Social Media Positioning & Campaign Curation The Madden Girl
Steve Madden | Concept Campaign Case Study
Overview
This concept campaign reimagines Madden Girl as more than a diffusion line, it becomes a community-first brand ecosystem where identity, self-expression, and belonging drive loyalty. The strategy centres on the belief that community is currency, especially for Gen Z and Millennials who seek brands that reflect, protect, and celebrate them.
The Madden Girl campaign was curated to transform customers into participants and followers into insiders.
The Problem
Fashion brands often speak to their audience without truly building with them. While Steve Madden already resonates culturally, the opportunity was to deepen emotional investment creating a space where customers don’t just buy the product, but see themselves inside the brand.
The challenge:
How do you turn a recognizable fashion line into a living, breathing community that people feel loyal to, protective of, and proud to represent?
Strategic Insight
For Gen Z and Millennials, belonging drives behaviour more than trends.
When customers feel emotionally seen, through story, symbolism, and shared values, they don’t just engage, they advocate. This campaign reframes Madden Girl as a social identity, not just a style category.
Campaign Concept
Community Is Currency
The Madden Girl is a space where the misfit, the rebel, and the bold are celebrated. A brand-led community where individuality is protected, expression is encouraged, and every girl knows the brand has her back.
This positioning transforms Madden Girl into a cultural access point, where fashion becomes the language of belonging.
Who Is a Madden Girl?
(Community Definition)
A Madden Girl is emotionally invested in the brand because she recognizes herself in the details. She loves hidden meanings, Easter eggs, and layered storytelling. She feels seen, heard, and understood and in return, she is loyal, protective, and proud to represent the brand.
For her, Steve Madden isn’t just fashion.
It’s her community.
Campaign Architecture
The Bridge
Steve Madden cares about his girls.
This message anchors the entire ecosystem from content to creators to customer experience creating trust and emotional safety.
The Experience: The Madden Girl Access Pass
The campaign brings girls from different backgrounds together through a shared symbol: access. Despite living totally different lives, they connect through the Madden Girl community and come together for a culturally rooted moment the “Pon De Replay Party”where individuality meets collective joy.
Creative Direction
Feel Board
Empowerment, authenticity, and emotional warmth
A sense of nostalgia paired with modern self-expression
Visual Board
Diverse backgrounds, lived-in moments, real girls
A home like feeling where community is felt, not staged
Social & Content Strategy
Reels & Short-Form Video
Reposting real Madden Girls wearing their favourite styles
UGC driven storytelling anchored by the hashtag #maddengirl
Community-first visibility over polished perfection
Launch Strategy
Goal: Define the Madden Girl and activate participation
Gamified engagement through in-store shopping moments
“Follow for discount” mechanics captured via UGC
Launch hero video showing Madden Girls linking up through their access pass
Brand amplification through the official Steve Madden page
Influencers and creators sharing what the Madden Girl community means to them
Community members gain access to exclusive features, tags, and visibility
Hashtag Strategy
#maddengirl
#GMcommunity
#mygirls
#mygirlscommunity
#SMcommunity
#stevemaddengirls
Post-Launch Strategy
Pull Back the Curtain
Momentum is sustained by transparency and inclusion:
Behind-the-scenes content showing how shoes are designed from sketch to final product
Insight into Steve Madden’s internal culture, teamwork, and craftsmanship
BTS of campaign creation, showing how community voices shaped the narrative
This keeps the audience emotionally invested long after launch.
Influencer & UGC Marketing
Influencer Seeding
Fashion, lifestyle, college creators, and storytellers
Creators who already speak about individuality and self-expression
What They Receive
Curated experience kits (not just shoes)
No scripts, no polish low edit, organic storytelling
Content Formats
Authentic hauls
Get Ready With Me
Community-driven conversation content
Grid & Platform Curation
The Madden Girl grid is curated for her gaze. Every post is a story that speaks directly to her identity. No matter the season or trend, the narrative remains consistent:
She is heard. She is understood. She belongs.
Email Marketing (Conceptual Support)
Email touchpoints maintain a cohesive tone across:
Welcome emails
Invite emails
Community driven email mockups
Each reinforces belonging, access, and emotional connection supporting engagement, growth, and conversion throughout the customer journey.
Outcome (Conceptual)
This campaign demonstrates how social brand positioning and community-led storytelling can:
Deepen brand loyalty
Turn customers into advocates
Create cultural relevance beyond product drops
Build long-term brand equity through belonging
Role
Creative Director & Brand Strategist
Social Brand Positioning Campaign Curation Community Strategy
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Posted Jan 8, 2026
Campaign curation and social media strategy plan reimagined Madden Girl, not just a diffusion line for Steve Madden, but a community-first brand ecosystem