Mohair South Africa Rebrand.

Spinning a timeless narrative

South Africa currently produces approximately 50% of the world’s Mohair. Mohair South Africa is the entity and brand responsible for advancing the entire industry, worldwide, no small task. The brand needed to increase awareness and appreciation of Mohair and create sustainable demand and profitability for all local and international role players – from producer and processor to buyer and manufacturer.

Mohair’s look and feel was geared towards farmers and manufacturers and had little consumer appeal or relevance in the contemporary, fashion-conscious international market. We knew that we needed to stitch together a seamless brand positioning and corporate identity that would stand out, and stand the test of time.

Qualitative research conducted amongst stakeholders, and a deep dive into history, uncovered a unique truth about the fibre – that Mohair is one of the oldest and strongest fibres in existence. Based on this insight, Boomtown conducted a brand revamp and repositioned Mohair as ‘the authentic fibre that lasts a lifetime.’

Based on the strategic strength of this positioning, we created a new visual identity. The logo was made up of endless looping lines, creating an iconic M. The visual language and messaging, each tailored to speak to specific sectors of the value chain, focused on educating consumers about the rich history of Mohair South Africa. High-end fashion photography showed models wrapped in luxurious mohair designs, juxtaposed with the harsh semi-desert backdrop of the fabric’s origin.

Responding to the global trend of consumers’ fascination with product origin, we focused on the products ‘farm to fabric’ story. A story, of honest breeders and farmers with a deep passion for their product. Mohair’s rich heritage, imbued with royal characters and epic journeys, was a sure way to establish the product and brand as noble and timeless. This narrative was communicated across multiple audience-specific platforms, with a strong focus on social media.

The result spoke volumes. The new look and feel was as classic as the fibre itself, and there was a dramatic increase in global awareness and relevant social media followers, with 47% of the followers residing in Italy, a country immensely influential in the fashion and beauty industry. The moral of the Mohair story? A timeless tale woven together by the power of good strategy will never lose its strength.