👉 Background: In 1991, Cotton On's founder was selling denim jackets out of the boot of his car in Geelong. Fast forward 30 years, Cotton On has grown to over 1,500 stores across 22 countries.

👉 What happened: Cotton On has managed to grow its total revenue to $2.2 billion for the 2023 financial year - a 4% jump from last year, despite the slowdown in retail spending. On top of that, there's a tasty $454 million in EBITDA for the year too.  

👉 What else: But now, Cotton On is focused on growing even further internationally - it's all about bringing the "Aussie lifestyle brand to the world."

What's the key learning?

💡When expanding globally, culture and vibe might just be your best product.

💡Cotton On is trying to export the 'Aussie lifestyle' as one of their unique selling propositions. And, this allows them to differentiate in new markets. Think about it: they aren't just offering a t-shirt—they're selling a slice of Australian music festivals abroad.

💡This isn't a new type of play - we've seen it with other brands too:

• Billabong brought the "Aussie surf culture" to the rest of the world
• Ikea's exported "Swedish design, culture and meatballs"  to the world.
• Aldi expanded its German efficiency and quality to the world.

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