Eight years ago, Ministry of Supply was created by MIT students looking for dress clothes they actually wanted to wear. After launching on Kickstarter, the brand expanded their line of science-backed apparel with dress clothes made with the comfortable materials used in athletic wear.
Sweat-proof, flexible, and machine-washable, Ministry of Supply’s clothes are built to withstand the demands of a workday (including a workout). To prove just how comfortable the brand’s dress clothes are, founder Gihan Amarasiriwardena has even run an entire half marathon in the Aviator 2 Suit, breaking the Guinness World Record for “fastest half marathon in a suit” in the process!
As Ministry of Supply continued to expand their clothing line, they looked to their community to grow their customer base. “Word of mouth has always been big,” said Dan Weisman, VP of Marketing. “We’ve always tried to reward our customers for being loyal and recommending the brand to their friends.” Service has been important for the brand, too, but they were missing a loyalty program that could successfully reward customers with the top-notch service Ministry of Supply is known for.
Ministry of Supply wanted to create a referral program that could successfully bring new customers into their community. But, without building deeper relationships with customers and rewarding them for their commitment to the brand, few customers were motivated to make referrals, even if they were satisfied with the products and service they’d received. “We weren’t wild about the referrals program we had,” says Weisman. “We needed a solution that could help us build the brand love and advocacy that reflects our exceptional customer service.”
To better engage new and existing customers, Ministry of Supply partnered with Yotpo to build a loyalty program that would serve as a foundation for stronger customer advocacy. The loyalty program uses VIP tier perks that prioritize customer experience and service. Their strategy includes service-based benefits, such as expedited shipping and direct concierge access, that drive more frequent purchases — empowering their most engaged customers to also become their most valuable.
“We wanted to do something for our loyal customers without handing out discounts,” says Weisman. “Service is one of the pillars of our brand, so now we reward our loyal customers with an even more exceptional level of attention.” Their loyalty program now pairs with their premiere level of customer service, known as the Concierge Program, both in store and online. High-value loyalty members receive exclusive perks, like hands-on connections with the service team, early access to product launches, and additional insider information.
And, Ministry of Supply loyalty members receive additional rewards for making referrals — incentivizing sharing the brand with friends, growing the community, and ultimately resulting in higher revenue.
In the first six months since combining both Yotpo-powered loyalty and referrals programs, Ministry of Supply’s revenue from the referrals program doubled.
Since combining these solutions, Ministry of Supply continues to see compounded value. Customers are excited not only to refer — they’re actively engaging with the program to move into higher VIP tiers. Over half (52%) of referrals now come from Gold & Platinum VIP members who have spent over $300 — building brand equity and community through the brand’s high-performing, strategic VIP program. With engaging loyalty program perks, Ministry of Supply’s referral solution now gets 10x higher engagement, accelerating customer spending between tiers to drive ROI.
For Ministry of Supply’s research-driven clothing brand, two solutions — loyalty and referrals — are scientifically proven to be better than one.
