Challenge

Matas – the leading Danish beauty and wellness retail chain – wanted to formulate a strong purpose, as Matas experienced increased competition and wanted a more up-to-date position in the market. The ambition was to create a purpose that would give strategic direction and resonate both internally and externally among customers, suppliers and influencers.

Approach

Maple gained insight into Matas’ self-perception through workshops and interviews with employees – from shop floor to senior management – and we carried out in-depth interviews with customers, suppliers and leading influencers within beauty, health and wellbeing. Based on the insights from the fieldwork, as well as workshops with key stakeholders, we formulated a new purpose and strategic focus areas for Matas.

Result

The project resulted in the purpose ‘Skønhed er en følelse’ (beauty is a feeling) as well as focus areas for the further development of Matas. In the Autumn 2018 the purpose was launched in a nationwide campaign ‘Skønnere sammen’ (beautiful together) centered around the key message that beauty is a feeling, which has been followed by ambitious changes in Matas’ communication, including Matas CSR platform.

“The dynamics in the retail sector are constantly changing – and both the global and local competition intensify day by day. This requires both a strong strategic foundation for your business and constant agility.  Working with Maple as a strategic partner has been a true gift to Matas’ strategic journey. The development of a strong purpose that resonates with customers, employees and investors has helped Matas to prepare itself for a new generation of retailers and e-tailers, technology driven opportunities and not least the ongoing radical mindset shift, particularly among young global costumers.”

Elisabeth Toftmann Klintholm, Head of Investor Relations and Strategy, Matas A/S