Abaro Footwear: Driving 229% YoY Growth Through Smart, Purpose-Driven eCommerce Marketing

The Brand

Abaro, a proud Malaysian homegrown footwear brand, has quickly established itself as a trusted name for functional, affordable, thoughtfully designed shoes. With over 1,000 retail touchpoints nationwide, Abaro continues to serve the needs of everyday Malaysians, especially during the crucial back-to-school shopping season.

The Challenge

Despite its success in traditional retail, Abaro was relatively new to the eCommerce business until 2021. It faced several significant challenges, including:

• Identifying and understanding its online target audience and buying behaviors
• Acquiring new customers and steering away from rampant price competition 
• Building brand awareness and visibility in the competitive digital landscape

“Expanding into eCommerce required strategic guidance and precise execution, and we decided to work with Commerceplus to build up our eCommerce and digital presence,” says Abaro’s Marketing Director.

That’s where Commerceplus pitched in with strategies.

The Solution

Launched during the peak retail window from December to March, the ‘Shoes for You, Hope for Them’ campaign was designed to do more than just increase sales of Abaro school shoes. It aimed to create brand awareness, drive eCommerce conversions, and contribute meaningfully to society. The campaign launch aligned perfectly with:

• Year-end holiday shopping
• Malaysia’s back-to-school season
• Peak traffic periods on Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop

This seasonal alignment created a high-conversion opportunity for both in-store and online retail.

From Strategy to Execution: How Abaro Built a Winning Campaign

Execution Strategy

Creative Assets and Content Strategy

To support the campaign, a wide variety of branded content was created:

• Videos: Showcasing shoe features and campaign participation steps
• Landing page: Central hub for details, prizes, and purchasing
• Influencer marketing: Real parent influencers shared authentic stories
• eCommerce Presence: Listings, banners, and descriptions featured the campaign highlights

Omnichannel Campaign Distribution

To ensure maximum visibility, the campaign used a multi-channel strategy:

• Social media: Organic and paid content on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok
• Paid Ads: Google Search, TikTok video ads, and Facebook catalog ads
• E-Commerce Stores: Shopee, Lazada, TikTok Shop
• Livestreams: During high-traffic time slots (8 pm–12 am, 8 am–10 am, lunchtime)
• PR and Press: Highlighted CSR efforts to build brand goodwill
• Affiliates & KOLs: Helped drive awareness and boost campaign credibility
• Influencer Collaborations: Collaborated with influencers to create hype around the campaign

Execution Excellence

Campaign activities were synchronized across both digital and physical retail channels, including major hypermarkets like AEON and Mydin. Videos highlighted unique Abaro features such as Drytech (water-resistant technology) and Nametech (customizable name tags), significantly differentiating Abaro from competitors. Key engagement tactics included:

• Daily flash sales
• Bi-weekly social media winner announcements
• Authentic content addressing customer pain points

Full-Funnel Digital Approach:

• Awareness: Broad audience targeting
• Consideration: Promotional and incentive-driven content
• Conversion: Precision retargeting and optimized listings

Real-time optimizations ensured maximum Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) and minimal Advertising Cost of Sales (ACOS).

Prizes that Won Hearts

The planning phase took approximately three months, with the campaign running from December to March.

• Grand Prize Announcement: April, before Hari Raya
• Prizes include: Cash Prizes, Stationery, School Bags, Tuition Bags, School Socks, and Store vouchers that resonated very well with parents and school children

eCommerce Creatives and optimizations that engaged the core audience and drove up conversion rates

The campaign was executed across multiple platforms, online stores like Shopee and Lazada, TikTok, Facebook, offline retailers such as AEON and Mydin, and direct resellers.

• Daily live streams lasting up to 12 hours to boost engagement.
• Real-time keyword optimization for high Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) and low Advertising Cost of Sales (ACOS).
• Full-funnel campaigns target reach, views, content engagement, and retargeting for purchases.

Team Coordination The successful execution of the campaign involved a collaborative effort from various teams to work behind a single campaign and required strong operational and project management skills from the Commerceplus team. This included working with stakeholders such as 

• Client Team: Provided strategic direction and approvals on time. 

• PR Team: Managed press releases and media coverage. 

• Content Creators and Influencers: Generated engaging content and buzz around the campaign. 

• Live Hosts: Consistent live streams daily for 6-8 hours 

• Creative Designers: Developed visual assets for ads and social media. 

• Media Buyer Specialists: Managed ad placements and budget optimizations. 

• E-commerce Store Operators: Handled product listings and promotions on online platforms. 

• Affiliate community managers: Outreach and briefing of live and video affiliates about the campaign promotions and product highlights
• Offline Sales Team: Ensured product availability and promotions in physical stores. 

Results That Speak Volumes

The ‘Shoes for You, Hope for Them’ campaign delivered exceptional results:

• Sales grew by 229% YoY.
• Offline sales tripled across major department stores.
• Over 100,000 orders were generated from online and offline channels.
• Affiliate participation skyrocketed from 500 to over 5,000 creators promoting Abaro products.
• Abaro became the top-ranked school shoe brand on e-commerce platforms with a market share of 19% in January.

Most importantly, the campaign funded school supplies for underprivileged children in three schools, solidifying its social impact.

“Without any hesitation, the professionalism and the experience the Commerceplus team carry are being recognized and certified. Commerceplus is a partner that you should trust to expand your eCommerce business in modern days,” says Abaro’s Chief Marketing Officer.

Final Thoughts: Social Impact Meets Smart Marketing

Abaro’s ‘Shoes for You, Hope for Them‘ campaign wasn’t just a sales booster; it was a heartfelt movement. By combining product innovation, storytelling, and CSR impact, the brand connected deeply with Malaysian parents. This campaign is a standout example of how purpose-driven marketing, when timed right and executed across the right marketplaces, can drive business growth while making a real difference in the community.

Partner with Southeast Asia’s Leading E-Commerce Enabler

At Commerceplus, we empower brands like Abaro to connect with consumers across Southeast Asia through impactful, results-driven campaigns. The ‘Shoes for You, Hope for Them‘ campaign is just one example of how we combine strategic planning, marketing, creative storytelling, and multi-channel execution to drive both sales and social impact.

Looking to grow your brand online and make a difference?

Join Commerceplus, Southeast Asia’s leading e-commerce enabler, today. Get in touch with us to build your next breakthrough campaign. Let’s turn purpose into performance.