Content Design
Ankorstore
Narrative strategy and homepage positioning for a European B2B wholesale marketplace.
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Helping a unicorn find its North Star
Defining a clear, identity-first value proposition for a French B2B marketplace.
Summary
I helped a $2B unicorn move past abstract branding. By reframing the clever language and focusing on what the product actually is, I defined a clear USP and direction that the company could finally put into action.
Context
Ankorstore is a French B2B marketplace that connects European brands with independent shop owners. The platform gives local shops the tools and buying power usually reserved for large retailers, helping them compete with big-box stores and protect their independence.
THE ROLE
Primary: Global Content Manager (English) + Narrative Strategist
Secondary: UX Writer / Copywriter
STAKEHOLDERS
Primary: Brand Director; Lead Product Designer Secondary: VP of Marketing
IMPACT
Defined and delivered the company’s permanent USP
TIMELINE
5-month high-impact residency
The Backstory
Just before I was hired, Ankorstore worked with a UK agency on a bold rebrand to help independent shops take back their power. They built a high-concept brand system around the theme: We Rewild Retail.
The story was great for social media and billboards. But on the homepage, the narrative had to do a different job—it needed to be clear and easy to understand at a glance for a pan-European audience.
The rebrand launched on the homepage (above), but a gap quickly emerged. While “Rewilding” resonated in the UK, it didn’t land as clearly across Europe. Feedback showed the concept felt too abstract or culturally specific for shop owners who just needed to understand the product.
The Problem
By the time I started, the “Rewild” tagline was gone from the homepage — though still used in marketing and social campaigns — but the core issue remained.
While the new hero focused on scale and reach, it still didn't tell a shop owner what Ankorstore was — or why it mattered to them.
Hero section from full homepage audit
The Approach
The Brand Director tasked me to define a clear USP and narrative for the full homepage. Since the tagline didn't translate well outside the UK, my goal was to make the product easy for European audiences to understand—without losing the rebrand’s distinct feel.
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Define the audience
independent retailers + brands
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Name product plainly
a marketplace, not an ecosystem
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Reduce cognitive load
lead with value, use numbers for trust
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Clear next steps
2 CTAs, 2 audiences
The Solution
Proposed hero: brand spirit with clear benefits
The homepage was reframed to answer 3 questions:
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What is Ankorstore?
A wholesale online marketplace for independent retail
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Who is it for?
Independent retailers and sellers with a clear path for brands
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What should I do next?
Choose the path that fits and move forward with confidence.
The Outcome
✔ Shared identity at scale
The new narrative gave the brand a clear direction across 28 European markets. It aligned with the company’s goals and gave them a foundation they could finally build on.
✔ Better first-time comprehension
Early testing and internal review showed stronger favorability compared to the original “We Rewild Retail” concept, which was emotionally compelling but more abstract for first-time visitors.
✔ Higher conversion for first-time sellers
The updated messaging led to 32% increase in completion rates for new sellers signing up to the platform.
✔ Leadership buy-in and a "safe" USP
The positioning was approved by the Brand Director and VP of Marketing. It gave the company a clear, stable USP they finally felt safe rallying behind.
✔ Lasting impact
Since 2023, this marketplace-first approach and the "independent spirit" positioning have remained the brand's evergreen identity—the core message the homepage returns to between every major campaign.
Reflection
This project was a great lesson in why localization and real-world testing matter. You can hire an expensive agency to create something brilliant, but if the concept doesn't translate for audiences in different countries, it will miss the mark. My job wasn't to replace this clever rebrand—it was to help it scale by translating a poetic idea into a clear message that actually worked for 28 markets.