Case — Lauritz.com

Innovative brand takeover:  Turning Crisis into Brand Opportunity

In early 2023, Auktionshuset.com faced a bold opportunity—to step out of obscurity by taking over one of Denmark’s most notorious auction brands. Through a strategic blend of PR, SEO, and complete rebranding, the company transformed the troubled legacy of Lauritz.com into a powerful comeback story.

The result was not just a revived brand, but a redefined market position—turning past controversy into future credibility.

Client
Lauritz.com

Year
2024

Deliveries
PR, UX,
Visual Identity,
Content Creation
& Outdoor

In early 2023, Auktionshuset.com was relatively unknown in Denmark’s online auction market, overshadowed by the market leader Lauritz.com, which had recently gone bankrupt amid significant negative publicity.

Lauritz.com's public collapse generated widespread media coverage and substantial negative SEO due to accusations against former management.
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Auktionshuset.com faced a strategic dilemma: How could they leverage the known but damaged Lauritz.com brand to rapidly build their own awareness without inheriting its negative reputation?

The innovative solution was an ambitious SEO and PR strategy—a calculated brand takeover.

Auktionshuset.com acquired the Lauritz.com brand and boldly rebranded itself under this new, controversial name. This approach involved three carefully orchestrated phases:

Phase 1: Proactive PR Campaign – A strategic PR rollout publicly announced the acquisition, explicitly distancing the new management from previous issues. This clear separation positioned the new Lauritz.com as forward-looking and trustworthy.

Phase 2: Revitalized Visual Identity and SEO – Concurrently, the new Lauritz.com unveiled a redesigned visual identity, a user-friendly website optimized for SEO, and transparent communication about past management errors, enhancing credibility and trust.

Phase 3: Campaign Launch “Det nye Lauritz.com er tilbage” – A highly visible and emotionally engaging advertising campaign across social media and outdoor platforms reaffirmed Lauritz.com’s comeback narrative, transforming past negative associations into positive brand engagement.

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The strategic takeover and rebranding achieved remarkable success:

400% increase in auction item submissions compared to the previous platform
400% increase in online searches for "Lauritz.com auction."
300% increase in overall "Lauritz.com" searches.
Achieved a media reach of 12,750,000 people.
Generated an Earned Advertising Value (EAV) of 2,655,000 DKK and Earned PR value of 6,637,500 DKK.

Ultimately, this bold strategy successfully leveraged negative publicity, turned around the brand narrative, and re-established Lauritz.com as a trustworthy market leader.