women Behind the Jewelry" section, a targeted social media campaign under the "Makers Matter" slogan, and a loyalty program that transparently connects customer support to tangible community impact.
Takeaway
Impact
The strategic plan was designed to deliver clear, measurable business value.
Lesson Learned
This project reinforced a foundational principle: for mission-based brands, the why behind the product is a more powerful strategic asset than the what. By elevating the artisans' stories, we turned a simple transaction into a meaningful contribution.
© 2025
Duan Jacobs
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