In today’s technology driven world, a brand’s online presence is crucial to their overall success. To strategize effectively, social media analytics are evaluated to make informed business decisions. These metrics allow companies to connect with their consumers on a deeper level and to target an appropriate audience.

Taking off in 1960 as a reliable work boot manufacturer, Dr. Martens is a lifestyle footwear brand that strives to “empower rebellious self expression.” Music subcultures of the 70s adopted the brand as a symbol for anti-establishment and authenticity, creating the brand’s image that is known today. While some styles have come and gone, the iconic 1460 boot design has remained the same. Because of their dedication to the brand’s history, Dr. Martens focuses on organic engagement to gain traffic to their site. According to Similarweb, 70% of their keyword advertisements are organic.

The brand seems to prioritize a more generic advertising strategy to cater to all genders and ages. Because of the brand’s age and reputation as an alternative, versatile apparel choice, Dr. Martens’ website traffic is predominantly achieved through direct searching. To cater toward their largest age demographic, 25-34 year olds, the brand uses YouTube as their main social media platform.

Recently, the brand has launched a campaign to target a younger crowd. Their Valentine’s Day collection features pink detailing and bows, which is trending heavily among Gen Z. The success of this decision can be seen when comparing the metrics for some of their recent Instagram posts.

The first post made for this collection was a fifteen second video featuring the shoes as entree options with the caption stating, “This dinner is serving.” The combined used of Gen Z slang and trendy embellishments proved to be a hit. This post received 103,197 likes and 909 comments, which is amongst their highest.

Image via Instagram

The next post for this campaign was made eight days later. This time, only an image was posted that featured one style of shoe for the collection. This post received 32,770 likes and 194 comments.

The four posts made between the two shown above had a combination of 26,749 likes and 119 comments. These posts returned to the brand’s typical product and model photoshoots. From these metrics, Dr. Martens can determine what types of collections might be popular in the near future and begin planning potential collaborations proactively. Introducing products that differ from the brand’s predictable look could do very well based on this Valentine’s collection.

Because Dr. Martens values the importance of authenticity and rebellion, taking their products and campaigns to a greater extreme may pay off by catering to the more creative, expressive side of their demographic.

To further encourage engagement and gain trust from followers, the brand has room to communicate more directly with commenters. On the posts above, the Dr. Martens account rarely replies to comments, if ever. Increasing 2-way communication is a simple change that would likely result in greater engagement. Letting the consumers know they’re being heard by participating in the conversation is an easy step to take, especially in those boots.