À la poubelle
Why creators might be the ultimate case for brand-led businesses, and how we’ll actually grow this thing
April 4, 2025 | London, UK
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