The concept of word-of-mouth has withstood the test of time. Duel is the brand advocacy platform that helps brands drive word-of-mouth sales while engaging and retaining customers through community building. Duel’s platform allows brands to build VIP and tiered membership-rewards plans, rewarding customers for supporting and recommending the brand through advocacy actions such as content creation, social posting, product feedback, and more. Duel currently works with 450+ brands such as Techstars, Astor Martin, Unilever, and American Express.
London TechWatch caught up with MD and Founder Paul Archer to learn more about the impact that Duel is making, the company’s future plans, and recent round of funding.
Who were your investors and how much did you raise?
We have raised £1.8M in a combination of seed and venture capital funding from Downing Ventures, Publicis Groupe, London Co-Investment Fund, and the University of Bristol Enterprise Fund.
Tell us about the product or service Duel offers.
We believe that purpose-led brands are redefining every industry, tipping the focus from shareholder return to people and the planet.
Duel exists to help these brands grow through word-of-mouth and the advocacy of their passionate customers and fans, rather than rely on digital advertising and other short-term marketing practices to drive growth.
The platform scales the management of a brand’s relationship with thousands of their advocates through Advocacy Programs that engage, retain, and drive word-of-mouth sales. The platform combines different advocacy tools (including brand challenges, UGC, referrals, loyalty, affiliates, and surveys), under one platform so brands can build rich, customer membership clubs and VIP programs with airline-style ‘status’ tiers, groups, and segmentation.
What inspired the start of Duel?
There has been a major generational shift in consumer behaviour that has stemmed from a trust crisis – trust in institutions, in brands, and in advertising is at an all-time low.
That’s why we are seeing an emergence of new purpose-led brands not reliant on advertising for growth, but on communities of people – people who believe in their cause, who trust them, and who want to join their movement. Brands from Lululemon and Glossier to Tough Mudder and Patagonia have all grown using brand advocacy strategies that use their biggest advocates – be it customers, ambassadors, industry professionals, staff, or store associates – to spread their story via word of mouth.
Driving growth through brand advocacy is the dream for brand builders in today’s hyper-connected social world, but the majority don’t know how to execute this new model of brand advocacy marketing. That’s why Duel exists – to provide companies with both the playbook and the technology to do so.
How is Duel different?
We are the only brand advocacy platform out there and we are committed to helping brands build loyal communities and drive word of mouth sales through their advocates.
What market is Duel targeting and how big is it?
Our customers are online brands committed to making a difference – they have a clear purpose and are looking to grow organically, becoming less dependent on advertising for growth.
What’s your business model?
Brands pay for the platform through a SaaS license based upon the number of active members in their program. We have a very active consulting practise as well, supporting brands designing advocacy strategies. We do a huge amount of this pro-bono, with office hours and a consultancy heavily sales model, and especially during COVID where we supported over 250 brands on maintaining a brand during the crisis.
How has COVID-19 impacted the business?
We have managed to grow through Covid as more and more brands are realising they cannot rely on advertising for growth and are looking for ways to grow organically.
That’s because Covid-19 led to a mass panic among marketers as budgets got slashed and sales fell off a cliff as a result. A lot of brands realised they had no community to fall back on because they had been relying on advertising for growth. Yet brands with a true network of loyal fans, an actual community behind them have been able to grow through the crisis. As a result, we have seen a big shift towards the need for brand advocacy.
What was the funding process like?
I think it was fairly typical, we had developed good relationships with investors in the lead up which helped a lot.
What are the biggest challenges that you faced while raising capital?
Trying to both fundraise and drive sales for the business. I think it’s very difficult to split your energies.
What factors about your business led your investors to write the check?
Half a trillion dollars is spent every year on adverts as this is one of the only ways to expand. However, the greatest brands in the world spend relatively nothing on advertising compared to their competitors because they have expanded through word of mouth from their own advocates. The idea that Duel will become the ultimate platform for managing these relationships, making driving word of mouth as easy as buying an advert, is a very exciting proposition.
What are the milestones you plan to achieve in the next six months?
We’re working with a number of incredibly exciting household name brands right now, to deploy advocacy programs for their passionate customers, so watch this space.
What advice can you offer companies in London that do not have a fresh injection of capital in the bank?
I would say manage expectations with all your stakeholders and take care of your team. It’s a lot harder and more expensive to hire and train great people, so keep the ones you have at all costs.
I would say manage expectations with all your stakeholders and take care of your team. It’s a lot harder and more expensive to hire and train great people, so keep the ones you have at all costs.
Where do you see the company going now over the near term?
We’re going to be supporting fast growth, purpose-led brands engage with their passionate communities in every way we can. Think of your favourite brands, if they don’t already have a customer club to celebrate you for your passion and support, then we want to work with them.
What is your favorite restaurant in London?
I’m a massive fan of Casa Do Frango in London Bridge – amazing BBQs and Portuguese chicken that will blow your mind. The fact that it’s a five-minute walk from our office (not that we’re in there much these days!) makes it all the better.
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