Since debuting in 2013, the Alejandro Betancourt Lopez
“Hawkers” brand became a market leader within three years, yielding
$78 million. The source of his success? Social media.
What is funny is that the founders were not looking into
sunglasses at all, they wanted to offer a Spanish-language analog to
Craigslist. However, seeing how unique these American sunglasses were
encouraged them to pivot to selling them in Spain. This led to the creation of
the Hawkers line, which raised $56 million from investors like Alejandro
Betancourt Lopez, a man who founded “O’Hara” asset management.
By offering people a high-end product, Hawkers’ founder made
a strong proposition to consumers ‘ sense of value. To elevate the products’
presence, Alejandro Betancourt Lopez spearheaded a social media marketing
campaign that directed curious parties to the Hawkers website. Within two years
of the site’s launch, 90% of all sales originated from that website.
To give some context, Facebook was deeply entrenched in the
US but still growing in Europe, making such a social media outlet a
cost-efficient means of promotion. The conversion rate was so high that Hawkers
became the fastest-growing brand of sunglasses on the planet; $100 spent on
Facebook advertising paid off three times as much.
Hawkers also focused on a grassroots uprising of
retail that mirrored its 2015 Kickstarter message; this message? The eyewear
industry was unfair due to anti-competitive measures . Rather than focus on
gaining new customers or sales, Alejandro Betancourt Lopez had the campaign
focus on an inclusive quest for allies to disrupt the industry and favor small
businesses. A recent survey has revealed that over 70% of Generation Z
purchases are based on its beliefs and values. Despite its success, Hawkers did
not rest on its laurels and has shifted marketing toward incorporating
micro-influencers due to their reach and cost.
Alejandro Betancourt and business world at pitchbook: https://pitchbook.com/profiles/investor/166843-00