Paul Baranda Portfolio

Fandom Enters the Chat:
Building Trust in a Crowded Market

Crafting a trusted eCommerce brand from the ground up — carving out space through thoughtful strategy, authentic branding, and seamless execution.

The brief

Client
  • HYPER iCONiC
Work & Expertise
  • Design/Development
  • Branding & Marketing
  • Ecommerce Strategy
Role & Company
  • VP, Ecommerce & Marketing
    Merchstores // New York

The licensed merchandise space is crowded but underserved. Big-box retailers like Target and Walmart offer broad selection but lack personality, context, and an emotional connection to fandoms. Boutique stores tend to be niche, with dated design, poor organization, and limited accessibility, and making it hard for fans to discover what they’re looking for.

There was an opportunity to build a destination that honored the personal meaning behind fandom — celebrating iconic artists, movies, and cultural moments with authenticity, better UX, and more thoughtful merchandising.

Credibility Meets Clickability

Until the merch arrives, the product page is the product. Every detail has to sell trust, story, and emotion.

  • Optimized to Win Search: Fan-first PDPs and official franchise cues turned upward-trending keywords into traffic that converts.

The work

I led the conception, strategy, and execution of HYPER iCONiC, partnering with a small executive team and vendor resources while staying deeply hands-on where it mattered. Together, we created a brand and platform that celebrates fandom with authenticity — giving fans an accessible, inspiring, and seamless way to connect to the moments, artists, and stories that shaped them.

I developed the brand identity, messaging, and trust signals to establish credibility in a crowded space. I designed the UX and UI to ensure intuitive navigation, clear hierarchy, and robust search and discovery features, so customers could easily find the piece that resonated with their story. I architected and oversaw the Shopify Plus build, coded key customizations, and implemented an app stack that increased AOV, improved retention, and unlocked upsell opportunities.

On the marketing side, I achieved first-page and even #1 SEO rankings for priority keywords. I built and executed a content and merchandising strategy that highlighted both evergreen icons and of-the-moment culture, enabling us to compete with big-box retailers and connect with fans in a more meaningful way.

We expanded beyond our own DTC channel into Walmart Marketplace, SHEIN, and Shopify Collective, growing revenue steadily year-over-year, and proving that there is still room for a thoughtfully-built, fan-focused retail experience in a saturated market.

Real Fans. Real Feels.

We didn’t just collect reviews. We built a community that proudly shares their love for the icons they grew up with. Every post validates the brand. Every photo is earned trust.