Boutique is an independent marketing agency specialising in Media, PR & Digital, with particular expertise in the Home & Garden sector. Jenn Ferrier, Head of Marketing, shares more.
With decades of experience and a strong portfolio of clients in the industry, Boutique has launched B@Home – a platform dedicated to providing brand marketers with expert insights, valuable knowledge sharing and fostering meaningful peer-to-peer connections.
Tell us a little more about Boutique and your work in the Home Interiors sector…
As specialists in the (Home Interiors) sector we launched B@Home last year to bring a sharper focus on the industry. Under B@Home, we run several initiatives, including our annual Home & Garden conference and our Home Masters club, which launches in London this month to complement our established Northern group. In addition, we publish The Home Report annually, providing valuable insights to the sector. This is supported by our mini reports, which take a deep dive into specific categories, for example our recently published Fitted Furniture Report highlights the standout brands in the category, and key lessons for those looking to succeed in the space.
You can look at Boutique’s back catalogue and newly released Home Report and Fitted Furniture report on their website – https://weareboutique.co.uk/home-reports/
We often say ‘knowledge is power’ and that belief drives everything we do – nowhere more so than in this sector. We are deeply passionate about sharing marketing knowledge and our desire to bring brands together to share and learn as a collective.
Our commitment to this mission is reflected in the success of our initiatives. Both Home Masters North and South clubs are oversubscribed, with active waiting lists. Our most recent Home & Garden Conference sold out, and our Home Reports have been downloaded by hundreds of brands, showing the demand for the knowledge and connections we facilitate.
Why have you launched and invested in a fresh piece of primary research?
As editors and commentators, we are committed to uncovering the facts, doing the legwork to analyse existing knowledge and engaging with brands to understand the sector even more. However, we found a critical gap: while much of the research focussed on consumer behaviour when it comes to home improvement activities or things like product purchase frequency, there was little exploration into how consumers actually enter the market, how they discover and research brands and critically, how they ultimately choose which brand to buy.
That’s why we launched our own primary research. Partnering with our friends at Relish, we set out to break new ground with Changing Rooms, Changing Minds: The Role of Brand in Purchases for the Home & Garden. This study delves into the complexities of consumer decision-making, offering fresh perspectives that go beyond traditional research to uncover what truly drives purchase behaviour in the Home & Garden sector.
What are the main findings from the research and what do they mean for brands?
The report is extensive, but our findings can be distilled into three main takeaways:
- Consumers prioritise value for money, seeking a balance between quality and affordability
- The purchase journey is not always need-based, with aspirations and lifestyle playing a significant role
- Digital platforms, especially search engines, are crucial for initial research, but physical stores remain essential for influencing final purchase decisions
Beyond providing data, we designed this report as a practical tool for marketers, offering actionable takeaways that can help brands shape their strategies and make a tangible impact in the market.
Changing Rooms, Changing Minds is now live and can be downloaded here https://weareboutique.co.uk/home-reports/
The Home & Garden conference is now in its 4th year – why did you launch this and what makes it so successful?
What makes our conference truly unique is its pure focus on learning and sharing—completely free from sales pitches. With a complete focus on Home & Garden, it’s no surprise that so many brands return year after year.
Our line-up is carefully curated, blending expert partners and brand leaders who share openly and candidly with the room. As we are so close to the sector, we understand what’s on our audience’s minds, allowing us to evolve the agenda based on what we know they want to hear and from whom.
Last year, we sold out and received an incredible response: 100% of attended rated us 4 or 5 stars, as well as every single one saying they would attend again, which was a real ‘pinch me’ moment! To us, that’s a testament to the quality of the content and the unique energy that the conference has.
Tickets for the 4th annual Home & Garden conference are on sale now –
www.weareboutique.co.uk/events/
