Freakins SEO & Marketing Strategy Explained

Brand Overview

Freakins, founded in 2021 by Shaan Shah and Puneet Sehgal, is a Mumbai-based, direct-to-consumer (D2C) denim wear brand that targets the Gen Z audience. With a mantra of "Embrace the Unconventional" or "Dare to Experiment", the brand aims to disrupt the denim market by offering a constant rotation of trendy, comfortable, and unique denim styles, including jeans, skirts, jackets, and more. In 2023, Freakins garnered significant attention by appearing on Shark Tank India Season 2, securing investment from Vineeta Singh.

Overall Marketing Goals & Objectives

• Sales: Drive conversions via D2C site, Amazon, Myntra, and quick commerce platforms like Zepto and Swiggy Instamart
• Visibility: Maintain top rankings for denim keywords (cargo pants, wide leg jeans) and expand into other trending categories like corset tops, co-ord sets, and denim skirts
• Awareness: Boost brand visibility and relatability through influencer collaborations featuring new categories like tops and dresses
• Reach: Use social media platforms to spotlight new categories like tops, skirts, and co-ords through content, reels, and influencer-led lookbooks
• Engagement: Encourage UGC and styling content around full outfits pairing corset tops, dresses, and co-ords with denim staples, amplified via existing influencer partnerships
• Relevance: Maintain trend-first positioning by featuring weekly drops of non-denim styles like graphic tees, bodycon dresses, and cargo skirts
• Optimization: Use data to identify top-performing styles, improve targeting, and personalize offers across product categories

Marketing Channels used by Freakins

Freakins, primarily a direct-to-consumer (D2C) brand targeting Gen Z, leverages a diverse set of marketing channels to reach its audience and drive growth.

1. Digital Marketing

• Social Media Marketing: Heavily relies on platforms like Instagram, utilizing influencer marketing and Gen Z-centric content to build brand affinity and drive engagement
• Influencer Marketing: Partners with popular social media influencers like Tarini Shah, Agastya Shah, and Apoorva Makhija to promote collections and engage with the target audience. These partnerships are crucial for building trust and authenticity with the GenZ demographic
• Content Marketing: Focuses on creating engaging, relatable content that reflects the brand's bold and unconventional personality, such as reels showcasing creator journeys and user-generated content
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Actively works to increase organic website traffic for high-intent fashion keywords in the denim and apparel space
• E-commerce & Marketplaces: Sells through its own website, functioning as a D2C channel, and also has a presence on major online marketplaces like Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, Ajio, and potentially others
• Quick Commerce: Explores partnerships with quick commerce platforms like Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart to offer faster delivery options and cater to the convenience-driven preferences of its target audience
• Keyword Analysis for Freakins India: 

• Meta Ads Strategy: Freakins runs performance-driven Meta ads with punchy, Gen Z-friendly copy and lo-fi video content. From denim staples to trending styles, each ad leans into relatability, emojis, and personality designed to convert while feeling native to the scroll

2. Traditional Marketing

• OOH Advertising: Utilizes billboards, such as the prominent display at Mumbai's Haji Ali junction, They also experimented with interactive billboards in Mumbai, which displayed dynamic reels from creators and included unique coupon codes to drive engagement with their Instagram and YouTube channels

• Creator-led Billboard Campaign: Creator-led billboard campaign: Freakins put popular content creators on real billboards in major cities then got those same creators to post photos or videos in front of their own billboards, tagging Freakins and hyping the moment. It blended OOH advertising with social media virality. In short, Freakins turned a traditional format (billboards) into a UGC goldmine by making creators the stars on and off the hoarding. It’s hype meets OOH meets influencer strategy
• Offline Retail: Has begun its offline expansion with exclusive brand outlets (EBOs) in Mumbai, specifically in the Bandra and Borivali neighborhoods. They have also opened an offline store in Central Mall, Newtown, Kolkata. The brand plans to open more EBOs in other major cities like Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Bengaluru where it has strong market penetration. Freakins is also exploring pop-ups, kiosks, and multi-brand outlet (MBO) partnerships to further strengthen its omnichannel presence

Freakins India: Estimated Marketing Channel Percentage Mix

Digital Marketing (70-85%)

• Social Media Marketing (including Influencer Marketing): Likely 25-35%
• Performance Marketing (Paid Search, Social Ads): Likely 20-30%
• Content Marketing & SEO: Likely 10-15%
• E-commerce & Marketplaces: Likely 5-10%
• Quick Commerce: Likely 2-5%
• Email Marketing & CRM: Likely 3-5% 

Traditional Marketing (15-30%)

• Out-of-Home (OOH) Advertising: Likely 5-10%
• Offline Retail (Experiential Marketing): Likely 10-20%
• Events & Activations: Minimal allocation (Likely 1-3%)
• Print Media: Minimal allocation (Likely 0-2%) 

Results & Impact

• Growth: Freakins reported ₹10.4 crore in revenue for FY22 with over 2.5 lakh orders since launch. Post its Shark Tank India appearance, the brand scaled to ₹22–23 crore in FY23, fulfilling 1 lakh+ orders that year. With a standout ROAS of 8× (₹12L spend → ₹1.05Cr revenue in Sept ’22), Freakins now aims to hit ₹100 crore by end-2025
• Funding & Valuation: Backed by ₹4M from Matrix Partners and Blume Ventures, Freakins is currently valued at ₹186 crore. (notes Z47)
• Market Position: Operates in a highly competitive denim market against established international brands and other D2C brands
• Media Coverage: Received features for funding rounds, collaborations, and innovations, like introducing "Safe Fashion" with sterilized packaging in 2020
• Reach & Engagement: A collaboration campaign achieved over 20 million views, according to Finnet Media showcasing effective creator marketing and engagement with Gen Z. Achieved 208x clicks per month in 7 months via SEO

What Worked & Why

• Influencer Marketing & Gen Z Focus: Leveraging social media influencers and creators to build authentic connections and drive brand affinity with the Gen Z demographic. Influencer partnerships, for instance, sometimes involve co-creating exclusive collections, resulting in more impactful promotions
• Fast Fashion & Trend Adaptation: Rapidly adapts to trends with weekly apparel drops and in-house design and manufacturing capabilities
• Omnichannel Strategy: Combining D2C and marketplace sales with a growing offline presence (exclusive brand outlets, kiosks) to broaden reach and brand experience
• Integrated Marketing Campaigns: Combining digital (influencers, content, SEO) and traditional (OOH billboards) marketing channels for synergistic impact

What Did Not Work & Why

• Customer Service & Experience Gaps: Reports of issues with app user experience, return processes, and customer support can hinder loyalty
• Sizing Inconsistencies: Some customers reported sizing issues, despite the brand's efforts to cater to diverse body types, potentially impacting customer satisfaction
• Intense Competition: Operating in a crowded market segment requires continuous innovation and strong differentiation to maintain and grow market share

Fascinated by Freakin's marketing moves? Check out the comprehensive marketing strategy of Levi’s to understand the brand’s winning strategies!

5 IIDE Recommendations to Enhance Freakins' Marketing

1. Optimize Customer Experience: 

Streamline returns/support, enhance sizing solutions (e.g., virtual try-ons), and utilize conversational commerce (WhatsApp, chatbots).

2. Deepen Community Engagement: 

Launch gamified loyalty programs, actively encourage/showcase User-Generated Content (UGC), and host interactive online/offline content sessions.

3. Enhance Omnichannel Integration: 

Ensure consistent branding/inventory across D2C, marketplaces, and physical stores; explore experiential retail formats and streamline click-and-collect.

4. Leverage Data & AI for Personalization: 

Use AI for personalized product recommendations, automate targeted marketing campaigns, and tailor the customer journey.

5. Promote Sustainability Practices on Linkedin: 

Highlight mindful production, durable designs, and recycling efforts to address fast fashion concerns and align with Gen Z’s growing eco-awareness.