SMC x Canopy Estate

Overview:

Canopy Estate is a Toronto-based apparel brand on a mission to celebrate and support wildlife. The company donates 5% of all sales towards wildlife conservation projects in partnership with the International Conservation Fund of Canada (ICFC). This project was led by Senior Project Director; Ishaan Agnihotri, Project Director; Mabel Hong and Consultants; Sabrina Chen, Ella Tran, Daniel Zaika, and Maya Harrison.

Problem:

Canopy Estate sought to better understand Gen Z’s receptiveness to the brand’s concept and the segment’s product expectations in an effort to develop tailored marketing strategies and to assist in product development. Specifically, the brand aimed to gain insights into the segment’s perception and preferences of its cause and product category, expand on its social media plan, and create materials to support a future marketing campaign.

Solution:

SMC developed a comprehensive three-phase approach to this project. During the first phase, the team conducted a detailed market research survey designed to uncover insights into Gen Z consumers’ purchasing behaviors, which garnered over 200 responses. The resulting data was analyzed, and key insights were presented to guide subsequent efforts. In the second phase, these insights were translated into actionable recommendations for engaging the target audience effectively through social media platforms and the client’s website. Finally, SMC brought these strategies to life by producing tailored e- commerce and social media assets, including a photoshoot, all informed by the insights and findings from the earlier phases.

Impact:

The project equipped Canopy Estate with a deeper understanding of its customer base, enabling the brand to align its marketing efforts with audience preferences, validate internal assumptions, and overall inform future decision-making. The team also doubled Canopy Estate’s inventory of branded photos that will be utilized across platforms