"20% year-on-year growth and No. 1 sales contributor in the group, driven by brand partnerships that changed how people saw Very." 

The Challenge 

Very was a newly launched fashion and homeware brand facing a big ask, to deliver ambitious growth targets while offsetting the decline of the group’s more traditional brand, Littlewoods. 

The challenge? Although Very was fully online, consumer perception was still weighed down by old-school catalogue associations and a “finance-first” image. If the brand remained seen as a last-resort credit option, it risked capping its audience and damaging long-term brand equity. 

The Solution 

The approach focused on redefining Very’s voice and appeal - elevating it into a brand people genuinely wanted to shop with, not just one they could. 

First, we honed the tone across all channels, ensuring every touchpoint worked to build cumulative desirability. We deepened our understanding of the core audience, keeping it broad enough for growth, but focused enough to hit the sweet spot between aspiration and accessibility. 

We then mapped out a strategy of developing high-impact partnerships, bringing on the right names to transfer credibility and style to the Very brand. That included celebrities like Fearne Cotton, Holly Willoughby, Kimberley Walsh, and Coleen Rooney, plus smart brand tie-ins with GHD and media partners like Cosmopolitan. Our V Festival partnership helped position Very right in the middle of mainstream style culture. 

The Results 

The impact was rapid. Within a year, Very achieved 20% year-on-year growth, hitting ambitious stretch targets. It quickly became the top sales contributor within the group. 

Most importantly, brand perception shifted significantly.  Appeal among our target audience increased by more than 10 percentage points, proving the strategy had landed exactly where we needed it to.