Ben Sherman boosts data strategy to button up growth

Ben Sherman, the British clothing brand beloved by Mods, Rude Boys and Britpop fans young and old, is taking a deep dive into its customer base by implementing a new marketing platform that will ultimately aim to boost growth and loyalty.

The brand, which is owned by New York-based Marquee Brands, has entered into a partnership with Ometria, a London-based data and marketing specialist which already counts Made.com, Hunter, Hotel Chocolat and Pepe Jeans as clients.

Founded in 2013, Ometria claims to be the first and only platform designed specifically for retail, with over 200 industry-leading, global clients.

It is claimed the platform helps retail brands drive customer-centred business growth by creating next-generation, data-driven experiences at scale.

In 2023, the company received an £8m growth capital package from CIBC Innovation Banking.

Ben Sherman sells both direct to customers through its online operation as well as through retailers. It was founded in 1963 by Arthur Benjamin Sugarman, who was born in Brighton. After emigrating to the US in 1946, he married the daughter of a Californian clothes producer and returned to Brighton, where he bought a shirt factory.

Having recognised that early Sixties London-based modern jazz fans were importing American button-down shirt brands sported by visiting US jazz artists like Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and Oscar Peterson, Sugarman decided to produce a version of these shirts.

The Ben Sherman Originals label was created, and was quickly adopted by the Mod movement. By the late Sixites, the shirt was adopted by the skinhead subculture, and has now become a staple of old and young alike.

Head of CRM and insight Steven Moriarty said: “Partnering with Ometria will give us a deeper and clearer understanding of our customers than we’ve ever had.

“We’re excited to explore the entire customer journey, pinpoint different customer segments and their behaviours, and ultimately create personalised experiences that boost growth and loyalty,”

An Ometria spokesperson added: “British brands don’t get much more iconic than this. For over 60 years, the Ben Sherman shirt and brand have been a mainstay of youth culture; from the mods of the 50s to the Britpop stars of the 90s.

“To continue cementing their fashion legacy, they needed a partner that would help them unify their data and, consequently, gain a full understanding of their customers.”