New product launches - KI Europe

Launched: 2019-2020

Sales growth 2020-2023: +234%

Year-on-year sales growth 2020-2023:

• 2020-2021: +174%

• 2021-2022: +25%

• 2022-2023: -7%

Following the success of a similar product imported from Taiwan, the Hatton Chair was developed in the UK for local manufacture. Initially launched for secondary and higher education environments, its stackable, slimline design also made it attractive for workplace settings. Easy to clean and suitable for indoor and outdoor settings, the promotion of the chair evolved over time from its preview and soft launch during Clerkenwell Design Week in 2019. 

Presented in the London showroom in diverse settings, it quickly gained traction with education and workplace interior designers, with a wide selection of images and videos created to help promote the product, including into France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands. 

Website: https://www.kieurope.com/chairs/hatton-chair/ 

Launched: 2017

Developed by the in-house team at KI's parent company in the USA, the Ruckus seating collection presented an immense marketing challenge - its remarkable design and features are compromised by its highly unconventional appearance. This disruptive piece of design required a bold marketing approach that really highlighted the product's immense functionality over its aesthetics. Strength, versatility and future-proofed for the transformation of modern learning. 

Working with the National Centre for Circus Arts in Shoreditch, London, a video and photoshoot was commissioned to demonstrate the chair in a highly unexpected and exciting way. This content was then used in exclusive presentations to target clients during a national roadshow, which visited Scotland, Manchester, Bristol and Leicester. The chair was also promoted via PR, social media, digital and print advertising and in showroom displays. Extensive collateral was also produced including videos, how-to guides, images, brochures, datasheets and webpages.

Website: https://www.kieurope.com/?s=ruckus 

800 Series Shelving 

Launched: 2019

The primary rationale for KI's debut at Clerkenwell Design Week in 2019 was to showcase this innovative and flexible shelving solution, designed for offices that were undergoing a transformation to suit new ways of working. 

Following the excellent showcase at the event, the product was promoted heavily with PR and awards submissions, workshops, presentations, digital and print collateral, advertising, social media activity and case studies.

Website: https://www.kieurope.com/storage/800-series-shelving/ 

800 Series Colonnade

Launched: 2021

An evolution of the 800 Series Shelving system, Colonnade was developed for a client request, its prototype quickly coming to the attention of other corporate customers. An extensive installation of the system was secured ahead of launch in Belfast, providing an excellent opportunity to present the new product as a cost-effective and highly adaptable option for post-COVID workplace design. 

Emphasising the system's flexibility, the marketing activity around the product launch was greatly enhanced by the hybrid working zeitgeist at the time. This made PR activity more successful, with magazines and journalists quickly identifying the system as a rapid transformation of traditional desking into agile workspaces. 

This type of in-person activity also found traction with the higher education market, as universities and colleges also underwent a transformation of the utilisation of their campuses. 

As the system is so versatile, a variety of videos, photos, animations and interviews were created to help quickly demonstrate the plethora of options available to interior designers when including this product in their schemes.

Website: https://www.kieurope.com/storage/800-series-colonnade/ 

Launched: 2018

Designed in-house, the teddy bear-like, overstuffed lounge seating collection was inspired by Mid-Century Modern style to bring a homely comfort to offices and universities. A notable departure from KI's core offering, this product launch also presented the marketing challenge of a brand repositioning on a very limited budget. In order to compete with well-established soft seating providers in the market, extensive imagery and video was commissioned, along with samples for the showroom and several award submissions which led to significant PR attention. 

Website: https://www.kieurope.com/?s=Take5 

Launched: 2016

The first 'family' collection launched by KI, this solid oak-legged range brought the domestic, softer aesthetic to corporate spaces without compromising the technology and versatility required in these environments. The first video of its kind created in the UK by KI was commissioned. Casting models, dressing the set and collaborating with the video production team, I created a range of digital and print collateral for the sales team to go to market with this new product. Additional support from the PR agency also generated extensive coverage in industry press. 

Website: https://www.kieurope.com/collections/ec4/ 

Launched: 2018

A client-led evolution of a pre-existing product, this desking system was considered one of the best in market for its quality and details. Setting it apart from the competition required concise, easy to understand content including video, brochures, photography and webpages that would support in-person visits to the showroom. 

The popularity of this product also led to a number of impressive case studies in landmark buildings such as The Gherkin. 

Website: https://www.kieurope.com/workstations/work2-1-core-workstations/