Client: KnitWell Group — parent company of Chico’s, White House Black Market, and Soma

Objective

 KnitWell Group needed to scale its ecommerce content production while maintaining high-quality standards and reducing operational costs. The goal was to transition content creation for over 20,000 SKUs from Florida to New York City, leveraging local talent and infrastructure without disrupting ongoing operations.

The Challenge

The project presented several complex challenges:

• Massive SKU Migration: Over 20,000 SKUs across five brands needed to be transitioned to a new production pipeline within a single season.
• Operational Continuity: KnitWell’s ecommerce operations could not afford any downtime or delays during the transition.
• Aggressive Timeline: The entire studio buildout, team hiring, and system integration had to be completed in just 16 weeks.
• Cost Efficiency: The solution needed to be more cost-effective than the existing Florida-based setup.
• Elevate Creative: Output for five existing brands during a studio relocation from
  Florida to NYC.

The Solution

Straub Collaborative partnered with KnitWell Group to deliver a turnkey solution that met all objectives within the tight timeline:

• Studio Buildout: Designed and launched a 20,000 sq. ft. production studio in NYC, complete with a dedicated video set to support dynamic content needs.
• Talent Acquisition: Recruited and onboarded a full production team, including photographers, stylists, producers, and post production staff.
• System Integration: Seamlessly connected KnitWell’s data and asset management systems with Straub’s production workflow to ensure real-time visibility and efficiency.
• Cost Optimization: Reduced overall production costs by negotiating better agency rates and leveraging offshore post production resources.
• Post Production: Leveraged over 10 years of global experience with post production partnerships—both local and offshore—to optimize costs while maintaining speed and quality across deliverables.

Results

The project was delivered on time and exceeded expectations across multiple KPIs:

• On-Time Delivery: All content was produced and delivered on schedule for Chico’s, White House Black Market, and Soma.
• Cost Savings: Achieved significant cost reductions through smarter resourcing and operational efficiencies.
• Performance Gains: Enhanced product detail page (PDP) performance and contributed to a measurable reduction in ecommerce return rates.
• Strategic Location: The NYC studio enabled access to a broader talent pool and positioned KnitWell for future scalability.

Conclusion

This engagement demonstrates Straub Collaborative’s ability to execute large-scale transitions under tight deadlines while delivering measurable business value. By combining strategic planning, operational excellence, and creative execution, Straub helped KnitWell Group elevate its ecommerce content production and set a new standard for efficiency and quality.

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Client: A global athletic apparel and footwear brand located in Baltimore.

Objective

The studio faced limitations in creative output due to outdated tools and inefficient workflows. Their goal was to modernize operations, unlock greater efficiency, and elevate the quality of their content to meet evolving client expectations.

The Challenge

The studio needed to undergo a comprehensive transformation while maintaining continuity in its production schedule. Key challenges included:

• Vendor Transition: Replacing the existing content production partner without disrupting ongoing projects.
• Workflow Modernization: Upgrading legacy systems and processes to support faster, more flexible production.
• Creative Expansion: Enabling the team to produce more compelling, narrative-driven content with greater visual impact.
• Cost and Authenticity Balance: Improving model casting processes to optimize both budget and brand representation.

The Solution

Straub Collaborative partnered with the studio to deliver a holistic modernization strategy:

• Workflow Optimization: Streamlined production workflows to reduce bottlenecks and improve turnaround times.
• Equipment Upgrades: Replaced outdated gear with modern tools that enhanced image quality and production efficiency.
• AI Integration: Introduced AI-powered tools to automate repetitive tasks, assist in asset management, and support creative decision-making.
• Content Strategy Development: Collaborated on a new content strategy focused on storytelling and visual impact, aligning with the studio’s brand vision.
• Review Studio Adoption: Implemented Review Studio to improve visibility and collaboration during the asset selection process.
• Data-Informed Casting: Built a structured model casting framework using data insights to ensure authenticity while managing costs.
• Post Production: Leveraged over 10 years of global experience with post production partnerships—both local and offshore—to optimize costs while maintaining speed and quality across deliverables.
• Color Accuracy Workflow: Established a dedicated color accuracy process for footwear to ensure consistency across campaigns.
• SKU-Level Reporting: Enabled granular performance tracking and insights at the SKU level.
• Photography SOPs and Creative Guides: Developed Under Armour-specific SOPs, photo logic, and creative guides for both on-model and still life photography.
• Performance Tracking: With FW25, began measuring KPIs and identifying areas for improvement. Notably, reshoots for footwear were reduced by 64% in FW25 compared to SS25.

Results

The transformation delivered measurable improvements across the studio’s operations and creative output:

• Increased Efficiency: Faster production cycles and reduced manual workload.
• Enhanced Creativity: Teams were empowered to focus on storytelling and visual excellence.
• Smarter Casting: Data-driven model selection improved brand alignment and reduced casting expenses.
• Improved Collaboration: Review Studio enabled better visibility and feedback loops across stakeholders.
• Future-Ready Infrastructure: The studio is now equipped to scale and adapt to future content demands.
• Quantifiable Impact:
  • SKU Volume:~5,648 articles per season
  • Reshoot Reduction: 64% decrease in footwear reshoots (FW25 vs SS25)
  • Optimization Insights:Efficiency and quality reports now drive ongoing improvements
• Frequently described as a “vast improvement” over previous studios.

Conclusion

This engagement highlights Straub Collaborative’s ability to modernize legacy operations and unlock creative potential. By combining technology, strategy, and process innovation, Straub helped the Baltimore-based studio evolve into a more agile, efficient, and creatively empowered organization.

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Client: adidas — a global leader in sportswear and lifestyle apparel.

Objective

adidas needed to create localized content tailored to the APAC market to drive higher engagement and conversion rates. The challenge was to do so quickly and efficiently, while adhering to strict global brand guidelines and navigating limited support from international teams.

The Challenge

Before partnering with Straub Collaborative, adidas faced several challenges typical of a mature global brand:

• Creative Constraints:Strict global style guides limited flexibility in visual storytelling.
• Technical Complexity:Ecommerce platforms required intricate backend integrations.
• Cross-Border Workflows:Post production was managed internationally, complicating editing and retouching.
• Ecommerce Pressure:High performance expectations demanded speed, precision, and scalability.

The Solution

Straub Collaborative leveraged its deep ecommerce expertise and agile production capabilities to meet adidas’s needs:

• Launched a local studio in just two weeks, utilizing existing tools and relationships.
• Over a decade of success in the APAC region, anchored by a highly skilled team of eight in Hong Kong—each with specialized roles supporting end-to-end studio operations and global content delivery.
• Handled end-to-end production for approximately 2,000–2,500 SKUs per season.
• Streamlined workflows to solve problems quickly through team expertise and collaboration.
• Speed to Market: Achieved a 2-day asset turnaround, supporting adidas’s fast-paced go-to-market timelines.
• Produced approximately 10,000 assets per season, supporting ecommerce at scale.
• AI-Enhanced Casting: Implemented a structured, data-informed model casting process to ensure authenticity and cost efficiency.
• Post Production: Leveraged over 10 years of global experience with post production partnerships—both local and offshore—to optimize costs while maintaining speed and quality across deliverables.

Results

The localized strategy delivered strong performance improvements:

• SKU Volume:~2,000–2,500 articles per season (SS26)
• Frequency of Work:Weekly shoots across multiple sets
• Turnaround Time:2 days post production
• Asset Volume:~10,000 assets per season
• Performance Metrics: Achieved double-digit lift in engagement and conversion (historical)

Conclusion

The partnership with adidas continues to thrive, driven by Straub Collaborative APAC’s close and consistent communication with the brand. Over time, the team has developed a deep understanding of adidas’s internal processes, helping to bridge operational gaps and align perspectives. adidas has also shown a strong commitment to collaborative problem-solving and process improvement, welcoming input from Straub Collaborative to enhance efficiency and workflow.

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