What happens when a traditional, slow-moving industry gets a bold shake-up? In this episode of Unicorn Campaigns, we talk with Vicki and Claire from Peter’s Cleaners—the UK’s first dry cleaner to combine in-shop services with innovative 24/7 drop-off and pick-up pods.

Vicki shares her journey of leaving city life in 2016 to take over a small-town dry cleaner and transform it into a modern, tech-forward brand. From discovering that the dry cleaning industry was stuck in outdated habits to pioneering a pod-based system (inspired by Costa Express coffee machines), Vicki’s vision brought convenience, scalability, and fresh energy to a decades-old business model.

Claire walks us through their cheeky, conversation-starting marketing campaigns—featuring memorable lines like “Drop Your Trousers” and “Talk Dirty to Me”—that cut through the noise and made the local community not just customers, but investors. We dive into how they successfully raised funds through crowdfunding, leveraging a combination of hyper-local trust, brand refresh, and paid ads to bring their pods to life.

You’ll hear:

The story behind their 24/7 dry cleaning pods and the challenges of introducing a new model to a traditional market.

How humor and clever headlines drove adoption in an industry not known for creativity.

The inside scoop on their crowdfunding campaign, from brand refresh to investor engagement.

Lessons learned from navigating COVID-era setbacks and staying resilient while 40% of their competitors closed shop.

This episode is packed with inspiration for any entrepreneur looking to modernize a traditional business while building deep community connections.

Learn more about Peter’s Cleaners https://peterscleaners.co.uk/

Unicorn Campaign: Peter's Cleaners with Vicky Whiter & Clare Gill