February 7, 2025 | Edinburgh, UK

There’s a specific amber bottle that shows up just about everywhere. On a hotel bathroom counter. In a friend’s minimalist apartment. At that members’ club you visited last month, perched beside a hand towel that had been folded just so.

You know the one: clean typography, ecru label, that unmistakable silhouette. Even when it’s been stripped and refilled with supermarket soap (because yes, people actually do this and brag about it on Reddit) – you can still tell what it’s referencing.

I’ve been thinking about this bottle for a long time. Not because of how it looks, but because of what it represents: the most imitated brand in beauty, and the one that no one has actually managed to crack. Competitors have copied the packaging, the palette, the serif font, even the simple product descriptions. Some have come close enough that you’d have to read the label twice.

But the experience of walking into an Aesop store — that particular feeling of calm, of order, of being in a place where someone has thought about everything so you don’t have to — has yet to be replicated.

The reason, I think, is that most people misunderstand what Aesop actually is. They see a beauty product with great branding. What they’re missing is that Aesop is a philosophy that happens to sell skincare. And that distinction — between a brand that looks considered and one that genuinely is considered — is the entire story.

(P.S. Don’t forget to watch The Brandsider video companion to this case study.)

The fabulist hairdresser

In 1987, a Melbourne-based hairdresser named Dennis Paphitis started mixing essential oils into the products he used in his salon. His clientele was demanding — the kind of people who noticed everything — and he wanted to create something more restorative for them. Something that matched the standard of attention he brought to everything else.

That salon, Emeis (Greek word for ‘we’), became the birthplace of Aesop. But Paphitis wasn’t building a beauty brand. He was, even then, laying out a belief system. That beauty should emerge from intellect. That small choices reveal character. That thoughtfulness, applied consistently, is the highest form of luxury.

He named the brand after the ancient Greek fabulist — the storyteller who embedded a moral lesson in every tale. It was a declaration of intent. “There is little morality in the world of commerce,” Paphitis later said, “so it seems fitting that we should anchor our thoughts and actions to something of merit.”

What followed was almost four decades of proving, through thousands of small decisions, that he meant it. Products that take between two and ten years to formulate. The brand’s cruelty-free and vegan stance that predated industry trends by decades. Each formula stripped of anything superfluous — no filler ingredients, no exaggerated claims, no shortcuts. Literary and philosophical quotes that appear on packaging, not as decoration, but as an extension of the brand’s belief that intellectual life and daily ritual aren’t separate domains.

In 2012, Brazilian cosmetics group Natura & Co took a 65% stake in Aesop for $71.6 million, with Paphitis staying on in an advisory capacity until the group took full control in 2016. Under Natura’s stewardship, the brand expanded from roughly 60 stores to nearly 400 globally, with revenue soaring from $28 million in 2012 to $537 million by 2022.

By the time L’Oréal acquired Aesop in 2023 for $2.525 billion — the conglomerate’s largest acquisition in history — the hairdresser’s philosophy had produced a brand so distinctive that an entire category now bears its fingerprint, whether it wants to or not.

For your consideration

In 2026, there is no shortage of body care brands offering high-quality formulations, clean ingredient lists, and tasteful design.

From Dr Barbara Sturm to Malin+Goetz, from Nécessaire to Salt & Stone, the market is saturated with products that look good, sound sensible, and sit within a familiar price band. Even brands that built cult followings in adjacent categories – like Le Labo, Byredo and Loewe – are now vying for their piece of the body care pie.

The category that Aesop once occupied alone has now been flooded with options for seemingly everyone. And yet, it continues to stand apart. Why is that the case?

Well, I’d argue, because while most brands in body care compete on function (what the product does, delivers, or signals), Aesop competes on ethos: a way of thinking, noticing, and holding oneself in the world.

That philosophy expresses itself through an almost obsessive level of consideration. Aesop isn’t the most exclusive. Or the most luxurious by price point. But it is the most uncompromisingly thoughtful in every detail — even when it’s inconvenient, painful, or slow.

And it works because the people it attracts recognize themselves in it immediately.

Aesop is built for those who hold themselves to equally high standards. The aesthetes who notice the resistance of a pump, the restraint in typography, the weight of a bottle in the hand. People who approach everything with precision and thought. The kind of person who has read every book on their shelf, and who finds deep comfort in doing things properly.

For these people, purchasing Aesop becomes a form of self-confirmation. Not public performance, like a luxury bag — but private validation that we are the thoughtful, considered people we hope to be. The world is loud, chaotic, and full of brands cutting corners where they think you won’t notice. Aesop is the opposite. Ordered but never sterile. Composed but never cold. A subtle return to self.

Structurally embedded ethos

Here’s where Aesop’s story becomes genuinely extraordinary. Most brands express their philosophy through marketing campaigns or mission statements. Aesop expresses it through operations. The coherence you feel isn’t decorative — it’s structural, embedded in every decision from the most visible to the most private.

The result is a world so aligned that you never question its reality. You simply accept it as truth.

Let’s begin with the stores. As you probably know, Aesop designs each location to be completely unique – responding to its history, geography, and cultural context. This alone sets it apart from virtually every other global brand, which tends to replicate a template and call it consistency.

In Kuala Lumpur, a store reimagines traditional Malay house elements in cool blue Nyatoh wood. In Leeds, the Country Arcade location revives the late Victorian ideal of bathrooms as places of leisure and restoration. In Seoul, a store references the Korean hanok tradition. In New York’s West Village, exposed brick and dark timber evoke the neighbourhood’s literary history.

No two locations look remotely alike. Yet every single one is unmistakably Aesop. This is the most powerful form of consistency: not uniformity, but a shared language expressed through infinite variation. It’s the difference between a brand that follows rules and a brand that expresses its soul.

Aesop’s language operates the same way. The brand speaks the way it formulates: with patience, intellect, and a rhythm that never rushes. Product names like Resurrection, Tacit, and Reverence carry moral undertones. Descriptions unfold in long clauses with evocative vocabulary, unexpected punctuation, and soft final notes:

“Aromas composed for curious minds — and noses. Whether Fresh or Floral, Woody or Opulent, our fragrances bend and redefine such classifications with nuance and nonconformity.”

It’s undeniably reflective, reading like correspondence from an intellectual aesthete who happens to have opinions about moisturizer. I imagine them to have thick-rimmed glasses, and a crisp white button-down.

Even humour is filtered through this lens. The Post-Poo Drops capture something only Aesop could pull off: refinement and irreverence in the same gesture. The wit of someone so secure in their intelligence that they can afford to be playful about bathroom odours.

And then there are the details that no customer would ever see, but that shape the experience in ways they can feel. Only black pens are permitted in Aesop offices. Toilet paper is standardized across locations. The finance team adheres to an approved colour palette for internal graphs. Staff are discouraged from making small talk about the weather — with Paphitis once noting that “customers do not benefit from benign and obvious commentary.”

This might sound excessive, or even slightly absurd. But it’s the reason you feel something when you walk into an Aesop store that you don’t feel anywhere else. That sense of entering a world where everything has been considered, where nothing is accidental, where the standard is higher than what you’re accustomed to.

That feeling isn’t magic. It’s what happens when a brand’s uncompromising philosophy is truly embedded in every aspect of the business.

A world that rewards attention

The world of Aesop is particularly cohesive, but its unsuspecting depth is where the brand truly shines. It doesn’t just have an aesthetic exterior; it contains layers upon layers for those willing to notice them.

Every Aesop store might be different, but true connoisseurs know they have something in common: a sink at the center of the space, where customers are invited to test products, often with a consultant’s expert touch. It’s a small architectural decision that carries enormous philosophical weight: it collapses the distance between private ritual and public experience, between product and the body, between commerce and care.

And you’ll notice, upon buying your refill of luxurious hand creams, these same consultants guide you along your journey with utmost intention. Parcels are wrapped with quiet ceremony. Consultants step around the counter to present purchases with two hands. These aren’t gestures performed for show — they’re expressions of a belief that every interaction, no matter how transactional, deserves attention.

This sensory immersion extends beyond the retail experience. At Salone del Mobile Milano, Aesop presented The Second Skin, described as “a fragrant ode to the epidermis” — an artistic installation embodying the idea that care can become art. And to launch the Eleos Nourishing Body Cleanser, the brand commissioned original choreography by Nayoung Kim, transforming what could have been a conventional product campaign into a cultural expression.

But Aesop’s connection to culture runs deeper still. The brand maintains an official filmography and has partnered with director Luca Guadagnino — a collaboration that began not through sponsorship, but circumstance. He and Dennis Paphitis met while both staying at Chateau Marmont. I Am Love was one of Paphitis’s favourite films. Guadagnino was beginning to explore spatial design.

Compared to the celebrity-led collaborations that dominate luxury marketing today, this kind of alignment can look almost accidental. In reality, it reinforces Aesop’s place within the cultural ecosystem its ideal customers already inhabit: intellectual, aesthetic, and deeply considered.

Nearly forty years in, Aesop continues to fortify the foundations of its world because it understands something that very few brands grasp: that belonging isn’t built through marketing campaigns or loyalty programmes. It’s built through depth — through creating a world so rich in meaning that insiders keep discovering new layers, and each discovery deepens their conviction that this brand was made for people like them.

The amber bottle conundrum

No matter the scale of its success, every magnetic brand eventually faces the same tension – and Aesop is no exception.

The Resurrection Aromatique Hand Wash — the amber bottle, the one the brand self-refers to as “the most coveted hand soap in the world” — was once a quiet signal among people who shared the same values. Finding one on someone’s kitchen counter told you something about who they were. It was a form of recognition between strangers who saw the world the same way.

Now, the bottle has achieved total global legibility. It appears in hotel bathrooms, UGC video backdrops, interior design mood boards. It signals status rather than understanding. People display it without knowing about the eucalyptus morning ritual in Tokyo, or the literary quotes, or even the meaning behind Aeop’s name. They own the artifact without inhabiting the world it comes from.

This is the paradox of success: the more legible your symbols become, the less they function as insider codes. When anyone can buy the signal, belonging becomes performance.

But, Aesop’s true insiders have already adapted, as insiders always do. The real signals now live at the edges — the Post-Poo Drops, the coffee table book that functions as a domestic totem, the ability to name which literary reference appears on which product. But the amber bottle, once the brand’s most potent symbol of shared understanding, now belongs to everyone.

The L’Oréal Question

If this were the end of Aesop’s story, it would still stand as one of the most impressive case studies in modern brand-building: a hairdresser’s philosophy, applied with absolute conviction over nearly four decades, resulting in a brand of extraordinary coherence — and, ultimately, a $2.525 billion exit to the beauty industry’s uncontested behemoth.

But the most interesting chapter might be the one being written right now.

L’Oréal is a machine designed for scale. It acquires exceptional beauty brands and grows them through operational efficiency, distribution expansion, and the full weight of its global infrastructure. This approach has been enormously successful commercially. But whether it has been successful at preserving the soul of the brands it acquires is a different question.

Aesop was built on the principle that thoughtfulness takes time. That products should take a decade to formulate if that’s what’s required. That stores should be designed individually, not stamped from a template. That “a capacity to endure pain where required” — Paphitis’s words — is the price of doing things properly.

Natura & Co, Aesop’s previous owner, was a good steward of this approach– in large part due to necessity. As a smaller company facing financial pressure, Natura couldn’t afford to transform Aesop into a commercial giant. They let the brand grow on its own terms, and it worked: revenue grew 20-fold under their care.

But L’Oréal’s quarterly earnings calendar operates on a different logic.

So the question now is the one that every magnetic brand eventually faces when it reaches a certain scale: can you maintain the thing that made you extraordinary once you’re inside a system with fundamentally different incentives?

In other words, can a brand built on stillness survive inside a machine designed for productivity?

I don’t know the answer. But I suspect that the brands that figure it out — that manage to scale without losing their soul — will be the ones that define the next era of luxury. And that whatever happens next at Aesop will tell us something important about whether that’s actually possible.

More reading:

A comprehensive profile on Aesop, with quotes from Paphitis (The Guardian)

Beautifully candid interview with Dennis Paphitis (The Talks)

Deep dive on Aesop’s brand codes - highly recommend (Parker Simon, Medium)

Interview with Aesop’s co-founder and creative director, Suzanne Santos (Tatler)

(Another) interview with Suzanne Santos (L’Officiel Philippines)

L’Oréal’s $2.525 billion acquisition of Aesop (Vogue Business)

The Brandsider brings you inside the world’s most magnetic brands. Subscribe for deeply researched analysis and case studies, or enquire about working together.

November 29, 2025 | Edinburgh, UK

My favourite brands to study are those that make seemingly disconnected ideas feel like they’re part of the same world. Think of Skims, or even Miu Miu. The brands that shouldn’t make sense — but do, because the concept holding them together is unusually compelling.

So a few months ago, when I stumbled upon a high-end fragrance brand that featured Mia Khalifa in a new product campaign, I was immediately intrigued. What kind of brand can talk about latex, energy vibrations, and neuroscience in the same breath — yet still feel coherent?

It turns out: one built with founder-led conviction and an unparalleled commitment to world-building. The result is, in my opinion, one of the most impressive category entrants in recent memory.

In this case study, we’ll uncover:

• Vyrao’s origin story and market context,

• the deeper forces that make the brand magnetic,

• and the key lessons modern brand builders can take away from its approach.

Let’s dive in.

Tamara
LinkedIn | Instagram

Vyrao: Brand dossier

Founding story

Before creating Vyrao, Yasmin Sewell spent her career shaping taste at the highest levels of fashion. She held senior roles at Liberty London and Farfetch, and even launched a concept shop where she championed emerging designers long before they became household names (at just 22, no less).

But alongside her high-flying career, she also pursued her deepest passion: studying meditation, energetic healing, and quantum medicine on nights and weekends. For years, she lived in two parallel worlds: the commercial and the spiritual.

So when she set out to build a fragrance brand designed to influence mood and energy, it wasn’t a side experiment or whimsical dalliance. It was the natural convergence of her entire life’s work — and it was just a matter of time for it to succeed.

Market landscape

When Vyrao launched in 2021, the luxury fragrance category had never seen something quite like it.

With 50ml bottles priced alongside Diptyque (£107), Aesop (£145), and Le Labo (£172), Vyrao (£135) sits squarely in the premium-to-luxury tier. Its pricing reflects not only its materials and partnership with IFF, but also its differentiated positioning.

Most fragrance players in the emotion-led space evoke sentiment through nostalgia, personal memory, or romantic storytelling. Vyrao occupies a different lane entirely, staking its claim as “the first wellbeing brand to fuse energetic healing with master perfumery.”

Though it might seem fringe at first, the proposition quickly makes perfect sense: a brand built with conviction, coherence, and timing that aligns with a broader desire for inner connection within an overstimulated world.

What makes Vyrao magnetic

The Flywheel of Belonging™ reveals the mechanics behind Vyrao’s magnetism — four forces that, together, turn a simple product into a world people want to belong to.

Target niche:
The untethered & overstimulated

The emotional profile of people predisposed to feel the brand’s pull.

Vyrao isn’t actually built for the witchy type, even though its naming occasionally implies it. The brand’s true audience is far broader and more contemporary: those seeking emotional reconnection in a world that keeps pulling them away from themselves.

These are (mostly) women who exist in a constant state of low-grade overstimulation — high-functioning and emotionally literate, yet aware that they’ve drifted from their inner world. They’re drawn to ritual, but only when it’s refined. They value self-care, but are wary of spiritual clichés. And they want tools that help them recenter, but those tools need to feel both intentional and beautiful.

For example: They meditate on Headspace between meetings, track their sleep with an Oura ring, and light Diptyque candles alongside sage bundles to reset their space — all in quiet attempts to feel closer to themselves.

With most wellness brands, these women are asked to choose sides: scientific or spiritual, clinical or intuitive. But Vyrao refuses the binary — offering them a sophisticated ritual where both coexist.

Emotional pull:
Intuition in the age of spreadsheets

The worldview that draws people in, and the promise that delivers it.

Vyrao begins with a belief that feels almost radical today: that intuition, energy, and emotion aren’t secondary, but powerful forces worth honouring. In a culture obsessed with optimization and measurable progress, this belief matters because it reframes wellbeing away from performance and back towards internal alignment.

For Vyrao, fragrance is the medium for this quiet rebellion. Not as seduction, nostalgia, or aesthetic pleasure, but as a tool for emotional transformation — something that helps people tap into the deepest parts of themselves.

What sets Vyrao apart is how fully it commits to this worldview, blending two worlds that rarely coexist in order to deliver on it. Through its formulations and approach, Vyrao makes space for both the scientific and spiritual:

• Each fragrance begins with natural botanical ingredients selected for their emotional and therapeutic properties

• Every bottle contains a Herkimer diamond crystal charged through intention-setting and energetic practice

• And through a partnership with IFF’s Science of Wellness program, Vyrao is pioneering neuroscents designed to measurably impact emotions

The promise is clear: a scent that shifts your state — emotionally, energetically, and scientifically. And in a hyper-anxious, overstimulated world, the idea that fragrance can help you reconnect with yourself isn’t whimsical — it feels like a form of luxury.

Immersive world:
Energy is everything

How Vyrao turns a belief into a world you can experience.

If the emotional pull is the brand’s heart, the immersive world is the proof: the place where Vyrao’s worldview becomes something tactile. The brand’s central idea, energy is everything, isn’t just copy on the website — it’s the through-line across every touchpoint.

Vyrao’s name comes from the Latin vireo (“I am verdant; I am vigorous; I sprout new growth”), and sets the tone for a universe built around vitality and vibration. The bottles extend that idea visually: heavy, sculptural glass in saturated, mood-coded colours. And because each fragrance represents a distinct emotional state, every scent comes with its own artistic direction.

Vyrao treats each fragrance as a world unto itself — reinforcing the idea that emotion is deeply influenced by sensorial experience.

This coherence continues through language and product. Fragrance names like Witchy Woo, Magnetic 70, Free 00, Mamajuju, and The Sixth introduce a new fragrance lexicon — less about top notes, more about states of being. Even the smaller formats are called Mini Woos, a small but telling detail into how deeply the brand commits to its vocabulary and point of view.

Marketing is where Vyrao’s world becomes unforgettable. Yasmin Sewell sits at the centre of it — not as a traditional founder-influencer, but as the embodiment of the brand’s worldview. With a following of 245k, she shares personal stories, interviews, and behind-the-scenes glimpses that reinforce the brand’s belief system as lived rather than constructed.

Campaigns push the world even further: erotic readings for their sensual scents, latex-clad imagery featuring Mia Khalifa and Isamaya Ffrench, gallery-like pop-ups, and a visual palette that mixes tactility with surrealism. Nowhere is this coherence clearer than in Vyrao’s use of sound: balloons popping, laughter, sirens, breath, heartbeats. It’s tactile, rhythmic, and surprisingly evocative. Sound becomes a way of evoking emotions before the viewer has processed anything visually — a sensory shortcut into the brand’s world.

Belonging cues:
Daily intention-setting

The symbols and behaviours that insiders adopt and signal outward, attracting the next cohort.

Vyrao’s belonging cues are subtle and intimate — a natural extension of the brand’s promise of emotional transformation. The brand’s insiders don’t talk about the scents: they talk about how they want to feel, and how the fragrance allows them to connect with their inner world.

“When I’m feeling the need to be in touch with my feminine side I choose Ludeaux.”
“It’s not about signature smells anymore, it’s about wanting to feel a certain way.”
“We were in my closet when I sprayed it over the top of us, and we all made the same sound lol - I love it, it’s magnetic”

Product reviews from Vyrao.com

The brand’s rituals deepen this sense of belonging. Each fragrance comes with a recommended intention-setting practice (e.g., Spray & Say: I Wink From Within). It invites wearers to pause, breathe, and choose how they want to feel before stepping into their day. As Sewell puts it: “I wear it to amplify my energy. It’s about ritualizing your routine, stating your intentions for the day by taking a moment for yourself.” For insiders, this is more than a suggestion; it’s a shared behaviour, a small moment of self-connection that becomes a quiet bond among those who use the brand the same way.

And finally there’s the visible cue: the bottles themselves, which are saturated, sculptural, and often left out in the open (like on Yasmin’s living room hearth). They act as emotional artifacts — shorthand for those who value inner life, beauty, and ritual in equal measure.

Together, these cues are soft but unmistakable codes: belonging not through exclusivity, but through emotional literacy and the desire to feel more connected to oneself.

The Insider Playbook

Lessons in conviction, coherence, and depth for modern luxury brand builders.

Vyrao is a reminder that luxury doesn’t need to be restrained or driven by exclusivity. It can be sensual, playful, even a little ‘woo’, as long as it’s built on real conviction, expressed with unwavering coherence, and executed with depth.

Conviction: Building a brand around an unconventional worldview can be a powerful differentiator, but it only resonates when it’s genuine to the founder. Yasmin’s presence — her philosophy, her story, the way she actually lives the belief that energy is everything — is what makes Vyrao feel sincere rather than gimmicky. People don’t just buy into the scents; they buy into the clarity and authenticity of her perspective.

Coherence: Vyrao’s world works because every touchpoint reinforces the same internal logic — visuals, naming, collaborators, and even sound. The latex stretch, balloon pop, breath, and heartbeat audio cues might seem minor, but they create a sensory thread that runs through the entire universe. Coherence is what gives the brand its sense of inevitability.

Depth: Vyrao feels luxurious because the world runs deeper than aesthetics. Each fragrance isn’t simply added to the line; it’s given its own corner of the universe, with distinct imagery, colour, tone, and creative direction. That level of detail and care turns a single brand belief into a whole ecosystem — a place people want to step into, explore, and return to.

In the end, what makes Vyrao so compelling is exactly what drew me to it in the first place: it brings together elements that shouldn’t belong — latex and neuroscience, energy work and luxury — and makes them feel not only aligned, but like they were always meant to coexist.

Vyrao doesn’t try to speak to everyone, but it’s built with enough clarity and courage to resonate deeply with those seeking the emotional transformation the brand promises. And that, ultimately, is what makes a modern luxury brand magnetic: a universe so rich that it feels like a personal invitation.

More reading

Vyrao’s brand deck — 2023 (PDF)

The BoF Podcast interview with Yasmin Sewell (BoF)

Can You Sniff Your Way To Your Dream Life? (Bustle)

A tour of Yasmin Sewell’s (gorgeously green) home (Wallpaper*)

A full profile on Yasmin Sewell: The Queen Of Reinvention (Elle)

Work with Brandside: Submit an enquiry

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October 24, 2025 | Edinburgh, UK

Hi - and welcome back to this week’s Brandsider Briefing.

I’m back in Edinburgh after a few days in the Cairngorms with my parents. I usually work through these kinds of holidays, but I decided to unplug — and it was glorious. I read two books, climbed my first Munro, and enjoyed way too many Scottish dinners (no small feat for someone intolerant to potatoes).

If you ever find yourself in the Highlands, I highly recommend:

• The Fife Arms / Flying Stag (pub)

• Dunnottar castle (cliff-side ruins)

• Balmoral castle (working royal castle)

Time away always brings clarity. Last week’s Side of Desk piece put words to the principles I’m using to shape The Brandsider’s business model. This week, distance helped me see where my focus should go next.

Building in public with an existing audience is vulnerable, challenging — but deeply satisfying. I’m grateful to share this process with you, and even more grateful to finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I’d planned to publish the Byredo Strategy Dossier today, but it deserves a proper debut — video and all. So that will be next week’s headline piece.

For now, as I catch up on the week, here are a few stories that stood out — and what they reveal about how brands build belonging.

Thanks for reading,

Tamara

Watchlist

Legacy

• L’Oréal is acquiring Kering’s beauty portfolio for $4.6b, marking the conglomerate’s first major move under new CEO Luca de Meo. This acquisition will give L’Oréal the right to produce beauty products for Gucci, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, YSL (ongoing) etc.

  • This is nothing new for L’Oréal: brand licensing makes up a large part of the group’s revenue. But while it might be a lucrative business, it’s rarely the best move to sustain brand belonging.

  • While there are guardrails in place for brand management in licensing agreements, it’s common to see the soul of a brand splinter off into two different directions. Think of Maison Margiela and their fragrance line Replica. The relationship between both entities still baffles me.

• Grace Wales Bonner was appointed creative director of menswear at Hermès. With her Jamaican heritage, this makes her the first black woman to lead design at a major fashion maison - even more notable when you look at the state of the industry.

  • Based in London, Bonner is both beloved and celebrated for her impressive CV: she launched her namesake after graduating from CSM, has dressed Lewis Hamilton, and has collaborated with major brands like Dior and Adidas. I’m sure her appointment will draw in a range of new menswear customers who identify with the shift she represents.

Rebrands + revivals

• Last week, Victoria’s Secret held its first fashion show under new Executive Creative Director Adam Selman. This marks (yet) another attempt at a brand repositioning and quest for relevancy. But this time, they’ve stopped trying to be anyone but themselves.

  • If you remember, the brand repositioned for the DEI era around 2021, following allegations of a toxic culture that promoted “misogyny, bullying, and harassment”. They even staged a mini fashion show / documentary — Victoria’s Secret World Tour ’23 — which replaced the brand’s iconic Angels with a message centred on diversity and female empowerment. But in the process of rejecting everything the brand once stood for — glamour, fantasy, seduction — Victoria’s Secret lost its sense of self. It no longer occupied a clear space in people’s minds.

  • Now, their latest show — showcasing glitz and supermodels galore — reflects that realization. VS wants to reclaim what made the brand magnetic, while framing what that means in 2025: blending ‘OG’ angels, a 9-mo pregnant Jasmine Tooks, and a diverse cast of gorgeous women clad in massive wings and lingerie.

  • Reactions have been mixed, but the general theme seems to be a significant improvement over last year. Regardless, the show certainly drove engagement for the brand (currently sitting at 31m views on YouTube).

• Leave it to Alex Cooper to report that Kim Kardashian will be making a beauty comeback under the Skims brand. KKW beauty (renamed SKNN BY KIM under Coty) closed down operations in June, and it was just a matter of time before Skims expanded in what seems to be one of the Kardashian’s favourite verticals.

  • Oh right, because apparently King Kylie is also making a comeback. Remember when she was on the cover of Forbes?

  • If you saw my video on Skims, you can probably imagine how they’ll position their new beauty line. Watch → Body as performance (The Brandsider)

Campaigns

• Researching my Who makes a brand? piece got me really excited about Pierpaolo Piccioli at Balenciaga, and I loved seeing his first campaign for the maison. It echos his softer, more romantic vision for Balenciaga — “a reflection of the new Balenciaga woman”.

• Moncler understands that the best way to attract insiders is to show who’s already in the fold. The brand’s autumn campaign blends fashion and friendship, showcasing Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, whose relationship has spanned over five decades.

  • The campaign centres around “expanding the definition of warmth” — beyond outerwear, and into the love experienced between friends and loved ones.

  • Showcasing the actors in a casual setting — on a New York City rooftop — we are made to feel the genuine camaraderie and creative respect that exists within the Moncler universe.

Signals + noise

• Consumers are pushing back again AI, and brand are cashing in. You probably saw the Friend ads that took over the NYC subway last month, and confusion / uproar / disbelief that went alongside the stunt. Now, a few brands like Heineken and Aerie are tapping into this consumer sentiment

  • Heineken took a clever stab at Friend with an OOH campaign touting “the best way to make a friend is over a beer” and that they’ve been responsible for “social networking since 1873”.

  • Aerie took a tougher stance. Much like its decision to avoid retouching models in 2014, the brand announced that it wouldn’t use AI-generated content in marketing. A timely and on-brand move, it reinforces Aerie’s ‘real’ positioning and the belief system that the brand’s insiders have bought into.

• ShopMy, the influencer curation platform, has raised $70 million in funding at a $1.5 billion valuation. This represents a bold bet on community and taste in the age of algorithms — as the platform lets you shop your favourite creators’ favourites.

  • For influencers, it’s a powerful way to turn an audience into insiders. And for brands, it represents an opportunity to publicize the insiders who love and recommend your products (e.g., Sofia Richie Grainge, Hailee Steinfeld). From a belonging POV, it’s a win-win.

• A24 is going all-in on books, and I feel bad for Simon and Schuster. With their focus on creative authorship and boundary-pushing storytelling, it’s hard to imagine A24 Books not becoming a prized fixture on readers’ shelves. Count me in.

Until next week!

xo,
The Brandsider

Connect with me: Instagram | LinkedIn

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October 10, 2025 | Edinburgh, UK

It’s been a lovely week in Edinburgh. My mother-in-law was in town, and we spent Tuesday evening frequenting some favourites: Café Royal for drinks, Dishoom for dinner, and Gleneagles Townhouse for a nightcap. My parents fly in this weekend, so more adventures to follow.

On socials, I shared a two-part series on Ennismore and the formidable Gleneagles - a timely continuation of last week’s piece on why heritage isn’t enough, and how brands can tap into lineage to make insiders feel part of something bigger than themselves.

Now, with Paris Fashion Week still fresh, it felt like a natural extension to dive into the many designer debuts that took place. I’m no fashion expert, but I am fascinated with the role of creative director - and how the most successful ones manage to bring their own vision to a brand while keeping its core intact.

Let’s dive in.

Tamara

Watch → Behind Ennismore (Part 1)

Watch → The glorious playground (Part 2)

In today’s newsletter → Matthieu Blazy’s debut at Chanel, Balenciaga’s transcendence, and Gucci’s provocative short film

Les chaises musicales

Paris Fashion Week ended on Wednesday - and with it, a flurry of creative director debuts. It’s a true game of musical chairs, as designers move from house to house hoping to leave their indelible mark.

• Jonathan Anderson for Dior

• Miguel Castro Freitas for Mugler

• Jack McCollough & Lazaro Hernandez for Loewe

• Glenn Martens for Maison Margiela

• Pierpaolo Piccioli for Balenciaga

• Duran Lantink for Jean Paul Gaultier

• Matthieu Blazy for Chanel

• (H.M. Demna for Gucci)

Never mind that these are all men designing womenswear; that’s a discussion for another time. But all this movement got me thinking about the role of creative directors in shaping a brand.

Many CDs have become brands in their own right - bringing their codes, references, and vision to the maisons they join. Hedi Slimane, Demna, Jonathan Anderson come to mind.

But the balance between vision and continuity is a delicate one.

A new perspective can reinvigorate a brand. But if they push too far into new territory, creative directors can fracture the emotional connection that makes insiders feel like they belong. Something which is easy to do, and very difficult to recover.

The art of interpretation

The best creative directors understand that their role isn’t to reinvent a brand:
it’s to translate the story.

They’re interpreters, not architects. Their job is to take the same source text and rewrite it for a new era - as Emily Wilson did when she became the first woman to translate Homer’s Odyssey. This is how they shift the expression, not the emotion.

Because belonging doesn’t come from consistency of form - it comes from consistency of feeling.

The designers who manage to preserve that feeling sustain three pillars:

1. The founding myth: why the brand exists.

2. The emotional promise: how it makes people feel.

3. The archetype: who embodies the world.

1. The founding myth

Chanel × Matthieu Blazy

Every brand is born from a founding myth - the original act of creation that defines its purpose and world. It’s the moment of ignition that explains why it exists, not just what it sells.

Matthieu Blazy’s debut at Chanel does exactly that. Rather than chasing novelty, he reached back to the house’s emotional genesis: the love story between Gabrielle Chanel and Arthur ‘Boy’ Capel. The linchpin that took Chanel from a humble hat-maker to global empire.

By grounding his vision in that partnership, Blazy re-centered Chanel around intimacy, emotion, and craftsmanship - the human story behind the icon. His collaboration with Charvet, Capel’s shirtmaker, nods both to their story and to Chanel’s enduring balance of masculine and feminine.

Read → Matthieu Blazy’s Vision for Chanel (BoF)

2. The emotional promise

Balenciaga × Demna x Pierpaolo Piccioli

Every brand has a fixed emotional frequency - the feeling its insiders return for again and again. When creative directors change, the strongest ones know to adjust the expression, not the emotion. The world can look different, but it must feel the same.

Balenciaga is an interesting case study here, because the brand’s emotional pull has always been powerful - but never particularly sentimental.

When Cristóbal Balenciaga founded the label in 1917, his differentiator was craftsmanship, and he was hailed the ‘architect of haute couture’. His collections were engineered perfection - inspiring awe, reverence, and transcendence through form. To wear Balenciaga was to elevate - to be beyond reach.

A couturier must be an architect for design, a sculptor for shape, a painter for color, a musician for harmony, and a philosopher for temperance. — Cristóbal Balenciaga

When Demna joined in 2016, he translated that same disruptive energy for a cynical, chaotic world. He replaced reverence with confrontation - using irony and provocation to elicit the same intensity of feeling. He didn’t betray the brand’s emotional code; he re-expressed it to the excitement and dismay of many.

Now, Pierpaolo Piccioli reinterprets that promise - returning to Balenciaga’s couture beginnings while introducing a new softness. His first collection merges streetwear references, romantic silhouettes, and luminous colour - evoking the rare belonging that comes from standing slightly apart.

Read → Pierpaolo Piccioli Shares His Vision for Balenciaga (WWD)

3. The archetype

Gucci x Demna

Every enduring brand comes to life through archetypes: the recurring characters that define its world and invite insiders to find their place within it. Protecting those archetypes means keeping the cast intact even as the story evolves.

Demna’s debut for Gucci, unveiled through the short film The Tiger, reimagines those characters with cinematic precision. Each role - L’Incazzata (the angry one), La Bomba (the bombshell), La Principessa (the princess) - forms part of a family portrait that mirrors the SS26 ‘La Famiglia’ collection.

Through surreal storytelling, Demna turns Gucci’s world into a mirror for modern consumerism. That beneath polished exteriors of elegance and control, we are all succumbing to dangerous, chaotic forces of our animalistic nature - the hunger for recognition, the desire for freedom, the instinct for pleasure.

It’s a cerebral interpretation of Gucci’s maximalism: we are all, always, one breath away from releasing the tiger within us.

Watch → THE TIGER by Spike Jonze and Halina Reijn (Gucci)

Parting thoughts

Although the creative director’s role is most apparent in fashion, this playbook applies to any brand undergoing a change of leadership.

Unless there is an explicit intention to shift a brand entirely - in the context of a major rebrand or strategic transformation - leaders have a duty to maintain emotional core, defined by myth, promise, and archetype.

Otherwise, they risk leaving their biggest champions - their brand insiders - out in the cold.

Wishing you a warm weekend. And until next week!

xo,
The Brandsider

October 3, 2025 | Edinburgh, UK

Hi - and welcome back to The Brandsider.

It’s officially October and it’s, well, wet. Last night, as I was working on this newsletter, the gales battered our window panes with a force that felt almost cinematic. I must say, I love it.

I was thrilled with the feedback on last week’s piece - so thank you for your kind messages. Although it snapped together quickly, the Flywheel of belonging has been the result of months of work - and will be the basis for The Brandsider content (and my consulting practice) going forward.

If you’re more of a visual person, I shared a carousel about it with some mini caselets on Instagram (100k views! 1000 likes!). I also posted a case study of Flamingo Estate, which is a 10/10 example of immersive world-building.

Last Friday, I said I’d be returning to the 3 market stories + watchlist format. But the past few weeks of testing have made it clear: what you find most valuable are lessons and playbooks, not raw market analysis. So I found a middle ground.

If you want to stay on top of pure brand news, I recommend as seen on, Because of Marketing, Feed Me, BoF and WWD. I have premium subscriptions to all of them and read them religiously.

Now, let’s get into it.

Tamara

Watch → Flamingo Estate’s estate of pleasure

In today’s newsletter → Jonathan Anderson’s debut at Dior, GapStudio’s inter-generational campaign, Maybelline’s jingle revival, Burberry’s knight, Hermès scarves

Jonathan Anderson’s debut at Dior:
an homage to lineage

This week, my feed was flooded with the most anticipated moment of Paris Fashion Week: Jonathan Anderson’s debut at Dior. Reviews of the collection have been mixed, but one thing was clear: Anderson did his homework.

The show opened with a four-minute film retracing Dior’s 80-year history, paying tribute to each of the seven creative directors who came before him. The debut framed his arrival not as a disruption, but as the next chapter in a story already in motion.

Whether you loved or hated the clothes, the gesture was telling.

It reminds us that the brands we feel the deepest belonging to rarely exist in a vacuum. They’re connectors - tying us to the lineage of those who came before, and those who will come after. This is a potent form of emotional pull (step 2 of the Flywheel).

Because insider brands don’t just sell product -
they make customers feel like heirs to a story

Watch → Dior’s SS 2026 show (YouTube)

Lineage as a tool for belonging

Not every brand has Dior’s 79-year heritage.

But for those with history, lineage can be one of the most powerful tools to create belonging - making customers feel part of something bigger than themselves.

It’s therefore no surprise that many brands staging comebacks - Gap, Elizabeth Arden, Nike, Starbucks, Coach, Burberry (how are there so many lol?) - are reaching back into their own archives to do it.

There are three ways brands can can tap into lineage as a tool for belonging:

1. Bridging generations: making belonging feel continuous across eras.

2. Resurrecting iconic codes: reviving symbols that root today’s customers in a deeper cultural DNA.

3. Framing products as inheritance: turning purchases into symbols of legacy.

1. Bridging generations

Gap’s latest GapStudio campaign (the brand’s high-end line) shows how powerful lineage can be. Featuring mother-daughter duo Gwyneth Paltrow and Apple Martin, the spot reminds us of the multi-generational love for the Gap brand.

In the clips, Apple talks about defining her style by stealing pieces from her mom’s ’90s wardrobe - a literal embodiment of fashion as inheritance.

“Gap has always been part of my family’s life.” — Gwyneth Paltrow
“When I think of Gap, I think of growing up with it.” — Apple Martin

It’s a familiar ritual: most of us have worn something from our parents’ closets. And that’s exactly why it works. Belonging rooted in lineage feels powerful because it’s both deeply personal and continuous.

You aren’t just buying denim; you’re stepping into a thread weaving together stories, generations, and something much bigger than yourself.

Watch → GapStudio’s fall 2025 campaign (Instagram)

2. Resurrecting iconic codes

Codes are one of the most powerful tools brands have to signal lineage. A logo, a tagline, a jingle - these are cultural shortcuts that remind consumers of a story that began before them.

But codes can’t just be dusted off. They need depth and authenticity to still mean something.

The bad: Maybelline’s jingle

Take Maybelline. Last week, the brand relaunched its iconic ’90s jingle ‘Maybe it’s Maybelline’ with Miley Cyrus. It’s fun, nostalgic. But beyond the surface-level throwback, there’s no real depth for consumers to connect to.

Any references to Maybelline’s glamour of the 70s and 80s is too subtle, with no storytelling to educate the new generation. Not to mention that, since L’Oréal’s acquisition in 1996, Maybelline has had little depth to speak of - run as a mass market beauty machine.

Watch → ‘Maybe it’s…’ music video (YouTube)

The good: Burberry’s knight

In contrast, Burberry’s revival of the Equestrian Knight has been nothing short of impressive.

First drawn in 1901, the knight is Burberry’s origin myth made visible: British identity, exploration, endurance. Under Daniel Lee, the house has woven it back into the fabric of the brand: crocheted on bags, spotted at fashion shows, and unexpectedly showing up in campaigns.

The knight has become the main character in Burberry’s immersive world. It’s both heritage and modern. And it works because it’s not just a prop; it has its own personality - a quirky reference insiders can recognize, celebrate, and re-circulate.

Watch → Burberry’s London in Love campaign (YouTube)

3. Framing products as inheritance

When most brands talk about ‘heritage’, it’s akin to a museum piece - admired from afar, but not lived in. With the silk scarf, Hermès shows us what it means to make heritage personal.

Introduced in 1937, the Hermès scarf has remained constant in shape and material, but endlessly renewed in design. Every season, the brand collaborates with artists to release new patterns - making the collection perennial.

This makes it a perfect keepsake for inheritance: one generation passes theirs down, while the next adds a new design to the collection based on personal taste. Each pattern acts as a marker of time, forming a living archive.

So while scarves might not be the most expensive or exclusive products sold by Hermès (*coughs in Birkin*), it’s their strongest tool for belonging. Because you never just own a scarf - you inherit a lineage, and then extend it.

Watch → The cult carré (The Brandsider)

Parting thoughts

There are many ways in which brands tap into emotional connection to create belonging (stay tuned). But for those with history, lineage is one of the most powerful tools at their disposal.

The key, like for anything in brand-building, is to ensure depth and authenticity in the narrative so that the emotional connection feels earned - not engineered.

I hope you enjoyed this hybrid format - blending tactical lessons with topical and evergreen case studies. This was definitely my favourite newsletter to write so far, and I already look forward to next week’s.

Until then!

xo,
The Brandsider

Connect with me:
Instagram | LinkedIn

September 26, 2025 | Edinburgh, UK

Hi - and welcome back to The Brandsider.

It seems I blinked and summer turned into fall. The Meadows’ tree-lined pathways are already carpeted in red and orange. My tank tops have been traded in for turtlenecks and scarves. And Edinburgh is finally stepping into her best self: misty mornings, cold nights, fires crackling in the hearth.

I’m excited - but I do wish I had more to show for September. This month was lighter on output, but heavy on clarity. These weeks of deep strategy work have been critical to setting The Brandsider up for long-term success - as both a platform and a business.

I won’t bore you with all the details. But before we return to regular programming (3 stories + a watchlist), I need to share the most important shift:

My decision to move away from cult brands.

And since I committed to building this in public, I want to walk you through my thinking. So today we’ll be covering:

1. The problem with cult

2. An introduction to insider brands

3. An evergreen framework for decoding belonging

What makes a brand cult-worthy?

Months ago, I made a video introducing The Brandsider, and framed this entire project around a single question: What makes a brand cult-worthy?

As a strategist who’s worked on major global rebrands, this is the one category I’ve always been fascinated by: brands that rise above the rest to achieve near-mythical status.

The Brandsider became my weekly study of what makes a brand cult. I analyzed dozens of cases and built an evergreen canon: 7 traits I noticed time and time again.

And yet, as I prepared to publish the IP I’d been developing, something felt off. A checklist didn’t capture what I was after. I wanted one truth founders, strategists, and marketers could take away - a north star that would shift the way we thought about building brands that matter.

But can cult be boiled down to a single thing?

Watch → About the Brandsider

The cult challenge

At the same time, I was forced to reckon with a nagging feeling I’d been carrying for months: that cult wasn’t the right framing for The Brandsider.

I struggled for three reasons:

1. Cult carries negative connotations: The primary definition of a cult is an organization where individuals are indoctrinated and (often) kept against their will. If you’ve seen my content, you’ll know that my lens is positive and professional - miles away from likening brands to nefarious religious sects.

2. Cult is ubiquitous: It’s a well-known industry term, and one that plenty of other companies have co-opted. Some of these lean pretty heavily into the perverse side of cult, which works well as a creative concept but isn’t my speed. At the end of the day, the term is evocative, compelling - but not ownable.

3. Cult is ambiguous: The term means different things to different people, and I found myself constantly over-explaining my lens. To me, cult isn’t a measure of worth, or status marker in the pecking order of brands. A cult brand is simply one with a devoted following: a community who champions and identifies with the brand. That means Aman and Aesop, but also other brands that ‘purists’ wouldn’t necessarily consider cult - like Gelée, Jones Road or Merit.

After a handful of comments and DMs, I had to ask myself:
was there a better concept than cult to stake The Brandsider on?

The insider insight

The answer to both those questions, it turns out, was hiding in plain sight.

The thing that both:

1. Truly sets cult brands apart

2. Expresses what I actually mean by cult

…can be boiled down to a single idea: belonging.

Specifically, belonging so strong that it makes people feel like insiders. Brands that nurture this belonging are the ones people want to identify with, be a part of, and can’t get enough of.

They don’t push products, they cultivate membership. And their power comes from trading in codes, references, and rituals that only make sense to those on the inside.

I call these insider brands.

(hilariously, this never occurred to me when coming up with the name for this platform 😅)

The flywheel of belonging

So how do insider brands actually create belonging?

Once I landed on the concept, everything snapped into place. The ‘7 pillars of cult brands’ I’d be working on for months evolved into a functional framework.

Not a checklist, but a system:
A flywheel that spins faster the more it’s fed.

The flywheel of belonging is made up of 4 components:

1. Target niche

2. Emotional pull

3. Immersive world

4. Belonging cues

1) Target niche

Insider brands start with the few for whom the brand feels like home. Think of concentric rings:

• a broad target audience (demographic, psychographic, geographic, behavioural)

• a tighter circle of brand lovers (repeat buyers who show early attachment)

• and a bull’s-eye of insiders (people who make the brand part of their identity and carry it forward)

The goal isn’t to go broad, it’s to find the people who will feel the most intense alignment. Specificity matters here; different niches respond to different meanings. If the target is too broad, no one feels personally seen.

By defining the insider bull’s-eye - their values, aspirations, and the role the brand plays in their life - brands set the conditions for belonging to take root.

Watch → Merit is for grown-up Glossier girls (The Brandsider)

2) Emotional pull

Based on their target niche, the brand then defines an emotionally compelling reason to belong. This is the promise the brand makes to the customer (beyond product functionality).

It might never be said explicitly, but customers should be able to articulate why they buy into the brand. Specifically: what belonging to it tells the world about who they are, what they believe in, or who they want to be.

When this pull is clear, outsiders opt out and insiders self-select in.

Watch → For the Fishwives (The Brandsider)

3) Immersive world

From there, they enter the brand world to deepen their belonging.

At a minimum, this world is defined by a consistent set of rules that shape every touchpoint: packaging, stores, events, comms, partnerships, design. The red thread should be strong enough that the brand is instantly recognizable, even when a logo isn’t present. Consistency across every touchpoint is critical to maintaining the feeling of immersion.

But that’s just scratching the surface. To maximize belonging, the world needs layers - with the deepest ones only accessible (or understood) by true insiders. These deeper layers are made up of codes, references, experiences, and myths that only reveal themselves if you know what to look for. They reward attention and commitment - and offer belonging in return.

Watch → Labubu’s user-generated world (The Brandsider)

4) Belonging cues

The most devoted insiders don’t just live in the world; they express their belonging externally.

They carry forward elements of the brand - codes, artifacts or behaviours - to communicate their status. This is how insiders project, defend, and propagate membership without the brand present. This is also how brands become cultural movements.

By broadcasting their belonging, insiders attract the next cohort. This pulls new people into the niche, the cycle repeats, and the flywheel spins faster. Belonging is created, reinforced, and compounded.

This flywheel is how brands create insiders - growing the core community that carries the brand forward in good times, and bad.

Watch → Miu Miu’s codes of belonging

What’s next

Thank you for your patience as I’ve honed this direction and framework over the last few weeks. It never ceases to amaze me how creative clarity happens in fragments - and then all at once.

Next week, we’ll be back with a normal content cadence and Friday’s Briefing: 3 market stories, a watchlist - and what they teach us about how brands create belonging. In the coming weeks, I’ll also be developing case studies and resources that help you apply this insider brand framework in your own work.

I appreciate your support as always, and look forward to chatting next week.

—

xo,
The Brandsider

Connect with me:
Instagram | LinkedIn

September 19, 2025 | Edinburgh, UK

Hi there, and welcome back to The Brandsider.

This week has been quiet on socials, but busy nonetheless. This season is about figuring out what The Brandsider will ultimately become. And every week, I get a bit closer towards it - iterating and sharing my learnings as I go.

But while I locked in the core DNA of this brand a long time ago (a strategist decoding cult brands), I’m still refining the how. Optimizing not just for the right business model, but also the approach that aligns with my working style, my psychology, and my long-term goals.

Because cult brands aren’t built in a quarter.

To become truly cult - compounding lore, equity and shared meaning - they need to sustain a founder’s obsession over a long period of time.

We’re talking 5, 10, 15 years focused on a single thing -
which is why the brand needs to be built around the founder, first and foremost.

This week, we’ll be covering:

1. Why founder-brand fit should be your north star

2. 3 cult-worthy examples of founder-brand fit

3. Tactical tips for finding your own

Founder-brand fit

You’re probably familiar with product-market fit (PMF).

Borrowed from the startup world, PMF is the moment where everything clicks: your product solves a real problem, demand picks up, and hockey-stick growth feels effortless.

PMF is a powerful signal for short-term success.
But cult brands demand more: a founder willing to keep showing up year after year.

And if the shape of the brand doesn’t align with you - your interests, your rhythm, your life - you won’t have the stamina to make it magnetic, let alone lasting.

This is where founder-brand fit comes in.

If PMF is about the market pulling the product forward…
then founder-brand fit is about the founder sticking around long enough for the brand to become cult.

Without it, the spark burns out before it can become truly enduring.

Seeing it in action

Founder–brand fit isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s what keeps a cult brand alive long after the initial hype fades.

When it’s real, it rests on three traits:

1. Conviction: the founder’s belief in the core idea never wavers, because it’s deeply embedded in who they are.

2. Compatibility: the brand is built into a fulfilling life, instead of competing with it.

3. Continuity: the brand evolves as the founder evolves, staying tethered over time.

1. Conviction

Every cult brand begins with a founder’s non-negotiable truth. An obsession so deeply embedded in who they are that it shapes everything the brand becomes.

Simon Jacquemus didn’t launch his label to capture a market segment. He built it as a love letter to his mother, his childhood, the South of France. That conviction is so personal that it can’t be replicated.

Jacquemus isn’t just a fashion brand - it’s the deepest expression of its founder. Simon’s joy, his countryside life, his eye for whimsy. We’re not buying into clothing - we’re buying into his inner world.

Watch → Begin with obsession (The Brandsider)

2. Compatibility

Cult brands don’t just fit the market - they fit the founder’s life.

When work and life reinforce each other instead of competing, the founder has the stamina to keep going for decades.

Alice Waters could have scaled Chez Panisse into a global franchise. Investors would have lined up. But instead, she chose to keep it small, local, and deeply rooted in Berkeley. That decision wasn’t a lack of ambition - it was alignment.

Waters’ vision of food was inseparable from her personal life: seasonal ingredients, community tables, intimate rituals. To grow it into a chain would have broken the very compatibility that made it special in the first place.

Chez Panisse has endured for more than 50 years not because it chased growth, but because Alice built it in a way that was livable for her.

Watch → How Assouline turned taste into legacy (The Brandsider)

3. Continuity

For a cult brand to endure, the founder’s life and the brand’s story need to stay tethered through time. When that red thread holds, the brand feels alive.

Paloma Lanna has mastered continuity with Paloma Wool. Her most recent campaign blurred the lines between home and work - motherhood and art - as her life has evolved:

“With Candela’s birth and Salomé growing quickly, the boundaries between home and work have blurred. […] [This] felt like the most honest way to portray Paloma Wool right now.”

Instead of hiding her intense reality, Paloma folded it into the brand -
making her changing life the raw material for its story.

Contrast this with Glossier. Emily Weiss’s obsession with messy bathroom shelves and beauty rituals fueled the brand’s early magic. But as her life and ambitions shifted, the brand lost its tether. The products remained, but the continuity broke.

As my friend Arielle put it: “I miss when Glossier was Glossier”

That’s because cult brands fade when founder-brand fit does. That is, unless another visionary leader takes the helm - making the brand’s obsession their own.

The playbook:
Test your founder-brand fit

Here are 5 questions to ask yourself this week:

• What’s the obsession I’d pursue even if nobody paid me?

• Can I imagine still caring about this 10 years from now?

• Do the demands of my brand align with the lifestyle I want for myself? If not, what needs to change?

• Does my brand grow as I grow, or do I feel trapped inside it?

• And, if you’re ready to move on: Have I identified and trained a leader who both understands the core DNA of my brand, AND can layer on their own obsessive vision for its next chapter?

The messy middle

It’s tempting to look at cult brands years in the making, and believe they were inevitable from the start.

But that’s not reality. Cult brands are built through iteration. Even when the what feels clear, the how keeps evolving until it finally clicks. This is what I’m experiencing first-hand.

Founder–brand fit isn’t about ‘getting it right’ once. It’s about continually refining the alignment between who you are, how you work, and what you’re building over years.

The middle is always messy. But when the fit is right, the brand has the time and space to grow into something exceptional - and eventually, to feel inevitable.

Hope you enjoyed this new format - would love to hear your thoughts. Until next week!

xo,
The Brandsider

Connect with me:
Instagram | LinkedIn

The Brandsider is a newsletter about the making of cult brands. You’re reading The Briefing, a roundup of this week’s stories - and what they teach us about building cult-worthy brands.

Hi - and welcome back to The Brandsider.

It’s officially fresher’s week at the University of Edinburgh, and I get to hear 19-year-olds drunk-yelling at each other into the wee hours of the morning. I’d be upset, except I remember how much fun I had as a freshman at McGill. On another, much more glamorous note, it was also Fashion Week in New York. I’ve dedicated a section of the Watchlist to a few notable cult moves.

Over on socials, I shared a deep dive carrousel on Aesop (700K views!), hit 30K Instagram followers (yay!) and produced my first ‘lesson’ video on the making of cult brands. The latter is well overdue, and I know I’ll enjoy building out this new series.

A few thoughts I had while making it: Phoebe Philo is so cool. There’s no way Starbucks’ current turnaround will work (Brian Niccol is about efficiency, not soul). And that I’m confused as to why this is a controversial topic. Greatness demands obsession. Obsession is rare. Therefore greatness is rare. That makes sense to me.

Now, onto the good stuff. This newsletter typically analyzes 3 brand moves of the week and what they teach us about building cult brands. But every so often, one story demands a closer look. This week: Labubu. Specifically, what their new collab with Moynat reveals about the brand’s fragmented market presence, and why (I believe) Labubu deserves to be more than a fad. Moynat graciously provided The Brandsider with a quote for this article, which is pretty cool.

Stay tuned for the Watchlist at the end. And hope you enjoy this one.

Tamara

Read → Inside the $2.5b cult of intention (The Brandsider)

Watch → Lesson 1: Begin with obsession (The Brandsider)

In today’s newsletter → Moynat’s collab with Kasing Lung, highlights from NYFW, succession plans at Kering, Nike’s anti-cringe campaign, Blank Street’s rebrand, and some thoughts on celebrity books clubs.

The reclaiming of Labubu

Note: Labubu is used as shorthand for the cast of characters in Kasing Lung’s illustrated book series The Monsters. Labubu is not a legal entity per se - it’s a character created by the artist and licensed to Pop Mart for distribution.

A curious partnership

On the surface, Labubu and Moynat could not be more different.

Labubu: a TikTok-fueled craze, endlessly compared to the notorious Beanie Babies or Cabbage Patch Kids of 80’s/90’s. And Moynat: a 175-year-old Parisian leather house, celebrated for its understated luxury, savoir-faire, and trunk-making history.

At first glance, their collaboration reads like another high fashion x pop culture stunt. The difference? Moynat partnered directly with Kasing Lung - not Pop Mart.

This surfaces the real tension at the heart of Labubu: a brand split between viral fandom and its founder’s original vision. Without careful brand management, Kasing Lung risks seeing his legacy reduced to a passing fad.

In this piece I pose the question: can Kasing Lung reclaim the myth of Labubu - and turn it into something enduring?

From cult seed to chaos

Labubu actually began with the ingredients of a cult ‘brand’.

• A singular founder’s vision: Kasing Lung’s dark folkloric universe.

• Obsessive craft: every line hand-drawn, every sketch a work of art.

• World-building as the default: Labubu wasn’t a toy or commercial venture - but simply one of the characters from his books.

Then came Chinese toy distributor Pop Mart. The company licensed Labubu, scaled it with plush toys and blind boxes, and let TikTok fan culture take over. Pop Mart turned Lung’s storybook characters into a multi-billion business.

But without a gatekeeper, the mythology splintered. Conspiracy theories, Lafufus, Labubu ‘families’ dressed in Prada - a tidal wave of user-generated world-building. Powerful, but increasingly disconnected from Lung’s intent.

Watch → Labubu’s user-generated world-building (The Brandsider)

The two-track problem

This left Labubu’s brand running on two parallel tracks:

• On one: viral fandom with no discipline or red-thread.

• On the other: Lung’s steady commitment to art and storytelling.

Lung has been mostly quiet on the matter - letting the craze run its course. The Belgium-based artist focuses primarily on his art - hosting solo exhibitions in Tokyo and Hong Kong, and working on his next book in The Monsters series.

But through this new collaboration, Lung begins to reclaim Labubu’s meaning.

A question of legacy

The collection reminds us that, behind the TikTok frenzy, sits a mythology crafted with the same obsessive care as Moynat’s luxury goods.

“The reason I accepted [to do the Moynat collaboration] is because they are making such high-quality products, made by hand like my paintings. I think it’s very matching” - Lung, for WWD

For Kasing, reclaiming Labubu isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s a question of legacy.

Left unchecked, Labubu risks the fate of every craze. But rooted in his artistry and intentionality, it has the potential to be of enduring cultural reference (akin to Ghibli or Sanrio).

What’s missing is a gatekeeper: someone to codify the brand, safeguard the story, and transform noise into mythology. If not Kasing (artist) or Pop Mart (distributor), then perhaps a third party brand steward.

A house of artistry

For the luxury French Maison, partnering with a TikTok craze may look like a stretch.

On closer inspection, there’s clear alignment in Lung’s commitment to craft, and Moynat’s long tradition of collaborating with artists.

I had the chance to connect with a representative of the brand, who shared:

“For Moynat, it makes complete sense: collaborations with artists are in our DNA. From the early 19th century, Moynat worked with figures like Henri Rapin, who created the Moynat ‘M’ Canvas and infused the house with Art Nouveau and Art Deco influences. Partnering with Kasing continues that living tradition of dialogue with art” - Moynat, for The Brandsider

For Moynat, the collaboration is a savvy, strategic way to generate buzz (as they did with their 520 campaign in May).

But for Lung, it’s something greater: the chance to set the record straight, to tell the real Labubu story before it’s forever labeled a fad.

Cult homework: Who’s protecting your brand’s story? And if it isn’t you, what story is the world writing in your place?

Watchlist

Cult moves that caught my eye, even if we’re not unpacking them (yet).

New York Fashion Week (so far)

• Valentino brought back Studio 54 for a night of debauchery. Cher was present and accounted for.

• Starbucks continues its quest for cultural relevance. The coffee brand partnered with Zac Posen for the creation of this striking siren dress. It’s a fun way to get on the map, but ngl it feels a bit forced. Just like their Oprah Book Club partnership.

• Jacquemus & Veuve Clicquot hosted a gorgeous event at the Central Park Boathouse to celebrate the launch of their partnership. Dreamy.

• Jack Carlsson (prev. Rowing Blazers) debuted his first collection as president and creative director of J. Press. It’s giving early Chuck Bass in the best way.

• I now understand why Anna Wintour always wears sunglasses. In this video captured by fashion creator Kate Bartlett, Chloe Malle’s expressions are on full display during Michael Kors’ S/S26 fashion show. When everyone’s watching your every move, a poker face needs to be part of the uniform.

Legacy

• After 20 years, François-Henri Pinault is stepping down as CEO of Kering (Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, Gucci etc.).

  • When he joined, PPR was a broad conglomerate - including department stores, furniture, electronics. During his tenure, François-Henri whittled the group down to a few luxury players, rebranded to Kering, and took a chance on up-and-coming creative talent (Demna, Hedi Slimane, Alessandro Michele) to give the group an edge.

  • He was a pioneer, and now he’s passing the torch to Luca de Meo (coming from Renault, a French auto company). Luca will have his own vision for the next 20 years of Kering, I’m sure. Exciting.

• The future of Giorgio Armani will look a lot different. Until his passing last week, Giorgio Armani was the independent owner-operator of his namesake. In an industry mainly made up of Kering, LVMH and Prada Group - keeping his independence was a no small feat.

  • But now, new information from his will paints a different future for the brand: he has instructed his nominees to gradually sell the Armani empire, or seek an IPO.

Rebrands + revivals

• Everlane was once a millennial favourite, gaining recognition for its ‘radical transparency’ and DTC business model. But that was 2015. Ten years later, the brand wants to regain its footing under new-ish CEO Alfred Chang.

  • Everlane will keep selling basics, but has officially shifted their positioning to ‘clean luxury’ and wants to appeal to Gen Z.

  • Naming Laufey (’From The Start’) as the brand’s first celebrity ambassador is part of that plan.

• Blank Street has officially outgrown coffee. Done by Wolff Olins, their rebrand drops ‘coffee’ from the name and doubles down on their matcha-green identity - fitting, since matcha now drives more than 50% of sales.

  • Matcha’s great and all, but I’m still convinced the real endgame here is real estate and brand discovery (h/t Michelle Wiles).

Launches

• Nike asks ‘Why do it’? In a new campaign narrated by Tyler the Creator, the brand flips its iconic slogan on its head - aiming to inspire a new generation by tackling cringe culture head-on.

  • A lesson in evolving to stay culturally relevant while protecting a brand’s sacred core. This seems to have caused some drama, but I liked it.

  • Watch → WHY DO IT? (Nike)

• Balenciaga is launching its first modern collection of 10 fine fragrances - nearly 80 years after Cristóbal Balenciaga debuted his first scent, Le Dix.

  • During R&D, archivists uncovered a 1947 bottle and faithfully recreated it, down to the packaging and formula. We love a thoughtful nod to history - especially as the house gears up for a new era with Pierpaolo Piccioli.

Collaborations

• Jonathan Anderson continues his mise en place for world domination at Dior. And of course, Loewe will be feeling the effects of it. Greta Lee, the actress in Past Lives (😭) and The Morning Show has been plucked from Loewe and named Dior’s latest brand ambassador. This is going to be good.

• People can’t get enough of Sweetgreen’s partnership with Nicolas Vansteenberghe from Love Island US. I could wax poetic about showcasing the local farmers they celebrate in their press release, but Sweetgreen has always had a bit of a cheekiness behind their wholesome farm-to-table messaging. Regardless, we thank them for their service.

Signals + noise

• I very much enjoyed this video about how Dua Lipa (sorry, I mean dula peep) is the best literary interviewer out there. Every celebrity has a book club these days, but they’re mostly shills unless rooted in a genuine love for literature. Service 95 does not have that problem. In other words, Dua Lipa began with obsession.

• Lululemon is having a really bad time. This isn’t news, but I was just reflecting on how, at some point, the brand was all anyone wore. What happened to Lululemon? Perhaps the topic of a future deep dive.

Thanks for reading! Full transparency: over the next few weeks, this newsletter will be evolving into a partially-paywalled product. But I’ll share more in time and place.

xo,
The Brandsider

Welcome back to The Brandsider - a weekly study on the making of cult brands. You’re reading The Briefing, a roundup of this week’s stories, and what they teach us about building cult-worthy brands.

It’s only been a few short weeks, but Edinburgh already feels like home. After months at breakneck speed, I’m finally settling into a new routine and trying to be patient with myself as I ramp back up.

In between leaving corporate and moving cities, my social content took a back seat. First for lack of time, then for lack of clarity. Without a clear ‘why’, I started second-guessing every script, every brand - and found myself wondering whether I’d ever be in flow again.

It took a few days off to remind myself why I created this platform in the first place. Not because I’m the undisputed expert on cult brands, but because I want to build my own. I’m leveraging my years of business and brand strategy experience to decode what makes a brand ‘cult’ - and then chronicling my learnings for both myself and other founders.

Credit to brand strategy, because tapping back into this purpose has given me a surge of motivation I haven’t felt in months, and I’m excited to share the next batch of videos. First on that list is a long overdue study of Aesop.

Aesop is one of those iconic cult brands that everyone has an opinion of, and I wanted to avoid falling into clichés with my analysis. I’m happy with how it turned out; keen to hear your thoughts.

Watch → Aesop’s uncompromising discipline (The Brandsider)

In today’s newsletter → Miley Cyrus becomes the face of Maison Margiela, Vryao’s launches a latex-tinged collection, and Burberry’s winter campaign goes regal

Cult moves

Three stories of the week - and what they teach us about building cult-worthy brands.

Maison Margiela hangs its mask

For 37 years, Maison Margiela has been defined by its subversive pushback of fashion norms. Rejecting the idolization of celebrities and creative leaders, Martin Margiela championed radical creativity and the power of the collective. He famously never made public appearances or even bowed at his shows.

This obsession with anonymity led the brand to develop strict codes to convey their conviction. Models donning masks, employees clad in white lab coats, utilitarian naming conventions (0-23), and the iconic bianchetto paint as a symbol of uniformity.

Now, for the first time in its history, Maison Margiela has named a celebrity ambassador. Miley Cyrus headlines the brand’s AW25 campaign in nothing but Tabi boots and bianchetto paint.

On the surface, it might seem like a shocking choice - but it’s a paradox that works. Miley, an icon of reinvention and performance, embodies the very subversion Margiela was founded on. And by painting her body as canvas, Maison Margiela doesn’t simply tack her onto the brand - it absorbs her into its mythology.

Herein lies the power of strong brand codes: they’re so distinct they can even turn a world-famous celebrity into a vessel for the brand, not the other way around.

Cult homework: Are your brand codes strong enough to speak for you, even in unexpected contexts?

Burberry dusts off its crown

I am forever impressed with Burberry’s turnaround efforts under Daniel Lee. Their latest W25 campaign is unapologetically regal: sweeping castles, tartan capes, a cast drawn straight from British lore. It’s dramatic, almost theatrical - a reminder that Burberry isn’t just a fashion house. It’s Britain’s brand.

This comes the same week Burberry rejoined the FTSE 100 on the London Stock Exchange. But the real win is in how they’ve regained cultural relevance in just a few short months. Notably, with their:

• Glasto-inspired festival drop

• High summer campaign featuring this iconic bikini

• Collaboration with TikTok’s infamous 'Bus Aunty’

After a decade of confusion, Burberry has finally remembered what only it can own: British heritage. Not in the traditional, stuffy sense - but as a way of life, with all of its contradictions and eccentricities.

Cult brands survive when they know what can evolve, and what must remain untouched. And Burberry’s return shows the power of protecting - or returning to - that sacred core.

Cult homework: What’s the sacred core of your brand that can never change?

Watch → Burberry’s ongoing comeback (The Brandsider)

Latex, lust and lived ethos

Vyrao continues to push the envelope on evocative brand storytelling. This week, the fragrance brand launched two new latex-tinged perfumes designed to spark sexual energy - Ludatrix and Ludeaux - fronted by Mia Khalifa and Isamaya Ffrench.

Launched in 2021 by Yasmin Sewell (prev. Être Cécile), Vyrao isn’t your typical fragrance house. The brand calls itself “the world’s first wellbeing brand to fuse energetic healing with master perfumery.” Every scent is designed to alter mood and energy - blending neuroscience, IFF research, and symbolic cues like colour and Herkimer diamonds.

With Ludatrix and Ludeaux, Vyrao extends its ethos into one of the boldest arenas of all: desire.

For decades, products promising to spark arousal have lived in fluorescent-lit aisles and medical settings. With its latest foray, Vryao reframes sexual energy not as clinical or taboo, but as an alterable state of mind - made tangible through scent and storytelling.

Vryao reminds us that cult brands don’t sell products lines (as provocative and interesting as they may be). They sell conviction - and every launch/campaign/collaboration is simply proof of the myth they were built on.

Cult homework: What’s the belief at your brand’s core - and what is the boldest embodiment of it?

Watchlist

Cult moves that caught my eye, even if we’re not unpacking them (yet).

Legacy

• Giorgio Armani, a bastion of Italian elegance and immaculate tailoring, has passed away at 91. I was fascinated to learn he started his career in medicine before falling in love with the craft of design - and worked at it until the very end. An impressive man, indeed.

• Anna Wintour names Chloe Malle as American Vogue’s new Head of Editorial Content, prev. editor Vogue.com. She plans to revive print by turning their issues into limited-edition collector’s items. Watch this if you’re concerned she’s a nepo baby.

Revivals

• eBay taps into our nostalgic love for the brand with a 90s-themed pop-up for their 30th anniversary.

• W Hotels unveils its refreshed NYC flagship after a 100M renovation - rediscovering their core DNA whilst evolving to meet consumers’ rising expectations.

• To celebrate the brand’s 115th year, Elizabeth Arden is staging a revival after emerging from bankruptcy in 2023. Step one: hosting a pop-up in SoHo.

Launches

• Kith is taking a page from Alo’s book and opening a NYC private Padel/wellness club (alongside Erewhon’s first East coast location). It will only cost you $36,000 to join (plus $7,000 in annual members’ fees). Surely the smoothies aren’t that good?

• Alo, the wellness brand famous for yoga mats and matching sets is betting on the belief that health = wealth. On Sept 9, the brand will drop a collection of luxury leather bags - with the ‘alo’ logo and all. I’m not sure about this one.

• Birkenstock expands its body care line… and I had no clue they were in the beauty space to begin with. Slightly confused; will need to dig deeper.

Collaborations

• Ahead of his (impatiently awaited) first womenswear show on Oct 1, Jonathan Anderson names Anora’s Mikey Madison as his first Dior ambassador.

• Jacquemus and Veuve Clicquot partner for a limited-edition of La Grande Dame 2018 vintage - aligned through their French origins, female inspirations, and love of the colour yellow.

  • Read → Veuve Clicquot Strategy Dossier (The Brandsider)

• Mugler’s new creative director will be making his debut during Paris Fashion week (Oct 2), and the brand is back in the limelight with a limited-edition makeup collection in partnership with L’Oréal Paris.

Market signals

• Montreal-based luxury retailer SSENSE is going bankrupt due to tariffs and discounting practices. An L for Montreal’s dwindling fashion scene.

• Luxury has a trust problem, exacerbated by recent knock-offs and supply chain scandals - and it’s affecting what we’re willing to spend money on. A must-read.

As always, thank you for your support. If there’s brand you’d like me to study - or are interested in working with me directly - please reach out → tamara@thebrandsider.com

xo,
The Brandsider

Welcome back! Every week, The Brandsider brings you an insider’s perspective on the making of luxury cult brands. This newsletter is a roundup of the stories I can’t get out of my head.

I can’t quite believe how much this platform - and my life - have changed since my last newsletter on April 11. They say one season of deep work is all it takes, and now I finally believe it. Looking back, I have no idea how I ran on so little sleep for so long - sheer motivation and survival instincts, I guess??

This series of life changes culminated most recently in our move to Edinburgh last week. It was chaos. It was time-consuming. And boy am I glad to be back to my routine - now sans full-time corporate role.

The Brandsider continues to operate, of course, but as part of a bigger bet that my husband and I are working on together (more on that soon). In the meantime, I’m focused on building back my content muscle after a slight reprieve (aka burnout lol), relaunching this newsletter (hello!) and taking on ad-hoc brand strategy consulting projects.

If you’re interested in working with me, please reach out at →
tamara@thebrandsider.com

For now, I’m excited to be back here, writing about the thing I love most: cult-worthy brands. Keen to hear your thoughts on the evolved format, and your own perspective on the stories we cover here.

Tamara

Brands featured in this week’s newsletter: Gap, Miu Miu, Taylor Swift, Artifex Fine Jewelry, Topshop

Gap might just be back

Gap has been quietly staging a turnaround under Zac Posen since his February 2024 appointment: launching GapStudio, showing up on red carpets, even debuting a Spring ‘25 campaign with White Lotus’ Parker Posey. But the perception shift has been slow - until last week.

While most of us were still reeling from Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle ‘Great Jeans’ campaign, Gap’s marketing team were teeing up their own take on denim.

Sitting at nearly 10m views, the spot features the girl group KATSEYE flawlessly executing a choreography to the 2000s classic ‘Milkshake’ - all clad in low-rise jeans. And comments under the video are positive for a reason…

“The only ad I intentionally searched”

”The only ad no one is skipping”

”It's a requirement to watch this once a day”

”Never wore GAP jeans in my life and now I lowkey want to lol”

The ad weaves together the perfect mix of Y2K aesthetic, TikTok-worthy virality, and the diverse casting we expect from brands in 2025. But more importantly, it hits right at the heart of Gap’s cult DNA.

Because Gap’s magic was never just about affordable fashion: it was about turning basics into pop culture. White tees as the uniform of the 90s. Denim as the ultimate equalizer. Gap made the ordinary feel iconic.

So while a full brand turnaround will take time - this ad reminds us why the brand mattered in the first place. And that’s where every cult revival begins.

Watch → ‘Better in Denim’ Gap ad

Defining the Miu Miu girl

The ‘Miu Miu girl’ has always had a certain quality about her, and now we finally have the word for it. On August 19, Miu Miu unveiled its new fragrance to the world: aptly named ‘Miutine’ - a play on the word ‘mutine’ (aka rebel, mutiny).

This goes beyond clever naming. It’s the brand finally putting words to one of fashion’s most fascinating (and elusive) archetypes: the Miu Miu girl. And there’s no better face for it than Emma Corrin, who embodies the tension at the heart of Miu Miu: feminine but never in the expected way - softly subversive, yet unconventionally bold.

Cult-worthy brands don’t sell you product. They invite you into a lifestyle, an identity. Better yet, one you already see yourself in.

Miutine speaks to the rebellious, slightly irreverent side within all of us. A word we might secretly want to be described as. And the scent as private validation - worn “entirely for oneself away from any gaze” (Dominique Ropion, Master Perfumer).

“Miutine, adjective. Used to describe an individual whose spirit is unyielding. Unconstrained. They know the rules, but behave as if they do not exist.”

Watch → Miu Miu cult dossier (The Brandsider)

The new Eras of engagement rings

When Taylor Swift announced her engagement to Travis Kelce this week, the jewelry industry held its breath. Not because of the carats or the price tag (though experts estimate £500k–£4m), but because of who designed it: not Cartier, not Tiffany, not De Beers - but Kindred Lubeck of small label Artifex Fine Jewelry.

The ring - a custom old mine cut, bezel-set diamond - is telling. This vintage style is known for its imperfections and subtler sparkle, each stone completely one of a kind. In contrast to the rising trend of lab-grown diamonds (flawless and uniform by definition) Taylor validated the opposite: singularity. And the market reacted instantly: searches for “old mine cut” spiked ~10,000%.

The shift (back) toward one-of-a-kind stones has been building for years, but Taylor’s engagement thrust it into mainstream conversation. With standardized stones becoming more accessible, true luxury will increasingly lie in rarity - whether in the cut, the provenance, the jeweler, or the story behind it.

This further market polarization opens space for new cult-worthy players - indie labels, standalone craftspeople, or houses releasing genuinely one-off pieces. Because in 2025, luxury is no longer contained in a little blue box… and that might be a good thing.

Watch → How De Beers misread lab-grown diamonds (The Brandsider)

Catching up

This week on Instagram, I explored Topshop’s recent return to the high street, and hypothesized what could make the brand successful in this new age of fast fashion and TikTok trend cycles.

Spoiler: it’s not competing on price or speed. But instead tapping into what once made the brand so cult: editorial authority, as defined by the brand’s tastemakers.

I might not have grown up in the UK, but our collective obsession with Topshop was alive and well in Canada. The biggest fashion purchase of my teens was a pink trench coat I wore every day of my eighteenth year. So it’s fair to say their comeback is near and dear to my heart - and it was a pleasure diving deep into the archives of Topshop to tell this story.

Links below:

• Watch → Part 1: Topshop’s rise & fall

• Watch → Part 2: A cult-worthy comeback?

As always, thank you for your support. I’m so grateful to be stepping into this next chapter with a vision and clarity that I’m on the right path. Excited to share more soon.

xo,
The Brandsider

The Brandsider is the editorial arm of Brandside

Hi there, and welcome back to The Brandsider: a newsletter about the business of brand. Subscribe for insider takes on how great companies use brand as a business lever - from breaking down major headlines to deep dives on the ones getting it right.

My obsession with the creator economy continues (thanks again, Danielle!!)

Partly because I went semi-viral on TikTok this week - 150K views! 7,000 likes! on a single video!

And partly because I had a string of conversations that reminded me just how underestimated the creator economy still is.

A lot of the confusion comes from people still equating the creator economy with influencer marketing. But they are different beasts.

Influencer marketing is about brands borrowing attention: paying people to promote something.

The creator economy goes far beyond that: it’s individuals building audiences, IP, and brand equity around their presence online. And these creators are fundamentally shifting how we consume - both content and product.

Yes, some make money through ads, sponsorships or classic merch shops.

But many more are graduating into building truly brand-led businesses: selling physical products, subscriptions, software etc.

And let me be clear: this is far from a niche. In February, Adobe conducted a 1,000 person survey on creator-led brands and the results shocked even me:

• 56% of consumers purchase from creator-led brands, with Gen Z (66%) and millennials (61%) leading the trend.

• Gen Z spends $104 monthly on creator-led brands.

• 13% of shoppers now trust creator-led brands more than traditional ones.

So while I’m fascinated by the downstream businesses these creators are building (Feastables, Kortex, Fenty)…

I’m equally intrigued by the upstream infrastructure being built to support them.

Think Stan, Passionfroot, Kajabi, Beehiiv, Karat - all quietly enabling a massive shift in how people monetize expertise, audience, and trust.

All in all, this is a massive opportunity. Goldman Sachs estimated the creator economy could hit $500B by 2027 - and that was back in 2023. For context, that’s about the size of the global beauty industry.

To me, it feels like the creator economy today is where social media was in the early 2010s: no longer new, but not yet fully realized. It’s a coming of age, and people are just starting to pay attention.

And I cannot wait to see where it takes us. More on this soon.

Tamara

Brands in this week’s newsletter: Prada, Versace, Apple TV, Lumon, Hooters, Jaguar Land Rover, Weight Watchers, Coffee Mate, Duke, The Royal Ballet and Opera

P.S. If you like the Brandsider, the best way to show support is by sharing this with 2 people who might find it interesting.

It would help me immensely and also put the biggest smile on my face 🫶🏻

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✨ Where Business Meets Brand

Deeper analysis, as covered on IG / TikTok / YouTube Shorts

Prada acquires Versace - sans Donatella

Yesterday, Prada Group announced it would be acquiring Versace for nearly $1.4b USD. The goal? To create an Italian luxury contender to LVMH or Kering. The deal has been in talks for some time now, but it’s an interesting time to go all-in: markets are unstable and Versace has been operating at a loss for some time now.

But my biggest question? How the brand will fare under new management, and without its namesake: Donatella Versace. The creative director stepped down last month after 25 years, giving way to Dario Vitale (prev. Miu Miu) who will be carrying the torch forward into the 7th circle (had to, sorry).

When life gives you Lumons…

Apple has been feeling off for some time now. I talked about it in an earlier video: how its Apple Intelligence ads feels decidedly un-Apple. I also walked by a iPhone billboard near Oxford Street the other day, and the entire value prop was around…price? So weird.

But Apple still does have a trick up its sleeve: and it involves substantial investment in Apple TV+ and shows like Severance. In fact, Apple plans to lose between $15-$20b on the business within its first decade. The aim is to increase product stickiness and (I believe) rebuild some cultural relevance. More on that in the video:

A family-friendly comeback?

Last week, I told you that Hooters was going bankrupt - and its new owners were planning to turn it into a family-friendly destination. I then made a video about it, and could have never predicted how passionate people are about the brand.

The general consensus? It would take a lot to shift people’s perceptions. But then that begs the question: why not just purchase the assets and build out a restaurant concept that would actually resonate in 2025?

📈 Intel Files

A roundup of stories caught my attention this week

📉 Everything’s cooked. But you already knew that. This isn’t brand news per say, and I’m no economic policy expert, but Trump’s tariffs are going to have serious, multiplying impact on every major brand on the world. Jaguar Land Rover has suspended exports to the US - even though it relies on the country for 25% of its revenue. Plus, we’re seeing companies choose their language carefully as ‘made in America’ claims now need to hold up. This story is far from done. (BBC)

💪🏻 Young people are really into wellness, like really. The Bank of America found that Gen Z households spend 2.8x more than baby boomers on fitness. And that, despite a drop in discretionary spending because of the um, recession (?!), the category seems to be on the upswing. It’s a good time to run a wellness or non-acoholic beverage brand. (Business Insider)

💉 Ozempic has shrunk Weight Watchers… down to bankruptcy. Counting your ‘bread points’ is a much harder sell when you could just take a shot instead. Although I’m not one to promote diet culture - this does feel sad, in a way. The company has been around since 1963, and while its protocols are slightly problematic, they feel less dystopian than an over-reliance on GLP-1s. (Forbes)

🪷 The White Lotus brand lore continues. Coffee Mate partnered with White Lotus to launch a piña colada a few months ago - but they couldn’t have predicted the season 3 ending. Probably, because the producers filmed SIX alternative show endings in case of leaks. But instead of uncomfortable pushback about brand alignment and reputational risk (ahm Duke), their response was self-aware, funny, and kind of perfect…(WSJ)

🩰 The Royal Ballet and Opera rebranded, and although I don’t really comment on visuals - I have to say I’m obsessed. Designstudio honoured the legacy crest pumped up their signature red, and introduced a playful wordmark that evokes just the right amount of movement. The result is a lovely balance of regal and modern, and has definitely primed me for a matinée of Swan Lake. (Brand New)

🩵 Quick hits

• The Generalist is starting a podcast, which is very exciting. The publication, which does the most comprehensive (and well-written) deep dives of corporate strategy online, launched its first episode with Reid Hoffman. The concept? ‘To distribute the future more evenly through conversations with the people who see it first’. I’ll be listening.

• Retail brands of the early-aughts are leaning into ‘newstalgia’: a blend of Y2K vibes with modern appeal. I love how Gen Z are obsessed with Y2K fashion - and this piece by BoF covers how brands are riding the wave.

• More creator stuff. This article by AdAge talks about how creators are reinventing the beverage market. We’re talking the likes of Alex Coopers’ Unwell Hydration and Kylie Jenner’s Sprinter vodka soda.

Onwards

Last Friday, I told you my next experiment would be to double down on the tink tonk. I did.

Since then, I’ve posted 7 videos, amassed 167K views and gained 50 new followers. Unfortunately that turned into zero Substack subscribers, which was my big fear.

But this hasn’t put me off TikTok. Instead, the experience made me realize 2 things:

1. My hooks still aren’t great. I’m getting better, but I have a new appreciation for just how much they affect video performance. Conversion starts with top of funnel capture, which I still haven’t nailed.

2. But most importantly, I’ve realized my content is way too broad. I share smart takes on the brand implications of business headlines… but don’t give people a reason to stick around. No actionable tips, no specific expertise in a single area. This will be an issue for converting viewers into followers, but even moreso for capturing subscribers (owned audience is always the end goal).

Therefore, the next step will be to keep at it, but niche down slightly. Going beyond broad insights into ‘packagable’ learnings. And as you may have guessed by the intro, that next exploration will be in the creator economy space.

xoxo,
The Brandsider

Hi there, and welcome back to The Brandsider: a newsletter about the business of brand. Subscribe for insider takes on how great companies use brand as a business lever - from breaking down major headlines to deep dives on the ones getting it right.

So happy to see you here! It’s officially April, and I can confirm I did absolutely nothing for April Fool’s.

Deception as a concept freaks me out. Even in the smallest, most unimportant ways. Like, the thought of the movie the Wedding Crashers makes my palms go clammy.

But if you are a fan of April Fool’s brand activations, here’s a roundup by Ad Age that might tickle your fancy.

On a different note, I’ve been pushing along on the Brandsider, and particularly interested in how creators bridge the gap between brand and business strategy in a pretty genius way.

‘Where brand meets business strategy’ can feel like an abstract concept.

Because in how many businesses do you get to shape every part of it - the product, the operations, the go-to-market - so it all reflects a powerful brand idea?

(Framework coming soon…)

Building a truly brand-led business takes a huge amount of vision and discipline, usually from a highly involved founder.

Unless, of course, you start with a compelling brand first. Say, from a beloved creator with a clear schtick and place in the market. And then build an entire business (read: universe) around them.

This is what we’re seeing Emma Chamberlain’s Chamberlain coffee, Kim K’s Skims, or Gstaad Guy’s Poubel. These brands perfectly encapsulate what makes the creator so loved, and give their audiences something to buy into beyond merch.

It’s fascinating, and probably an area I’ll be exploring more moving forward, honing in on my interests at the intersection of brand, business, personal identity and content creation.

I’d love to hear which creators / creator brands you’re most interested in. But for now, let’s get into it…

Brands in this week’s newsletter: Poubel, Gstaad Guy, Loro Piana, Nike, Topshop, Yahoo, TGI Fridays, Hooters, Duke, Air France, Emirates, Etihad

✨ Where Business Meets Brand

Deeper analysis, as covered on IG / TikTok / YouTube Shorts

Poubel: Gstaad Guy’s brand-led venture

Diving deeper into the creator economy, I’ve become fascinated by Poubel - the luxury charm company founded by Gstaad Guy. Now with 1.1M followers on Instagram alone, Gstaad Guy got famous for his satirical skits of the top 0.1%. But instead of just spoofing the elite, he has actually become one of their favourite inside jokes (case in point he collaborates with Loro Piana).

That tension is exactly what Poubel captures: unapologetically luxurious, yet completely absurd. Hand-painted silver charms…of trash cans, vicuñas, and Padel rackets. It’s clever, character-driven, and proof that creators aren’t just entertaining - they’re building the next generation of brand-led businesses.

Loro Piana and the art of restraint

A few weeks ago, we explored the PLT ‘quiet luxury’ rebrand, and how such brand claims require serious follow through. Well this week, I wanted to explore a brand that truly lives its core idea of restraint, excellence and commitment to quality: Loro Piana.

From its product ($5000 cashmere hat) to its ops (fully integrated supply chain) and GTM (minimal logos, hello Zermatt) - Loro Piana is a perfect example of a brand-led business. Restraint isn’t a campaign message; it’s baked into their business model. The brand has had a fascinating growth arc thus far, and I look forward to seeing what Frédéric Arnault (yes, Bernanrd Arnault’s son) does to continue the trajectory.

Nike & why winning isn’t for everyone (anymore)

After years of pushing a broad-stroke inclusive message (and diluting its brand), Nike decided to draw a new line in the sand alongside its corporate turnaround. It now wants you to know that ‘winning isn’t for everyone’. And although the sentiment might rub some people the wrong way, I think it’s actually kind of genius.

Brands become great by standing for something. And by definition, that will draw in some… and alienate others. The only way a brand loses its spark is by trying to be everything to everyone. IMO, this is a good move in the right direction for the struggling sportswear maker.

📈 Intel Files

A roundup of stories caught my attention this week

👚 Topshop is officially making a comeback. After years of shuttered stores and only selling their iconic skinny jeans on ASOS.com, Topshop is returning to the high street in a big way. This is the Roman Empire of so many millennial women - and people are way too excited about it (my Gen Z self included). I just hope they bring back the Oxford Street location, as I never actually got to experience it in its full glory. (Drapers)

💾 Yahoo brought in a new CMO, Josh Line, who was previously Paramount Global’s chief brand officer. His mandate? To reignite love for the once-iconic ‘Internet company’. As you can probably imagine, this isn’t the first time such an effort has been attempted - especially since Yahoo still brings in about 3 BILLION visits per month. Insane. This story isn’t going anywhere, but I’m very excited to see how it will play out. (WSJ)

🍗 Like TGI Fridays, Hooters is going out of business - but not really. The restaurant group filed for bankruptcy this week, so that the current owners (unsurprisingly, a PE firm) can give control back to the original founders (among other buyers). Honestly? This bit in The Office is all that comes to mind when I think of the brand, but now the plan is to focus on fresher ingredients and more family-friendly appeal. Let’s see how they pull this one out of the hat… (Morning Brew)

🌴 At the other end of the spectrum, Duke is not thrilled about its unexpected cameo in White Lotus. Without getting into the details, the university feels the unauthorized use of its logo misrepresents its brand and values - and perhaps went a bit too far. This raises an interesting question: should brands have a say on how they are portrayed in fictional media? Devilishly, I can’t help but imagine an anti-sponsorship model: “Pay us, or we’ll put your brand in a terrible storyline.” Oh god. (New York Times)

🇫🇷 It seems Air France has renewed its first class suite - which might not seem like brand news at first glance. But we have to remember that Air France has always touted the most luxurious (and expensive) upper class experience - La Première - which is a tall order when you’re competing against Etihad and Emirates. Given their standards seemed to be slipping, this refresh is a sign they’re not willing to go out without a fight… (Reuters)

🩵 Quick hits

• This piece by Michelle Wiles is the best brand-related thing I’ve read in a really long time.

• Drake dropped the music video for his song NOKIA. IYKYK - I have very strong feelings about it. Babygurrrrrrl.

• Holly, thank you for teaching me that I too am a savoury girl. I’ve never been more bought into a creator’s identity / community. Count me in for bruschetta flights and seafood boil Bloody Marys.

Onwards

Every week, I’m faced with the question of how to best spend my time to build the Brandsider. Forgive my pragmatism, but I’m ruthlessly interested in ROI: how can I drive maximum growth given my limited OOO hours in a week?

Well, I’ve figured out the answer to that question. And I’m not happy about it.

As you might have guessed, my fate lies with the TikTok algorithm. Out of all the social platforms, TikTok optimizes most for engagement and discoverability, and it’s also the perfect low-stakes testing ground for new content styles and stories. A snapshot of the market, in a way.

I’ve seen all the creators I admire do it: grow slowly on TikTok, then blow up everywhere else. I’m not sure why I thought things would be different for me. But I’ve now accepted my fate, and will probably have to reshuffle my time allocation as I double down on the tink tonk. The learning curve continues.

I appreciate any advice, luck or blessings you might have to give me. It’s going to be a tough one, but worth it (I think?). Until next week…

xoxo,
The Brandsider

Hi there, and welcome back to The Brandsider: the weekly newsletter exploring how great companies use brand as a business lever. Subscribe for insider takes on brand-led business strategy - from breaking down major headlines to deep dives on the brands getting it right.

It’s been a minute, but only because The Brandsider is officially moving to Fridays.

Since it’s a round-up, it just makes good business sense. Plus, I always look forward to reading The Stanza on Friday mornings, and I like to imagine someone might feel the same about The Brandsider one day.

Momentum is finally building. The months I spent trying out different approaches, platforms, content types did pay off. And now it’s time to execute.

As I get into the flow, I’ve been thinking a lot about my role and editorial boundaries as a content creator. I cover a lot of ground in my videos every week - both in quantity and breadth. And because I’m not an expert in every industry (nor do I claim to be one), mistakes are unavoidable. Angles I miss, things I misunderstand, nuances I overlook.

And people are, of course, always keen to point them out (thanks TikTok). Or like yesterday, when I misread the new campaign for California Pizza Kitchen (weird, I know) - and got called out on LinkedIn. My stomach dropped when I realized I hadn’t understood the full story, but I was honest about my shortcomings. The person and I discussed; now have plans for an intro call. Yay!

So while the potential of a making mistake publicly was paralyzing at first - especially as a recovering perfectionist - I’m realizing my value isn’t to get everything right. It’s to surface connections others miss, spark new conversations, and create space for the people who do know the details to jump in.

I look forward to having a research team fact check every word before posting. But until then? Prioritizing output, staying curious, and being transparent about my limits feels like the only way forward. Or at least that’s what I’m telling myself.

But for now, let’s get into what happened this week…

Mentioned in this week’s letter: Vrbo, AirBnB, Tesla, Hims, Hers, 23&me, H&M, Starbucks, Sephora, Doordash, Klarna, Unilever, Ben & Jerry’s, Open AI

✨ Where Business Meets Brand

Deeper analysis, as covered on IG / TikTok / YouTube Shorts

Vrbo’s challenger attempt: strategic or just petty?

Brand rivalries are nothing new - but they seem to be heating up. Hatch is going after Apple. Tony’s Chocolonely after Cadbury. And Vrbo is now going up against AirBnB. WSJ even wrote a piece on it (highly recommend)

But what makes the difference between a true challenger brand - and one that just comes across as “confused as they are desperate”?

In this piece, I explore how great challenger brands don’t just poke the leader - but challenge the very belief system it stands for. Creating a tribe for those who never felt like they could quite relate to the incumbent. I’d be keen to hear your thoughts on what that space might look like for Vrbo.

Hims & Hers’ big gamble

When GLP-1s became a thing, Hims & Hers quickly jumped on the bandwagon: positioning as affordable source for weight-loss drugs. They even pledged to tackle America’s obesity crisis with their recent Super Bowl ad.

But the secret to their affordability? Compound GLP-1s, which the FDA is now cracking down on.

This puts the whole model at risk. GLP-1s now make up 50% of Hims & Hers’ revenue, and thousands of customers rely on them for access. If the company can’t deliver, it’s not just a business problem, it’s a direct hit to the brand’s core promise of accessibility.

Tesla’s ‘founder’ liability

Tesla is officially the worst-performing stock on the S&P 500 this year: a case study in the double-edged sword of a founder-led brand. For years, Elon Musk was the brand. But what happens when your founder alienates your core audience?

After Musk’s recent political moves - from historical Trump campaign donations to leading DOGE - the backlash has been real. Boycotts, stock dumping, and viral bumper stickers later… the business is feeling the brand fall out.

I break it down here:

🎥 Bonus: Day in the Life

I filmed a day in my life video on Tuesday, which included both my corporate workday and the BTS of creating the Challenger Brand carrousel from scratch. So fun to make this type of content - especially to capture the early stages of building The Brandsider.

📈 Intel Files

A roundup of stories caught my attention this week

🧬 23&me has officially filed for bankruptcy. But what the heck is happening to the genetic data of its 15M customers? As one of the businesses’ core assets, the data is fair game to be sold in a bankruptcy sale. Well that’s terrifying, for so many reasons. State authorities and legal experts are urging past customers to delete their data from the platform. (WSJ, Wired)

👚 Apparently H&M - alongside all its retailer friends - is attempting a comeback. I haven’t bought clothes from H&M in probably 7 years, but I do religiously shop from & Other Stories, one of their brands targeted at professional-age women who have too much money to spend on sweaters. I’m wondering how H&M’s controversial attempt at normalizing AI models (nope, will always be weird to me) will fit into this. (BBC, Business of Fashion)

🏡 AirBnB seems to be unbothered about its tiff with Vrbo as it gears up for bigger and better things. The WSJ reports that Airbnb is ramping up marketing spend and hiring ahead of a big announcement in May - where it will expand its revenue streams beyond home sharing. They launched Experiences a few years ago, and that was both a brand-aligned and a smart business move. So I’m excited to see what Brian Chesky and the team will create next. (WSJ)

☕️ We all know Starbucks is going through a corporate turnaround and nostalgia-driven brand overhaul (video coming soon). But did you know baristas are expected to jot down handwritten notes on every cup they serve? What started as a spontaneous gesture is now being mandated - and it’s backing up queues. Can a forced moment of kindness still feel genuine? Or does turning it into a requirement ruin the magic? Of both the interaction - and the brand. (Bloomberg UK)

💄 There’s a rumor that Sephora will stop selling sex toys by the end of the year. And I’m wondering if this a brand issue, or simply a demand one. A few years ago, sexual health was all the rage… with brands like Dame and Maude popping off. But now with social conservatism on the rise, and the age of beauty buyers plummeting (leading to the wonderful Sephora kid phenomenon), I think the retailer might be trying to align their stance with their new audiences - and the parents who fund them.

🌯 I think we’ve reached peak capitalism: you can now pay for your food delivery in installments. Klarna, the Swedish BNPL (buy now, pay later) company, has struck a deal with Door Dash — promising a better, ‘interest-free’ alternative to credit cards. But considering American household debt reached an all-time high last month, and that Klarna can absolutely charge late fees on missed payments - this is very concerning. I rewatched The Big Short this week, and thought this meme was bang on. French fry tranches coming soon. (Fortune)

🍦 One of the truly iconic brand-led companies is discovering the limitations of corporate. Ben & Jerry’s - which has always stuck to its social justice ethos like its life depends on it - is claiming Unilever ousted their CEO. It seems the parent company wasn’t aligned with the executive’s outspoken social policy takes. Ben and Jerry, the founders, are considering buying the company back to maintain ideological independence. (Reuters)

🖼️ ChatGPT released a new image generation model, and it’s… insane. I was working on the Challenger Brands post the day it was came out - and asked it for an ‘Up movie' style set of me surrounded by challenger brand paraphernalia. Took some back and forth, but I truly can’t believe the output. The possibilities for this are endless, and I haven’t even started looking into campaign / brand creatives. (Tech Crunch)

🩵 Quick hits

• Amy Poehler launched a podcast, and I’m fully bought in. It’s the exact opposite of Meghan’s sterile cooking / lifestyle / craft show no one can relate to.

• Parker’s obsessed with this new font by Pangram Pangram Foundry

• I read (and pay for) a lot of newsletters. My current fave? As Seen On by Ochuko Akpovbovbo

Onwards

My priority for next week will be to start engaging with the broader brand/marketing/business creator community. Until now, I’ve been building the Brandsider within the confines of my network - albeit publicly.

There’s something to be said about earning your spot - honing your lane, getting in the reps - before taking part in the conversation. But I’m getting to that point now, and I know from building Boldest that it’s through community engagement that things really start to take off.

Time to start showing up.

If you’re also working on something - creative, ambitious, scary - I’d love to hear about it. And if you’re in London, Parker and I are playing with the idea of hosting dinners for creative entrepreneurs. If that sounds interesting, don’t hesitate reach out :)

Already looking forward to the next one,

xoxo,
The Brandsider

Hello, and welcome back to The Brandsider :)

Spring is quickly taking hold over the UK, and the sun is wiping away all trace of S.A.D. I didn’t even know I had. Parker and I may have jumped the gun and splurged on some gorgeous cast aluminum furniture from Lazy Susan (pictured below). I am absolutely stoked to use it sooner than later. I guess the price tag also means we’ll be staying in London for the foreseeable future… just don’t tell my mother.

Last week, I got to attend manager training with Oliver Wyman. I haven’t spent much time with management consultants since my Deloitte days, and it was interesting to me for 2 reasons:

1. For one, I love the networking / shamelessly corporate vibes. Always have, always will - and probably a core reason why I was so miserable in entrepreneurship, working in athleisure from the basement.

2. But two, it helped me realize my true value as a corporate brand strategist (and thus, with The Brandsider): bridging the gap between brand and business strategy. It’s an idea I’ve been noodling on for months, but hadn’t quite figured out how to articulate. Now, it’s clicking: and where I’ll be focusing my next phase of experimentation.

On that note, I’ve been thinking a lot about consistency versus exploration - and even wrote a LinkedIn post about it.

Sometimes I feel self-conscious about how much I’ve changed ‘directions’ since starting this platform last year. Then again, that’s what building in public is: testing, iterating, and slowly finding the right lane before going all in. I’m excited to get to that point, and there will be signs, I promise: updating my LinkedIn profile, locking in a bio, cleaning up messaging. All coming soon.

Otherwise, I’m excited to be getting into a flow with content creation. Every script feels like a small challenge, but I genuinely enjoy the end-to-end process. And of course, staying on top of the biggest business + brand moves of the week…

✨ Where Business Meets Brand

Deeper analysis, as covered in short form video on TikTok / IG / YouTube Shorts

Ferrari’s billion-dollar brand move

This weekend marked the official launch of Ferrari’s partnership at the Australian Grand Prix. But this deal goes way beyond a marketing stunt: when when it was announced in January 2024, Ferrari’s stock surged 12%, adding billions to its market cap.

Because while Ferrari is an icon, it’s actually an underdog in the all-important world of F1, where brands compete for legacy and ego. Bringing in Hamilton is a strategic play to put Ferrari back on top, reinforcing Ferrari’s reputation for Italian excellence and engineering perfection. As long as he pulls through…

Eventbrite’s new chapter

At first glance, Eventbrite’s new logo looks like a small change. But it signals something much bigger: a shift from being back-end infrastructure to live event destination.

To do so, the brand is invested in creating emotional resonance: visually, verbally and with its new positioning as the all-inclusive place for live events. It’s a powerful direction for the business, now with a brand that can compete in the increasingly competitive space. With Dice and Spotify taking over events, I’m excited to see if this pays off.

PrettyLittleThing’s ‘quiet luxury’ rebrand

Someone needs to tell PLT that heritage isn’t something you can just ‘add to cart’. No seriously, the brand recently trashed its pink/fun/girl/Love Island aesthetic in exchange for a sophisticated identity and LinkedIn-worthy styles.

Customers are, unsurprisingly, very confused. Mainly because there’s no continuity from the initial brand, and zero change to the real issues people have with the company: no supply chain transparency, environment neglect and all-around poor quality clothing. I share more in this video:

📈 Intel Files

A roundup of stories caught my attention this week

• Southwest now charges you for bags on-board - a surprising move from the supposed ‘airline with heart’ which spent years touting its free-bag policy. It’s a reminder that brand and private equity don’t mix, and a disappointing direction for what was once a beloved airline player. If you’re interested to learn more, Amanda Gordon from ‘The Case’ wrote a great piece about the iconic brand’s rise - and darker road ahead. (Fast Company)

• Meta is sick of being for boomers - and trying to become cool again with the help of creators. Fascinating example of a brand becoming tied to a psychographic audience - and alienating others. I think this might merit a video… (The Information)

• PepsiCo is officially acquiring Poppi, the trendy prebiotic soda brand, for $1.65 billion. This deal has been brewing for some time, with the conglomerate even hinting at launching their own prebiotic soda pre-Christmas. It seems PepsiCo figured out that building a cult from scratch was going to be too much work. I just hope they do Poppi justice…(PepsiCo)

• The Four Seasons bet on White Lotus… and it paid off. The hotel chain is playing a bold game with its brand reputation - being associated with a show that deals in sex, drugs and murder. But occupation rates are higher than ever, so maybe all everyone ever needs is a bit of drama (WSJ)

• Tesla’s performance is at an all time low, proving that having a strong founder-led brand can be a dangerous game. The drop has been directly correlated to Musk’s involvement with Trump’s administration, which makes sense: Tesla owners tend to be high-income, sustainability-minded folks. There’s a clear mismatch, and Tesla owners are actively separating themselves with bumper stickers. It’s not the most elegant solution - but I guess it works. (Morning Brew)

  

As always, thanks for tuning in. I’m always keen to get your feedback on content style and type as I hone my path with this platform. But one thing is becoming very clear to me: I should have started a very long time ago.

Kay - I’m off to obsess over more brands. Any thoughts on what I should cover next week?

xoxo,
The Brandsider

Happy Wednesday and welcome back to the Brandsider.

I'm writing this on a flight back from Montreal, after a last-minute trip to spend time with my parents. It's always so grounding to be home, and It was incredible to experience the most intense snowfall Quebec has seen in nearly 130 years. Crazy, and oh so cold (we're talking -25 with the windchill).

It's been a minute since I sat down to write a longer-form piece, and frankly I've really missed it. In my last newsletter, I shared that I’d be testing out short-form video as a distribution strategy - and spent most of January focused on that. It was a great experience, and taught me a lot about what I want to build.

Since then I've been exploring niching and different platforms as a way forward. Of course, everything takes much longer than expected - but I'm finally hitting my stride, honing my direction and craft. I might share more about my behind-the-scenes thought process in a future edition (if you're interested).

Until then, I'm really excited to get back into it!

Chat 'GTP', anyone?

For now, I've been fascinated by what's been going on with Open AI. From an inaugural Superbowl ad to a very public spat on X the brand has taken over our collective consciousness in more ways than one.

In a few short years, Chat GPT has become so deeply embedded in my workflows that it's hard to imagine life without it. And I'm not alone.

In January 2025, one in seven American adults used Chat GPT. Not to mention it's completely reshaping technology adoption benchmarks: reaching 100M users took Netflix 10 years, Fortnite 1 year. It took Chat GPT two months.

And as quickly as it's taken over our work and lives, it has also entered the zeitgeist as the primary way most people interact with AI. It's peppered into every other conversation I have with colleagues and friends, with people often endearingly referring to it as 'Chat GTP' or 'Chat'.

It's on the back of this growing cultural significance that Open AI doled out a cool $14M for presence at the most recent Superbowl.

The goal for the spot? To continue to drive mass awareness for the tool in light of increased competition (Gemini, Claude and of course Deepseek) and pique investor interest as Open AI plans to pivot to a for-profit model at some point this year.

But while they're investing heavily in awareness and brand-building...
It won't matter until Open AI builds a brand worth investing in.

Open AI needs a (brand) moat

Despite using Chat GPT every day, I feel no emotional connection to the brand. This makes sense; it positions as a functional tool, with a research-lab vibe and minimalist interface.

But as a result, I don't experience any warmth towards it, or define myself as part of an in-group of people who use it

And this matters because, like in any commodified industry, competing on pure functionality alone - price, speed, reasoning ability - quickly becomes baseline.

As new faster and cheaper models enter the space, Open AI needs to give users a reason to stick around beyond its models' utility.

This reasoning should give consumers something powerful to buy into: an idea to associate with, a mission to be a part of, an in-group to belong to.

That’s how lasting brands are built: by creating emotional stickiness.

So far, Open AI has struggled to establish that emotional brand moat - as evidenced by the mass migration to Deepseek a few weeks ago.

In this edition of The Brandsider, I want to explore why that's the case. And what they might do about it before they lose out on their head start in the space.

Issue #1: A trust-eroding identity crisis

Trust is, like in any relationship, the foundation of emotional connection. Without it, you can never develop affinity, loyalty, or - eventually - love.

This applies to people and, of course, brands.

For Open AI, one of the biggest blockers to establishing an emotional connection is a lack of trust.

This stems from the company constant flip-flopping between:

• What it says it is: a non-profit research lab dedicated to ensuring AGI benefits all of humanity

• How it actually behaves: a for-profit tech startup accepting billions in funding, closed-source development, advertising at the Superbowl and charging $200 per month for their Pro subscription

The problem isn't that it in one camp or the other. It's that there incongruence between these two ideas, and the contradiction breeds skepticism.

Consumers are much less bothered about a company being objectively good. They care more about brands simply following through on who they say they are. Authenticity eats moral purity for breakfast.

At the end of the day, I don't trust that Open AI has our best interest at heart. But I also don't really care. I'm happy to use (and pay for) the product - as long as they step down from their moral superiority soapbox and own their true ambition.

Issue #2: A brand idea no one can relate to

Great brands turn big ideas into personal ones.

To be effective, mass market brands need to stand for an idea people can actually engage with. Too broad and philosophical, and the average individual is left scratching their head: ‘but what does this mean for me?’

Open AI's brand narrative, dubbed the 'Intelligence Age’, falls into this trap. It positions Open AI as the hailer of the next transformative technology - comparing Chat GPT to iconic human inventions like the fire or the wheel.

What could be a powerful idea on paper comes off as pompous, inaccessible and disconnected. My initial thought? Someone has a bit of a God complex.

Sure, if they were a purely B2B company, focused on Defense or government clients, this big tent brand idea might make sense.

But their Superbowl presence tells me Open AI is interested in going after the masses. And to do so, it will need an approach the masses can engage with.

Take Apple. It initially stood for something big - without being inaccessible. The 'Think Different' tagline was something the right people could see themselves in, could engage with.

Apple made a big idea personal, turning a commodified product (the PC) into a highly sought-after, identity-defining must-have.

Issue #3: A chatbot with no personality

Consumers don't choose a brand purely based on how it looks. But they will stick around because of how the experience makes them feel.

Chat GPT's experience is, for all intents and purposes, largely functional.

They've leaned into their positioning as a non-profit research lab, their UI and VI reflecting a minimalist, text-based approach.

In 2024, a subtle refresh, 'tried to imbue a sense of humanity into its technology'. But the result was actually a deepening their tech-driven aesthetic with font consistency and AI-generated brand images of the natural world - ‘ultimately [embracing] the honesty of a more technically minded brand.'

The earnestness would be endearing - if the product wasn't so indistinguishable from other chatbot-based UIs like Perplexity or Deepseek. Instead of differentiating itself from the pack, it leaves Chat GPT further at risk to being compared to its competitors on the basis of price or utility.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Pi (by Inflection AI) has created a category of its own in an increasingly crowded space. With a similar chatbot user interface, they've differentiated through feeling:

• A warm, calming colour palette of off-white and green

• A choice of friendly voices, with surprisingly human intonation

• A brand idea that positions Pi as your empathetic and thoughtful companion

Pi might not be as powerful as Chat GPT, but its promise gives consumers a reason to stick around. Its experience is unique, memorable, and ultimately much stickier from a brand perspective.

The Brandsider Take

I'm still slightly bewildered by how Open AI - initially a non-profit research lab - has emerged as a clear front runner with giants like Meta and Google in the mix. It's impressive, and very promising.

But without emotional resonance - a reason for people to stay beyond utility - this head start won't last forever. As the space sees an influx of faster, cheaper models, Open AI needs to build a moat.

Open AI's product is getting stickier - with additional memory for paying users - increasing switching costs and relationship longevity. But beyond product improvement, Open AI has an opportunity to:

1. Commit to being a for-profit company, and built trust as one

2. Craft a brand narrative - a reason to buy into it - that everyone can relate to

3. And build differentiation into the platform itself by bringing to life this compelling brand narrative - so it can stand in a category of its own

Until then, I'll be leveraging Chat GPT for what it does best: as a thought partner and reasoning tool. As AI reaches widespread adoption, I do worry about how it's affecting our (read: my own) ability to write - and therefore think - because the two are inextricably linked.

Fortune AI editor Jeremy Kahn articulates this beautifully in this discussion aptly entitled 'Do You Trust OpenAI? ‘No, and None of Us Should’. It's a few months old, but completely worth it if you have 20-mins whilst tackling the laundry. Would love to hear what you think.

Until next time,

Xoxo,

The Brandsider

I haven’t used TikTok in quite some time, but with a potential US ban Jan 10^th, the brand has been top of mind

I have a very addictive personality, so the dopamine loop of short-form content doesn’t exactly agree with me. It’s also why I don’t do drugs.

TikTok? Took days off my life.

Instagram reels? Made me delete the app (and subsequently ghost everyone).

YouTube shorts? The only platform where I can control my viewing – by exclusively watching shorts on the Safari browser app (sad, I know).

I am not proud of this.

You’ll probably get the sense that I’m not the biggest fan of TikTok. With that being said, I do understand its power.

I’ve been creating content ad-hoc for some time, and it wasn’t without my foray into TikTok. It didn’t take long before I understood its effectiveness. Within a few weeks and a dozen videos, I had 5K followers and 40K+ likes. Crazy.

I can understand why TikTok launched the careers of so many creators – and why so many rely on it as their source of income.

But my feelings about it are still mixed.

TikTok is an incredible tool, but also responsible for a movement that is actively ruining our attention spans and fueling an epidemic of loneliness. Not to mention, the corporate brand feels a little bit off to me.

It’s a fairly personal take, but rooted in brand theory, market comparisons, and proof points. Also, I thought it might be fun to take a contrarian view on a product that has seen immeasurable success.

Whether you agree or disagree, I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Also, this is foreshadowing the bigger push I’ll be making in short-form content in 2025 to build The Brandsider’s audience on social. It’s also why you won’t see the Intel Files here. But more on that in the next newsletter…

Finally, Merry Christmas! Hope you had a lovely and relaxing time with your families 🎄✨

Parker and I are excited to head to Edinburgh tomorrow to see some of ours.

xoxo, The Brandsider

Strategy Dossier

A deep dive into the strategic moves behind today’s biggest brands.

Fragile isn’t typically the word you’d associate with the world’s fastest-growing, most valuable social media platform. Yet TikTok reminds us that behemoths can be more fragile than they seem.

On one hand, TikTok faces a looming US ban, with a Supreme Court hearing scheduled for January 10^th. If it fails to appeal, TikTok will be forced to sell its US operations or face a complete shutdown in one of its largest markets.

But on the other, its brand reveals a deeper vulnerability.

Despite ranking #3 globally for brand loyalty, I’d argue this is driven by product utility (and addiction) over genuine emotional connection.

With 1 billion monthly active users, TikTok has transformed the social media landscape, pioneering short-form video and redefining how we consume content. Yet its overreliance on platform utility as a value proposition leaves it exposed to competitors who could replicate its product while building stronger emotional resonance.

In this Strategy Dossier, we’ll unpack the fragility of TikTok’s brand and explore how its greatest strength might also be its greatest vulnerability.

Brand Bet

TikTok’s bet has been clear from the start: a laser focus on product.

Its groundbreaking recommendation algorithm has redefined expectations for hyper-personalized content, delivering the perfect video at the perfect time. This addictive precision has made TikTok indispensable—for now.

But strong brands aren’t built on utility alone.

The most resilient brands go beyond functionality to forge deep emotional connections. They build trust, loyalty, and a sense of belonging; a bond that outlives any single product or campaign.

Emotionally resonant brands are built on 5 pillars:

1. Emotional storytelling: A narrative rooted in a strong mission or founder’s vision.

2. Shared values: Alignment with the audience’s beliefs.

3. Shared experiences: Collective moments or rituals that connect users.

4. Sense of belonging: Fostering an ‘in group’ mentality,

5. Consistency over time: Deep trust built through consistency over a long time.

TikTok, for all its cultural relevance, falls short on many of these dimensions.

The platform’s utility may keep users coming back, scrolling late into the night, but doesn’t create the deeper connection that turns a product into an iconic brand.

Defining Moves

DEFINING MOVE #1:
The Curse of Hyper-Personalization

TikTok’s genius lies in its algorithm. The For You Page (FYP) creates an experience so deeply personalized that no two users’ feeds are the same. What you see on TikTok feels like it was made just for you, and that’s precisely the point.

But while hyper-personalization drives usage, it also undermines TikTok’s ability to foster shared experiences that build deeper emotional connections.

A strong brand connects people through collective moments, shared identities, or rituals.

With TikTok, a billion people might be using the same app, but each is having a completely different experience.

The algorithms siloes users into their own worlds, limiting the shared experiences that foster deeper emotional resonance.

While trends like viral audios, challenges, and communities like ‘BookTok’ or the recent ‘Winter Arc’ create fleeting moments of connection, these aren’t tied to TikTok itself. They are driven by creators and communities – than could find a home on another platform with a strong content discovery engine.

Contrast this with Spotify. While delivering equally personalized content, Spotify fosters shared experiences through in-product initiatives like Wrapped, Collaborative playlists, shareable Daylists (with hilarious titles I keep screenshotting and sending to people).

These go beyond the algorithm. They’re a productized output - made by Spotify, just for you – that you can share.

This helps create both a sense of collectively identity and individual delight – both strong positive associations - back to the Spotify brand. These experiences create lasting emotional resonance that TikTok, despite its cultural ubiquity, has yet to achieve.

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DEFINING MOVE #2:
Discoverability Over Connection

TikTok’s core value proposition – and its brand idea – is rooted in discovery.

The ‘It Starts on TikTok’ campaign captures this beautifully and emotionally, celebrating the platform’s role as a launchpad for creators, trends and cultural moments.

For one man’s journey to lose his dad bod, to sharing the unique way of life in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides islands, TikTok is positioned as a catalyst for connection for new experiences:

Every day, journeys of discovery start on TikTok.

Whatever you come to TikTok for, you are only ever one swipe away from starting something new.

The campaign positions TikTok as the place where extraordinary moments begin, whether it’s discovering a new hobby, finding a favourite recipe, or launching a career. It’s an appealing premise.

But here’s the thing: discovery alone isn’t enough to build deep emotional resonance. Inherently, TikTok’s focus on short-term content creates fleeting interactions – often ones you can’t remember - where users scroll endlessly but rarely form deeper connections.

This surface-level engagement extends to user-creator relationships, too. TikTok helps creators to grow massive followings, but this rarely translates into long-term engagement. Case in point: in 2022, TikTok influencer with 1.3M followers had exactly ZERO people show up to her meet-and-greet.

Creators have picked up on this disconnect, with many choosing to diversify into platforms better suited for long-term loyalty, like Twitch, YouTube, and even Substack.

Despite trying to now move into longer-form video (now with 10 min limit), TikTok’s beachhead is in short-form. And therein lies the dilemma.

The stronger a viewer’s connection to a creator, the stronger their affinity for the creator’s main platform. TikTok, by design, doesn’t provide the time or space for that shift in association to happen.

With TikTok now skewing older, prioritizing ads, shutting down the Creator Fund and pushing the TikTok shop – they are giving viewers less and less reasons to feel emotionally connected to the platform. And this leaves them in a very vulnerable position.

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DEFINING MOVE #3:
A Brand Without a Face

TikTok’s lack of emotional resonance is perhaps most visible in its corporate brand.

The brand’s public mission to ‘inspire creativity and bring joy’ feels hollow when contrasted with the reality of its product. While the platform promotes discovery and connection, its short-form content engine is widely criticized for harming our attention spans, our mental health, our creativity – and is causing real addiction problems. (TikTok brain anyone?)

The contrast becomes even sharper when you consider TikTok’s restrictions in its home market of China, where under-18s are limited to 60 minutes of use per day on the domestic version, Douyin. These actions suggest that even TikTok’s own creators recognize the harm their product can cause. Such contradictions undermine trust and authenticity in the brand’s messaging.

Compounding this issue is TikTok’s faceless corporate identity. Founder brands are a cornerstone of building trust, especially in America, where audiences are used to the founder narratives behind companies. Think of Jeff Bezos wanting to sell books, Elon Musk dreaming of sustainable mobility, or even Mark Zuckerberg coding Facebook in his dorm room.

These stories, while simplified and often idealized, provide a relatable ‘why’ that helps people connect with the brand. TikTok, by contrast, has no such narrative. Its corporate identity remains tied to ByteDance, a shadowy parent company that feels distant and opaque.

Further scrutiny in the US—where TikTok is seen as a national security risk—exacerbates the brand’s challenges. Whether these fears are justified or not, TikTok’s opacity makes it feel more like a faceless corporate entity than a trusted, community-driven platform. In today’s era of transparency, this disconnect leaves TikTok vulnerable to both consumer skepticism and regulatory pressures.

The Brandsider Take

TikTok’s meteoric rise highlights a truth that’s easy to forget: success hides fragility.

The platform’s unmatched ability to hook audiences through hyper-personalized content has made it the most used social media platform in the world. Yet, the very thing that propelled it to stardom– its algorithm and discovery engine – are what leave cracks in its emotional foundation.

As a brand strategist, this is an interesting case. But I can help but ask myself: does TikTok really need to build deeper emotional resonance into its brand? Maybe not.

But while they unarguably have the best platform today…

Given the pace of innovation and a potential ban looming, they might not hold onto this position forever.

Without shared experiences and a deeper why, they’re left vulnerable to new players who can match their utility, but give people something powerful to latch onto.

Utility can take you very far, but it doesn’t protect you forever.

But let’s see how Jan 10^th goes…

More reading

A creator’s perspective on the potential TikTok ban (Coco Mocoe, Substack)

Why TikTokers may face problems forming deep connections with fans (Business Insider)

How China takes extreme measures to keep teens off TikTok (MIT Technology Review)

How TikTok Reads Your Mind (New York Times)

TikTok Brain Explained (WSJ)

Happy Thursday, and welcome back to the Brandsider.

My mom was in town last week, and I must say it was lovely to see London through her eyes. Having moved here for work in 2021, and then again this past September, I never did any of the touristy things. But a girl’s getaway felt like the perfect opportunity to visit the London Eye, dinner at Darwin, Liberty, Kew Gardens and, of course, shopping on Oxford / Regent Street. Seeing the streets lit up for Christmas was beautiful – and we weren’t the only ones to think so. There were so many people crowded at the intersection that my mobile phone service stopped working (from working in Telecom, I know how truly insane that is!)

With that having put me in the Christmas spirit, I was on the hunt for gifts for my loved ones. And while I’m not one to buy luxury products for myself, I do love gifting small indulgences. The ultimate cadeau in my book? A bottle of champagne.

I never have given much thought to champagne brands, as my purchasing of them is seldom, but I recently had the opportunity to watch the Widow Clicquot movie on a business flight back from Dubai. And I don’t think I can ever look back (or buy another brand of champagne for that matter).

Widow Clicquot tells the story of a young widow (veuve, in French) who inherited the Veuve Clicquot house of champagne at just 27. In a climate when women were prohibited from owning businesses, and the Napoleonic wars raged on, this incredible woman moved mountains (and earth, and vines) to build the foundation for a brand still thriving 250 years later.

I won’t spoil the movie, but it’s truly no surprise that Veuve has been around as long as it has. In this week’s Strategy Dossier, we’ll be diving deep into the world of Veuve Clicquot, unpacking what makes it such an exceptional brand.

But first, what’s been on my mind lately…

Intel files

Random brand news, articles and tidbits on my mind this past week.

🚗 Honda and Nissan eye a merger
It’s been a rough year for the automotive industry. VW recently announced it would be shutting down three factories in Germany and laying off thousands. Even luxury players like Jaguar are rethinking how they go to market (clearly). Between lower consumer demand and competition from EVs and Chinese players, the entire sector is feeling stretched. It’s thus no surprise that, Honda and Nissan are reportedly exploring a mega merger of Japan’s 2^nd and 3^rd biggest auto producers. I expect more brand and M&A activity in 2025 with plenty of juicy brand case studies to follow.

📺 Netflix tightens up on parental leave
Once a pioneer of permissive startup culture, Netflix is stepping back from unlimited first year parental leave—a policy that helped shape its reputation as an inclusive employer. I’m curious how this shift will impact its internal culture – and external perception as a brand. You can read more in the WSJ article here.

✈️ Billie still hasn’t sky-dived…
Vanity Fair’s 8th annual Billie Eilish interview is out, and we now have eight years of footage tracing her journey from moody teenager to thriving young woman. I, for one, am so glad that this kind of content exists. It’s also a reminder of why YouTube captures 10.4% of daily time Americans spend watching TV, and is by far the most used social platform.

🥤Olipop and prebiotic industry plants
Olipop officially joined the big leagues with its $14M Super Bowl ad this year. The startup soda brand brought prebiotic soda into the spotlight, and now Coca-Cola (SimplyPop) and PepsiCo (Soulboost) are launching challengers. Here’s the thing: people are obsessed with Olipop and Poppi, the two health startups currently dominating the space, so brand will be the make or break for these new ‘industry plant’ players. But can grassroots brand love outspend corporate marketing dollars and top-tier distribution? TBC.

💧Alex Cooper launches ‘Unwell Hydration’
Though I can appreciate the brand Alex Cooper has built, her new wellness drink announcement has left me (and a lot of people) feeling a bit queasy. Named after one of her iconic catchphrases, Unwell Hydration is looking to capitalize on the growing health drink space and Call her Daddy’s female audience. Positioning as ‘by women, for women’, the brand’s launch and partnership with Nestle feels slightly cash grabby. It’s memorable, with on-trend packaging. But is it good branding? We will have to see.

🍇 Branded grapes, anyone?
Ever wonder why the produce at the grocery store isn’t branded? Me neither—until Ellen Kellogg’s compelling piece in On Brand got me thinking. As food prices rise and differences between supermarkets shrink, branded produce feels like the next step. And now I’m dying to try those Cotton Candy™ grapes from Waitrose over Christmas.

What caught your eye this week? Would love to hear about any brand moves I may have missed.

Strategy Dossier

A deep dive into the strategic moves behind today’s biggest brands.

Founded in 1772 by the trailblazing Barbe-Nicole, Veuve Clicquot is one of the oldest and most defining champagne houses.

But today, Veuve’s reputation is just as tied to modern culture as it is to its heritage. You might associate it with Wiz Khalifa’s music videos or the brand’s iconic influencer-studded Polo events. Its signature yellow label is everywhere—from liquor stores to nightclubs.

This ubiquity has spelt financial success. While Veuve doesn’t publish its numbers as a subsidiary of LVMH, it is “by very, very far the biggest champagne house in the US.”

But this success has come with a cost. Critics argue that Veuve has traded heritage and quality for mass-market appeal.

“It’s mass-produced, it’s punchy and overplayed… it’s not what people want to drink in a champagne anymore,”

“The worst part about [Veuve Clicquot]? It invites non-champagne people to think they are”

While I’m no oenophile (a wine expert, for those wondering—yes, I just learned that), the same concerns around being ubiquitous and overdone also apply to brands.

When brands grow too fast, they risk losing their DNA in the pursuit of scale. The result? A watered-down identity that tries to be everything to everyone, and ends up standing for nothing.

But that’s not the case for Veuve.

The Brand Bet

Veuve Clicquot continues to thrive because it doesn’t follow traditional luxury conventions. It writes its own rules.

From inception, the brand has embraced innovation, accessibility, and disruption—values instilled by its founder, Barbe-Nicole, who revolutionized champagne-making at a time when women weren’t even allowed to own businesses.

Today, over 250 years later, those same principles guide Veuve’s success. The brand doesn’t rely on snobby connoisseurs’ approval to thrive. Instead, it democratizes luxury, creating champagne that even “non-champagne people” can enjoy without losing its premium identity.

While critics may debate the quality of its product, Veuve remains laser-focused on its mission: making everyday indulgence accessible, without compromising its DNA.

It’s this unshakable commitment that has allowed Veuve to dominate globally while rewriting the rules of luxury.

Let’s explore how the defining moves that have propelled Veuve to the forefront of the champagne industry.

Defining Moves

Defining Move 1:
A brand idea rooted in disruption

Veuve Clicquot’s core brand idea is rooted in disruption and rule-breaking—a legacy established by its founder.

Beyond simply emphasizing its long-standing history through, Veuve draws on the emotional story of Barbe-Nicole. Since 1972, they have proudly hosted the Bold Woman Award, which honours her legacy and celebrates entrepreneurial women who ‘dare to disrupt’.

But while Veuve Clicquot’s brand is synonymous with disruption, this edge has always been paired with its unshakable commitment to quality and craftsmanship. Barbe-Nicole worked daily in the vineyards and personally pioneered industry-changing innovations like the first vintage champagne, the riddling table, and the blended rosé champagne. These inventions all shaped modern champagne production and earned her the title “La Grande Dame de Champagne.”

This unique brand DNA – innovative, rooted in quality, and unmistakably female – comes to life perhaps most beautifully in Veuve’s vibrant branding. Its signature yellow, chosen by Barbe-Nicole perhaps as a nod to her daughter Clementine, stands out against traditional luxury colors like red and gold. Luxurious yet joyful, Veuve’s branding and positioning reflect its rule-breaking spirit while staying true to its craft.

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Defining Move 2:
Positioning for everyday indulgence

In the unforgiving world of luxury, where exclusivity is often the selling point, Veuve Clicquot defies industry logic.

Rather than positioning champagne as precious or reserved for special occasions, Veuve frames it as a personal indulgence—an everyday luxury.

This approach isn’t new for Veuve. In 1964, the brand ran a subversive ad featuring a bottle of Veuve alongside a greasy burger, with the cheeky tagline Après l’opéra (After the Opera). The ad challenged the notion that champagne was only for big occasions, suggesting it could be enjoyed casually, sprawled out on the sofa after a night out.

Fast-forward to today, and Veuve continues to push this idea with its Good Day Sunshine campaign. Bright and joyful, the campaign emphasizes innate pleasure and the carefree side of champagne.

When comparing it to its peers, what sets Veuve apart isn’t price—it’s attitude.

• Moët & Chandon: Financially accessible but celebration focused.

• Dom Pérignon: The epitome of luxury, reserved for milestones

• Krug: Craft-focused, connoisseur indulgence.

• Veuve Clicquot: Everyday indulgence, rewriting the rules with a blend of accessibility and joyful luxury.

Veuve stands out by introducing a fresh attitude toward a luxury product, which resonates with its younger consumers and aligns with its disruptive brand DNA.

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Defining move 3:
Committing to the brand engine

Veuve Clicquot’s success isn’t just about clever campaigns or product innovation—it’s about a masterful alignment of its brand idea, market positioning, and marketing mix.

This integration is what I call the Brand Engine: a self-reinforcing cycle where every element works together to shape how the brand is perceived.

For Veuve, the engine starts with its bold brand idea of innovation and everyday indulgence. As we’ve discussed, Veuve has a history of industry-shaping product innovations. But recent offerings—like Veuve Clicquot RICH, designed to be used in cocktails or on ice, continue to reflect its pioneering spirit while appealing to younger, modern drinkers. These products make sense, even thought they might be at complete odds with what connoisseurs expect from a legacy champagne house.

Its customer experience and promotions extend this playful approach. Campaigns like Good Day Sunshine, its annual Polo event and pop-ups feel authentic because they embody Veuve’s positioning as the champagne of everyday indulgence.

The 250th-anniversary Culture Solaire campaign took this even further, blending Veuve’s heritage with fresh, multi-channel experiences like a pop-up museum, work commissioned by artists like Yayoi Kusama, and a partnership with Belmond Trains.

With an unstoppable brand engine Veuve ensures its perception as bold, modern, and timeless remains intact—proving that strong alignment across every touchpoint is what separates the good from great (or vintage – ha!).

Brandsider Take

Veuve Clicquot offers a masterclass in how brands evolve with the times while staying deeply rooted in their DNA. It demonstrates the power of writing your own rules—rules that don’t require validation from snooty sommeliers or the industry old guard.

The brilliance of Veuve isn’t in any single innovation or campaign. It’s in how the brand continuously applies the principles that all great brands follow:

1. Root your story in an emotional hook. Veuve’s underdog story of Barbe-Nicole and her fight to disrupt an industry remains deeply resonant today.

2. Claim a unique market space. Accessible luxury that balances premium quality with everyday indulgence.

3. Stand out visually. Veuve’s striking yellow branding is instantly recognizable and uniquely joyful.

4. Commit to the Brand Engine. Veuve aligns its brand idea, market positioning, and marketing mix in a self-reinforcing cycle. This ensures everything the brand puts out into the world amplifies its timeless and identity.

What sets Veuve apart is its ability to chart its own course, staying true to its roots while rewriting the rules of luxury. By anchoring itself to a timeless idea, Veuve shows that great brands don’t need industry approval to succeed—they just need the courage to play their own game.

As far as I’m concerned, Veuve is one of the best examples of brand-building today. And in this newsletter, we’ll continue investigating the strategies behind today’s biggest brands. Both the good, and the bad.

More reading

A deep dive into Veuve Clicquot’s Solaire Culture exhibition – and the women behind the art pieces

A Financial Times interview with the CEO of Veuve Clicquot, Jean-Marc Gallot

An introduction to the world of champagne snobs and those shocked that Veuve could ‘invite non-champagne people to think they are’

Welcome to the first edition of the Brandsider, a weekly newsletter that brings you business news with a brand strategy lens.

When I moved back to London and rejoined Lippincott, I knew I wanted a side project that would combine my two loves: writing and brand strategy. And yet when I started to develop brand analysis content (like these reels I worked on last year), I realized I had no place to keep track of the latest in brand news.

Sure, there are business publications. And lots of design reviews. But nowhere to uncover what business news means for the world of brand strategy. And so a light bulb went off 💡

The Brandsider is a weekly newsletter that delivers the biggest stories in brand strategy: company transformations, rebrands, refreshes, brand-led advertising and more. We’ll explore how the world’s biggest brands (read: mainly F500s) respond to internal shifts, market struggles - and shape their brand perceptions accordingly.

In each issue, expect:

1. Developing stories: the biggest market stories, and what it means for the brands involved

2. Quick headlines: other brand-related news you probably want to know about

3. Tidbits: things I consumed that were interesting or might just make you smile

I’d love your feedback on format, content - or simply hear your own takes on the stories covered. The beauty of a newsletter is that I always have email open (ha!)

Talk soon,

Tamara

❶ DEVELOPING STORIES

The biggest market stories, and what it means for the brands involved.

☕️ A Brand New Chapter for Starbucks

The story: Starbucks is undergoing a corporate turnaround under new CEO Brian Niccol, with a ‘Back to Starbucks’ plan launched in mid-September. The focus is on streamlining operations (like simplifying the menu) and enhancing the in-store experience to “re-establish Starbucks as the community coffeehouse” - and boost falling revenue. Additionally, Niccol is prioritizing storytelling to reconnect with customers, appointing Tressie Lieberman as the company’s first Chief Brand Officer—who brings experience from Chipotle, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut.

The Brandsider take:

• This overhaul reflects a need to revive the Starbucks brand, which has drifted from its roots. With high prices, a transactional corporate feel, and long wait times, Starbucks has lost its inviting ‘third place’ appeal. And positioning-wise, it’s unclear where Starbucks fits among competitors: trendy Blank Street, affordable Dunkin’, and high-end local cafés etc.

• With CBO Lieberman and WPP on board, Starbucks needs to remind customers why they choose Starbucks. I’d expect a campaign - maybe with new products or experiences - that lean into Starbucks’ core strength of delivering high-quality coffee, at scale.

👔 EY’s Attempt at a United Front

The story: After spending $100M on a failed attempt to split its auditing and consulting arms last year, Big 4 player EY is regrouping under new CEO Janet Tuncale and an ‘all-in’ internal strategy. Externally, the company is aiming to restore confidence with a brand refresh, launching a new tagline—“shape the future with confidence”—and expanding its classic yellow and black palette. The update is accompanied by a major ad push across airports, business publications, and TV.

The Brandsider take:

• EY’s rebrands have been hit or miss—like in 2014, when its name change to “EY” awkwardly overlapped with a Spanish queer soft-porn magazine. A decade later, this one also seems to fall a bit flat. It’s about as corporate as it gets, feels like a creative step back on their 2014 slogan “building a better working world”. And most concerning, doesn’t actually ring true for EY given its recent discord.

• Still, with a substantial ad budget, EY hopes this future-focused rebrand will shift attention from its internal struggles back to its client.

🍏 From ‘Think Different’ to Don’t Think at All…

The story: When Apple teased its iPhone 16 Pro campaign with the tagline “Hello, Apple Intelligence,” there was a lot of excitement. Apple is known for clever, distinctly on-brand advertising, dating back to its iconic ‘Think Different’ campaign of the early 2000s. But the new spot feels off-brand, featuring use cases where lazy, forgetful, or even disrespectful people rely on the tech to avoid accountability.

The Brandsider take:

• This campaign is so jarring because it’s the opposite of what Apple represents: excellence, innovation, and precision. It’s easy to imagine Steve Jobs rolling in his grave.

• Good branding (and advertising) is aspirational. That’s what made ‘Think Different’ brilliant—you want to be part of Apple’s in-group, showing the world that you, too, think differently. But with this campaign’s message, are they implying iPhone 16 users reply on tech to do the bare minimum? It certainly seems that way.

🍽️ Does GLP-1 Need a Better Brand?

The story: LAThe Brandsider take:

• Seeing ‘formulated for GLP-1 users’ on packaging and advertising sounds, well, a bit medical. It feels like there’s an opportunity for a brand to coin a catchy phrase that implies GLP-1 supported weight-loss, without saying it so explicitly.

• As more players enter this space, a genericized trademark (think Kleenex or Frigidaire) seems unlikely. Yet, a clever campaign from a major player could introduce a new term into our vocabulary, and reinforce market leadership. I’ll be keeping an eye out.

❷ QUICK HEADLINES

Other brand-related news you probably want to know about.

• 🎬 ‘So good’ brand advertising: Netflix’s new multilingual advertising spot perfectly captures the brand’s core idea of bringing people together through entertainment. The new ‘Moments’ feature allows viewers to share their favorite show & movie scenes with loved ones - echoing experiences we’ve all shared.

• 🍔 Keeping McDonald’s ‘cheap and cheerful’: With rising food prices impacting sales, McDonald’s is launching initiatives to regain its reputation as a value leader. Think €4 Happy Meals in France and C$1 coffee in Canada. This was overshadowed by a recent E.coli outbreak, prompting the brand to address safety issues amid its attempt to attract budget-conscious customers

• 💎 Crystal clear way forward: Swarovski continues to build sales momentum, reinforcing the ‘pop luxury’ positioning it launched in 2021 with a new celebrity partnership. Ariana Grande, the new face of Swarovski, aligns with the brand in style and accessibility.

• 🧻 Grab a tissue: last week, Kleenex unveiled a refreshed logo by Turner Duckworth. It features a bold blue, a crown device for brand recognition, a custom font, new illustrations, and campaign materials supporting its purpose: ‘strength in everyday moments.’

• 🐠 Goldfish isn’t just for kids: In a reminder that Goldfish is for everyone, Goldfish launched a limited packaging run with a cheeky new name: “Chilean Sea Bass”. The stunt got Campbell some press, but fell short on the emotive front. It feels like there’s an opportunity play into nostalgia to attract older snackers.

• 🎃 Back from the dead: A few years ago, the Nerds brand was fading into oblivion - with top line sales of 40M. But out of the R&D lab emerged something freakishly wonderful: America’s new favourite Halloween candy. Nerds gummy clusters have generated $500M in sales this year alone, bringing Nerds back to center stage in a very big way.

❸TIDBITS

Things I consumed this week that were notable, interesting, or just smile-worthy.

• I don’t particularly like either of these people, but 43M views in a week (on a 3h video!) has to speak to the transformative power of a platform.

• Talk about doing company culture well. I’d never heard of Valve before, but their employee handbook lists perhaps the ballsiest approach to running a company. And apparently it works: their per employee profitability is higher than Google, Amazon or Microsoft.

• This crazy, 90 min deep dive on the mid-2000s One Direction craze. I’m both proud and ashamed to say I watched the whole thing (in multiple instalments too).

• Who knew Margaritaville was such a genius brand? This deep dive by Michelle Wiles unpacks how this unexpected player became one of the most profitable and beloved brands in the competitive hospitality space. And they did it through the power of brand.

• If you’re obsessed with the nostalgic sun care brand Vacation, you’ll be happy to know there’s more where that came from. Discover Poolsuite, their parent company’s brilliantly designed 90s website, where you’ll find mixtapes, merch, and even a newsletter.

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